ims_franking

Some questions about franking

Wed, 08 Dec 2021 13:20:24 GMT

Thinking about franking?

It’s very easy to manage your own post, and remove the time, cost, the tedium of finding the right stamp, and admin associated with tracking those posted items.

At IMS Franking , we have been helping our customers to send, receive, and manage documents for over three decades, and we get asked a lot of questions from businesses looking at ways to improve efficiency, and save costs with their outgoing post. We are always happy to answer these questions, and offer the best advice, and if needed, the right machines to achieve this.

In this short blog we answer some of the questions we get asked so that you can decide if you should take advantage of more modern ways of posting your mail.

Some of the questions frequently asked are:

Can I frank my own post?
Can I put my franked post in a normal postbox?
Can I print my own postage stamps?
Can I print stamps online?
Can I pay for postage online?

Postage options for small businesses

For most correspondence, the easiest and quickest way to get the message from A to B is digitally. Emails, texts, attachments, and online transfers are all part of our daily life, but what about posting physical mail, especially smaller businesses sending parcels, packages and small letters?

The success of selling platforms like Etsy, Amazon, and eBay has allowed people to start up small businesses from the comfort of their own homes, with online shops saving money on renting physical shop space, reducing overheads and risk, and giving freedom to work when it suits. But how do you keep your customers happy, your post getting out on time, and your costs low?

You have a couple of options that make life a lot simpler, you can either frank your own post, or print your stamps and drop your parcels at the post office. Here is a little bit about both...

Frank your own post

Franking your own post is essentially having your own post office in your business (or home). You weigh the letter or parcel, type in the postage details and print out a label – just as would be done in the Post Office. You pay exactly the right postage, and there are additional savings on the postage costs with the new MailMark franking . All you need to do is keep your supply of inks , or labels for larger parcels and you can manage all your outgoing post easily. You just need to drop the parcels off or arrange a regular pick up from the Royal Mail. This is particularly good if you’re posting a lot of mail and can’t easily get to a post office regularly, and it’s pretty straightforward to set up a business account . There are a range of options for pick up to suit your volume and working week.

Print your own postage labels

If you’re using stamps to send out your mail, you might want to look at Royal Mail’s Click and Drop service. You just go online, print off your label and drop the parcel off at one of over 14,000 locations - a post office or one of the many parcel post boxes. You can even arrange to have regular pickups of your mail, and the system integrates with most of the online selling platforms, making your life that bit easier.

If you register an account with Royal Mail you will have access to lower postage costs, and tracking of your post. For more details take a look at the Royal Mail Click and Drop service page .

A few questions about posting your franked mail

Can I post my franked mail?

Yes, your franked mail can go in a postbox – but in order to do so your franked post must be inside a Royal Mail Approved Metered Posting Envelope (also known as Late meter posting, as these are most frequently used when the postage time has been missed for the day). These can contain up to 30 individually franked items of mail.

If your post won’t fit in one of these envelopes then you’ll have to use a dedicated business post box, one of the Royal Mail parcel post boxes, or simply take it along to your nearest Post Office.

For the latest franking prices and guidelines , take a look at our website.

How to prepare franked items for post

Franking your mail is undeniably a time and money saver, but the machine is only as good as the operator, so there are rules to follow!
If you punch in the wrong details you might overpay or underpay, leading to unnecessary cost and delays in your post. For collection by Royal Mail you should use the specified trays and bags for collection depending upon the size and class of the post.

How do I frank a letter and prepare for posting?

Preparation is everything and having a system in place that everyone follows will reduce errors and missed deliveries. The best way to prepare your letters is to sort them firstly into postage class, size, and destination. Make sure the addresses face upwards, and that the franking mark is on the top right hand side corner of your post.

Keep these bundled together using elastic bands to prevent them from getting mixed up with other mail. Make sure you’re using the right mail pouch for your post – red pouches for 1 ^st Class, Green for 2 ^nd Class, and White for International mail.

