The franking machine came into existence in 1884 by Norwegian, Engle Frankmussler. That being said, you sure can tell where the term FRANKING was coined from. The very first and the early machine were called the “Postage Stamp Affixing Machine”, which was invented to solve the problem of security and unreliable payment system been used by the post office over a long time
The primary purpose of a franking machine is to offer businesses and entrepreneurs a means of sending their emails in a cheaper and more efficient way by saving effort when it comes to circulating mass letters and packages. It saves a business owner the stress of sticking stamps onto individual letters and parcels and queuing at the post office with bundles of envelopes to be weighed.
It also offers a method of pre-paying the postage cost of mail by remaining in contact electronically with the Royal Mail. Every franking machine is linked to the business account and the business owners pay in advance for postage costs according to the volume and type of emails they are sending. The franking machine could be set by the owner to do correction of date and insert the letter which is then franked with that company’s individual franking impression.
As a business owner, the franking machine can be seen as a solution to mailing letters because it comes with certain features which save you a lot of stress. The franking machine can do things like:
AUTOMATIC ENVELOP SEALING
The franking machine saves labor time. It helps to automatically seal envelopes once they have gone through the franking machine, as well as open the flap of envelopes prior to sealing. You can also use the sealer function of the franking machine to seal other envelopes that may not even be for postage use.
AUTOMATIC ENVELOPE FEEDING
Comparing today’s franking machines to the early franking machines which were basically manual and required human intervention. The automatic feeder feature can process envelopes without the need for human intervention and if by chance you do not trust the machine enough, you can always opt for the manual or semi-automatic controls.
AUTOMATIC ENVELOPE STACKING
For a machine to have an envelope sealing and envelope feeding feature, it’s also expected to have an envelope stacking feature which makes it a complete envelope run-through feature.
POSTAGE RATE AND REST METER
Another feature of the modern franking machine is
that it’s linked to your online franking supplier and will automatically store and update the current postage rates in tandem with the size, weight, and thickness of the letter/parcel you are sending. (Check Franking lease rates at Frankingmachinecompare.co.uk)
AUTOMATIC ACCOUNTING
One huge feature the franking machine offers is the ability to log and monitor all your outgoing mail expenditure, which is going to serve as a great benefit for your accounting department to help control and manage expenditures. This feature has now made franking within budget easier on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.
PIN PROTECTION
This feature keeps your mind at peace, knowing fully well that your outgoing mail is being processed appropriately and accountability
BUSINESS IMPRESSION
The modern franking machine is capable of doing so much more than simply affixing the correct postage to your outgoing mail. It also acts as extra publicity and promotional tool. Utilizing full-color optimization you can make your mail instantly recognizable to your clients or new marketing targets by adding your company logo or slogan (as long as they comply with Royal Mail’s guidelines).
All the features listed above clearly shows that when it comes to managing your mail, a franking machine is the best option that would bring a great solution to mailing letters in your business by offering several benefit and improvements.
CONVENIENCE
The franking machine saves you the stress of going to queue to get stamps in a post office because you would have a room serving as your mini post office. It also provides you with 24/7 services and no more running out of stamps which would result in delayed mails.
HIGH-SPEED DELIVERY
Metered mail is expedited as high-priority business mail. It’s already dated, postmarked, and canceled when it arrives at the post office, so it requires fewer steps in the handling process. That means quicker results for your important correspondence.
DISCOUNTS AND SAVINGS
For every standard mail item you send, you get a 1 cent discount. I know that’s a little bit when you send more than 200 items at once, you could save 15 cents on every item by availing of A post bulk discount for franking machine users. It also helps you save from overpaying for postage because the stamps you have do not add up to the exact amount needed to mail your item.
BRANDING, PROMOTION, AND ADVERT
Customers would take your business seriously when your mail is franked because it would make it look more professional. The franking machine has the ability to print your logo and return address on every mail you send which means your envelope can serve as a mini-billboard to help promote your business and improve response rate.
GUARANTEED SECURITY
Another benefit you derive as a business owner is that you have total control over who uses the machine and when the machine can be used. You don’t have to worry about lost or damaged stamps with the use of the franking machine. Also, all your postage dollars are kept safe in your lockable account.