Use the right mail bags for your post

You should prepare your parcels by placing them inside the mail bags supplied by Royal Mail. These will be marked either 1 ^st or 2 ^nd Class, so make sure the right parcels go into the right bags – and remember the maximum weight per bag is 11kg – do not exceed this limit.

Special Delivery Guaranteed and International tracking and signature services

If you have franked Special Delivery Guaranteed and International tracking and signature services mail, keep it separate from other mail. Make sure the pouch you are using for this mail is correctly labelled for this type of delivery, and seal it.

You can order trays and bags free of charge from Royal Mail >>

Mistakes can lead to your mail being delayed, or lost, and Royal Mail will charge an admin fee for these mistakes. If your mail was franked or packaged incorrectly (i.e. a 2nd Class mail item in a 1st Class postage bag), you will be charged the difference.

If you want to find out more about mailroom equipment from IMS, either fill out the form on our contact page, or get in touch via the Live Chat pop up in the bottom right of your screen.

Alternatively, call us on 0118 982 0988 or email info@ims-franking.co.uk .

If you have an questions about franking, just leave us a message on the form below:

Smart franking, what is it and how can it save you money?

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 17:03:39 GMT

What is Smart Franking, and do you need it?

What is a smart franking machine?

Franking machines have been around for a while now, and anyone using one will know they make sending post a lot easier to manage and cheaper. The technology behind them is always moving forwards, helping you to make further savings and make running your business that bit easier.

You may have seen modern franking machines described as 'smart', and wondered what this might mean…

So, what makes a franking machine smart? These new machines have the ability to account for VAT, meaning that you frank as before, but the machine has all the VAT information already on its system, taking care of the calculation that enable you to claim VAT back.

Why is that needed? Well, since the EU rules were changed in 2011 some types of mail became subject to VAT (such as business mail, and special deliveries), while standard mail and parcels were not. All of this can be confusing, and complicated to keep a track of. As long as you put the correct postage information into the franking machine, it’ll do the rest for you. Once it’s in and recorded, you’ll be able to claim back the VAT.

Which post has VAT applied?

The most common types of post that are liable for VAT are:

Special Delivery Guaranteed by 9am™ (stamps, franking and account)
Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm™ (account)
Royal Mail Tracked 24 and Royal Mail Tracked 48
Royal Mail Sameday®
Royal Mail 1st and 2nd Class Account Mai
Royal Mail Signed For™ will also become liable to VAT if purchased as an add-on to a standard rated service. In all other circumstances it will remain VAT exempt.

For the full list of VAT applied post, and those that are exempt, please take a look at the Royal Mail website for the latest information.

Do you need a smart franking machine?

If you’re a business sending post via the services that have VAT applied, the answer is – if you want to make life simpler and save money, yes.

What’s more, if you are currently sending post with VAT applied, you’ll only be able to actually claim your VAT back if you have a 'smart' franking machine.

The benefits of a smart franking machine

Because your smart franking machine takes care of the VAT calculations, and send both you and Royal Mail the correct information it takes away any error and reduces admin. You can keep a track of your spending and having a smart franking machine also gives you access to further discounts from Business Mail Advanced. Apart from those discounts, the postage prices you get from SMART franking machine are the same as a standard MailMark machine, so you’ll know exactly what you’re spending, and where you’re saving.

A smart franking machine is the … smart decision for any business that wants to take control of postage costs, save money and be able to make business decisions on mailing costs with a lot less stress than without one.

Which franking machines are smart?

If you’ve decided that a smart franking machine is right for you, the next step is to find the right machine to match your use. The simple way to do that is to ask an expert , and we are always ready to give advice on the right machine to manage your volume and type of post. The majority of newer machines will be smart enabled, but there are still some on the market that are not, and if you’re buying a second-hand machine the chances are that they will not be.

Along with these smart machines, there are franking machines that are S.M.A.R.T software enabled, similar name, yes.

There is a big difference though as these new machines (currently available from IMS as the iX-3 , iX-5 , and iX -(Shipping, Mailing, Accounting, Reporting, and Tracking)7 franking machines) have features even more advanced - and make your life even easier. One key feature that customers like is that you no longer need to fill out your Royal Mail Special Delivery book, as the franking machine keeps track of all of this automatically. The iX-Series Mailing Systems and S.M.A.R.T. Essential Mail Management Software (Shipping, Mailing, Accounting, Reporting, and Tracking) have been designed to make mailing simpler, and automate many of the tasks normally associated with business post.

If you want to find out more about mailroom equipment from IMS, either fill out the form on our contact page, or get in touch via the Live Chat pop up in the bottom right of your screen.

Alternatively, call us on 0118 982 0988 or email info@ims-franking.co.uk .

If you have an questions about franking, just leave us a message on the form below:

Gone phishing ... don't get caught by postal delivery scams

Tue, 25 May 2021 16:12:31 GMT

How to spot and avoid getting caught out by fraudulent postal cost messages

Online scams are on the increase

Over the last 18 months more of us have been buying goods online, and with access to shops restricted, and people looking to fill their time with new hobbies, there has been a welcome boost for some businesses in these difficult times.

Unfortunately, it’s also been seen as an opportunity by criminals.

There has been a surge in online fraud reports including scams sent via text and email about missed deliveries, additional fees for packages, and redeliveries. Some of these have been very sophisticated and it can be very hard to tell at first glance whether the email or text is genuine, so how can you tell?

The Royal Mail has a list of the latest scams it’s been alerted to, but here are a few to look out for, and a few tips to keep in mind with any new potentially fraudulent messages you receive. If you have received one of these texts or emails, visit the Royal Mail site to report the scam now.

If you are in any doubt, don't click anything!

We are used to businesses contacting us via our mobiles, letting us know deliveries are on the way, or any delays. Our initial reaction may be to click and respond to their questions, so it can be tempting to click. But, by filling in your details to see if the email or text message is genuine, you may be opening yourself up to having malware installed on your device, and having personal details stolen and used.

Here are a few fraudulent messages that have been reported

Text scams

Example One

We attempted to deliver your package at 19.05 on Wednesday, 26 May 2021 but no one was available.

Your parcel was returned to our depot and you need to reschedule your package delivery.

Please reschedule your package delivery by pressing here (bit.ly link)

Example Two

Your Royal Mail parcel is waiting for delivery. Please confirm the settlement of 2,99 (GBP) on the following link: (bit.ly link)

Example Three

Royal Mail: Your package has a £2.99 shipping fee, to pay this now visit royalmail-redelivery.support. Actions will be taken if you do not pay this fee.

The links in these texts all take you to scam sites asking for payment.

Most of these scam sites with have a URL closely resembling a real Royal Mail or other well established delivery company website, and they may even have replicated the look of the page in an attempt to fool even those who are suspicious.

Email scams

As with the texts, these look official, and are designed to replicate Royal mail or other popular delivery company websites. The key giveaways are the email addresses and URLs they use, which while they are close to the official ones, are not correct. They often have dates on them that look recent, but everything else is false and designed to make you click and complete personal information which they collect, or worse, take payment details they can use to access your bank account.

Some examples seen are below:

Example One

Email subject: Your package could not be delivered on 25/05/2021 (the date will change)

Sender: Royal Mail Group Ltd (various email addresses may be used including press.office@royalmail.com )

The email informs you that your package could not be delivered due to no custom duty being paid.

Example Two

Email subject: We attempted to deliver your package at 09:35

Sender: RoyalMail Delivery, various email addresses are used

The email informs you that you have missed a package delivery from HMRC Revenue & Customs and gives a link to reschedule the delivery.

Example Three

Email Subject: Delayed Package Delivery !

Sender: Various senders are used

The email informs you that you have a package and that payment is required before it can be delivered.

The payment amount and currency may change.

Email subject: YOUR PACKAGE #LZ8942357486EN IS ON THE WAY

The subject, sender, date and link may change.

The email informs you that you have a package awaiting collection and that payment of £1.00 is required to collect.

The links in these emails all take you to scam sites asking for payment.

Reporting potential scams to Royal Mail

Royal Mail ask that if you receive one of these texts or emails or see a Royal Mail website which you believe to be fraudulent, then you report it to them to deal with using this email:

reportascam@royalmail.com

For suspicious emails, forward the email to reportascam@royalmail.com , do not click on any links or attachments and then delete it from your inbox.
For suspicious text messages, please send us a screenshot of the message to reportascam@royalmail.com .
For suspicious calls or websites, please include the phone number or website address in the body of the email.

If you have been a victim of one of these crimes, then you need to report it to the police and get a crime reference number for it.

If you’ve given them any of your personal data or bank account t details then you should also contact your bank to inform them, and report to Action Fraud .

Texts should be reported and the text itself forwarded to 7726, this is a free text so you will not be charged for this. An easy way to remember this is to spell put the word ‘SPAM’ on your phone keypad.

How can I spot a fraudulent message?

As mentioned, these are becoming increasingly more sophisticated as people become more tech savvy and aware, they have upped their game. Some of these have even fooled the experts, so if you have been caught out, there is no need to feel foolish, this is entirely the fault of the criminal.

Authority - Does the message claim to be from someone official? For example, your bank, doctor, a solicitor, or a government department. Criminals often pretend to be important people or organisations to trick you into doing what they want.
Urgency - Does it tell you that you have limited time to respond (such as 'within 24 hours' or 'immediately')? Criminals often threaten you with fines or other negative consequences.
Emotion - Does the message play upon your fears or insecurities, or make you curious and hopeful? Criminals often use threatening language, make false claims of support, or tease you into wanting to find out more.
Scarcity - Is the message offering something in short supply, like concert tickets, money, or a cure for medical conditions? Fear of missing out on a good deal or opportunity can make you respond quickly.
Current events - Criminals often exploit current news stories, big events or specific times of year (like tax reporting or Christmas deliveries) to make their scam seem more relevant to you.

I think the message is genuine, but I’m not sure …

It could be that the message is real, or you might be waiting for a communication from an organisation and need to know if it’s real or not.

Here are a few things to try to help you determine if the message is real.

Check a source you can trust Visit the official website, log in to your account, or phone their advertised phone number. Make sure you don't use the links or contact details in the message you have been sent or given over the phone.
Check to see if the official source has already told you what they will never ask you. For example, your bank may have told you that they will never ask for your password.

I’ve already opened and responded! What can I do?

If you've already responded to a suspicious message, take the following steps:

If you’ve been tricked into providing your banking details, contact your bank and let them know.
If you think your account has already been hacked (you may have received messages sent from your account that you don't recognise, or you may have been locked out of your account), refer to the government guidance on recovering a hacked account https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/guidance/recovering-a-hacked-account
If you received the message on a work laptop or phone, contact your IT department and let them know. 
If you opened a link on your computer, or followed instructions to install software, open your antivirus (AV) software if you have it, and run a full scan. Allow your antivirus software to clean up any problems it finds. 
If you've given out your password, you should change the passwords on any of your accounts which use the same password.
If you've lost money, tell your bank and report it as a crime to Action Fraud . By doing this, you'll be helping the battle against criminal activity, and in the process prevent others becoming victims of cyber crime.

With all this in mind, we hope that you continue to be safe from criminal activity. Sending mail and parcels through the post is a very safe way to deliver items to friends and businesses, and you should continue to do so. If you are sending large volumes of post you might consider a franking machine, or folder inserter to make life a little easier, along with other mailroom automation machinery that takes time consuming manual work out of posting mail.

If you want to find out more about mailroom equipment from IMS, either fill out the form on our contact page, or get in touch via the Live Chat pop up in the bottom right of your screen.

Alternatively, call us on 0118 982 0988 or email info@ims-franking.co.uk .

If you have an questions about franking, just leave us a message on the form below:

Overcoming obstacles to posting to the EU

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 15:44:01 GMT

What do you need to do to ensure smooth delivery of post to the EU?

Avoid delivery delays and returned post

It's hard to believe that it's now more than four years ago that the UK decided to leave the EU, but finally, on January 1st 2021, the Government and the EU signed a deal on the trade agreement between them.

While most of the news in the media has been around industries such as fishing, manufacturing, and the financial sector, there are also changes that make everyday things - such as posting mail to the EU - slightly more complicated. Add to that the haste with which these changes came in after the announcement - leaving businesses just a week to prepare - and you get a good deal of frustration, confusion, and in some cases, financial loss.

So how do you avoid these 'teething problems' and make sure you post with confidence? Well, this quick guide to those changes should help get you through the confusion

Posting items abroad

The first thing you'll need to do, is complete your customs declaration forms. These are now necessary to ensure smooth delivery of your parcel (and prevent it coming straight back to you instead with a big sticker attached telling you what you did wrong!).

These forms are required for any parcel sent to the EU from the UK (except Northern Ireland), these are called CN22, and CN23, and they can be obtained from your Post Office, or printed from here:

Download CN22 form here

Download the CN23 form here

Your post office will be able to help you with any questions about which form you need, and how to correctly fill,in the details, but some online help can also be found here .

What do you need to know?

Letters and large letters containing only correspondence, commercial invoices, or shipping documents do not require a customs declaration.
CN22 - Package with a value of up to £270. This is a simple form, often attached to the side of the parcel as a sticker.
CN23 - Package with a value of £270 or more. This contains more detailed information and is usually attached in a transparent wallet on the outside of the package, along with a CP71 form. Your Post Office can help complete this form correctly.

Find out more about the declaration form here

The recipient may then have to pay customs or VAT charges and a handling fee in the receiving country before they can claim the parcel. These charges will depend on the country they are sending to, the value of the item and whether it is a gift or commercial goods.

Be prepared - what do you need to complete your form?

1. GB EORI number

It’s now mandatory to have a GB EORI number to export to all international destinations. This number is unique to you, and should be inserted in the VAT field on the customs declaration form (CN22 or CN23) to help with customs compliance as seen in the instructions above.

If you don’t have a GB EORI number you can apply now here

2. Customs declaration forms

Electronic customs data is obtained by scanning a CN22 or CN23 customs declaration form. It is now mandatory for this to be provided for overseas items (excluding personal correspondence).

Complete the appropriate customs declaration clearly in block letters and attach it to the outside of your parcel. It is your responsibility to ensure the customs declaration includes an accurate description of the goods, their weight and value, your EORI number, the correct HS code, and whether it’s a gift or commercial item.

A customs declaration form is not required for customers sending items from Northern Ireland to the EU.

3. HS product codes

It is mandatory to include the Harmonised System (HS) code. This will help customs authorities identify the item, regardless of language barriers.

You can access a helpful HS lookup tool at parcelforce.com/tariffcode or visit gov.uk/trade‑tariff .

4. S10 barcode

All untracked items (excluding those containing personal correspondence only) being sent overseas from the UK will now require an S10 barcode on the outside of the parcel. This links with the information on your customs declaration form.

Sheets of adhesive barcodes are available to order in the usual way. For tracking and signature services the label barcode acts as the S10.

Customs authorities abroad are increasing their compliance checks, meaning incomplete or inaccurate CN22 or CN23 forms or missing S10 barcodes may result in additional charges or items being delayed, returned or seized.

5. VAT and customs duties

All sales of goods abroad are now treated as exports. They can be zero-rated for UK VAT purposes.

The recipient may then have to pay customs or VAT charges and a handling fee in the receiving country before they can claim the parcel. These charges will depend on the country they are sending to, the value of the item, and whether it is a gift or commercial goods. Letters, postcards, and documents are usually exempt .

Import VAT and duties will not be due on items from Northern Ireland to the EU.

Customs charges: items sent from Great Britain to the EU are subject to VAT and duties in the EU as follows:

Until 1 July 2021, commercial goods sent to the EU with a value between €10* and €150 may be subject to import VAT and may incur a handling fee in the receiving country.
Commercial goods sent to the EU over €150 may attract VAT, customs duties and a handling fee.
Excise duty: is chargeable in addition to customs charges for certain products (i.e. alcohol and tobacco).

*The VAT threshold may vary depending on the country. You can find out more here

6. How taxes and duties can be paid

Franking services are provided on a Delivered Duties Unpaid (DDU) basis.

Royal Mail postal partners will collect the import VAT (and customs duty) from your EU customer prior to delivery, alongside a handling fee.

Receiving items from abroad

When receiving goods from abroad, recipients may have to pay VAT and duties.

CUSTOMS DUTY – A fee placed on gifts or goods sent to the UK from outside the EU.

The duty is payable if the items are above a certain value.

The charges are applied by Border Force on behalf of HMRC.

At the end of the transition period, customs duties are expected to apply for goods coming into the UK from the EU.

The VAT and duties will be applied depending on the type and value of the goods.

For gifts over £39 and goods over £135, Royal Mail may collect the VAT and customs duties on behalf of HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) from the recipient prior to delivery.

Letters, postcards and documents are usually exempt.

Resources

Want to find out more about envelopes and mailroom equipment?

‍

At IMS, we’re the franking experts. Want to find out if your business could benefit from mailroom machine such as a franking machine or folder inserter ? Ask us!

Either fill out the form on our contact page, or get in touch via the Live Chat pop up in the bottom right of your screen.

Alternatively, call us on 0118 982 0988 or email info@ims-franking.co.uk .

If you have an questions about franking, just leave us a message on the form below:

Are you using the right envelopes?

Fri, 23 Oct 2020 16:00:17 GMT

Which envelopes suit your machines, or your business needs?

Envelopes to create the right first impression

The envelope is often the first impression a customer gets of your company, so choosing the right one is important

Whatever type of business you have, you can be pretty sure that you need to send out post, among them the most common are invoices, marketing materials, or even products. In most cases this will be sent out in an envelope , but not all envelopes are created equal.

Depending on if you fill these by hand, use an envelope stuffer (also known as a folder inserter), or have odd shaped or fragile goods to sent, the envelope will be important to not only get the contents to their destination safely, but also represent your business to the recipient.

This quick guide runs through the most common types of envelope you might need, all of which can be provided by IMS for delivery. If you need other types of packaging, our team is ready to help, just call or complete the form at the bottom of the page and we'll get back to you.

Envelope size

Everyone knows that paper comes in different sizes, most commonly used being A4, and envelopes are no different. This makes sense, as the paper needs to fit neatly into the envelope, either folded or flat. For every size of paper, there is at least one envelope designed for it.

DL – 110 x 220mm

One of the most common envelopes used. This envelope requires standard 1 ^st or 2 ^nd class postage stamps. A sheet of A4 paper folded twice fits neatly inside.

C6 – 114 x 162mm

These envelopes are designed for A4 paper folded into equal quarters. These are also designed for A6 pieces of paper and card, A5 card and paper folded in half.

C5 – 162 x 229mm

This is the largest size envelope that can be used with standard 1 ^st or 2 ^nd class postage stamps. You will still need to check the weight of your envelope with its contents to ensure the right postage, which is easily done with a franking machine and scales. A sheet of A4 paper folded once in half, or an unfolded sheet of A5 paper fit in this envelope.

C4 – 324 x 229mm

This size of envelope is known as Large Letter for postage using 1 ^st and 2 ^nd class stamps. As always, this will depend on the contents and weight of the package, so check with scales and a postage chart to make sure. An unfolded sheet of A4 will fit in these envelopes – ideal for important business documents.

Envelope weight

This refers to the thickness of the paper, and is measured in grams per square metre. The thickness of the envelope will depend on how much protection the content s need, postage costs, or even just to impress a client with a quality delivery to their offices.

80gsm

A fairly lightweight but reliable envelope, ideal for sending invoices and receipts and everyday mail up to three sheets of A4.

90gsm

A stronger envelope with more opacity, making it more secure for sensitive contents, capable of safely sending up to fifteen sheets of paper.

100 – 110 gsm

These are a thicker envelope, perfect for letterhead correspondence to make a great first impression.

120 – 130gsm

These are strong envelopes, capable of securely holding bulkier contents and brochures through the post.

Envelope colour

While the vast majority of envelopes you send and receive will be white, with a few manilla ones here and there - when you need to stand out a colour envelope is an easy way to get noticed.

In fact, research has shown that they are 9 times more likely to be opened than a white or manilla one. If you want to make sure that your brochures or marketing materials you’ve worked hard to put together get seen, you should consider sending them in a bold colour to stand out from the crowd.

Seal your envelope

There's no point sending your post if you can't be sure it will get there safely sealed inside, and you have a few options here. The three main types of envelope seal are gummed, peel and seal and self-seal.

Gummed

The traditional 'lick and stick' envelope where wetting the gummed flap enables it to stick down securely. These are the type of envelopes you need in a folder inserter machine where the flap is automatically moistened in the machine, rather than your tongue having to lick thousands of envelopes. These envelopes are known as machine compatible.

Peel and Seal

These have a strip of tape to seal the flap. These are labour intensive as they need to be done by hand, so not suitable for large mailouts. They do however have a longer shelf life than machine compatible envelopes.

Self Seal

These are sealed by simply pressing together the flat and the envelope with a pre-gummed side to each. These are great for convenience and are often sent out to customers as return envelopes. The seal can be considered an additional level of security as once sealed, the envelope cannot be opened without tearing the flap.

Type and style of envelope

Now that we've covered the size, weight and sealing of the envelope , what about the type of envelope, and what you might put into them to send them out?

Pocket Envelopes

These are used for most franked mail, next day post and general receptionist / office use. These have the opening along the short side of the envelope.

Wallet Envelopes

The wallet envelope opens along the long side, and these are the most commonly used envelopes. These are the ones you'll see going into a folder inserter and used in mass mailing.

Banker Envelopes

Although these are known as banker envelopes, these will be more recognisable as greetings card envelopes with the triangle shaped flap sealing the envelope shut. Commonly used for birthday cards, personal letters and invitations.

Window Envelopes

As the name suggests, these have a window to enable the address to be seen on the letter enclosed. This can save time with addressing your envelopes, and are used when variable data software is used for sorting mail in large volumes.

Gusset Envelopes

These have expanding sides that allow larger documents, catalogues and bulky paperwork to fit inside securely. These are often a heavier weight envelope and most frequently are used in C4 size.

Padded and Bubble Lined Envelopes

Known to most people as a jiffy bag, these are padded envelopes used to protect the contents in transit. They are lightweight, and frankable, making them a great way to sent items through the post at low cost.

Board Backed Envelopes

To protect important documents such as photographs, certificates or magazines, you may wish to use a board backed envelope. These will often have the 'please do not bend' text printed on the envelope.

Security Envelopes

These are a range of secure envelopes that protect all documents enclosed, some are tamperproof with tear resistant paper, and we have unique CheckSecure envelopes. These CheckSecure envelopes have a dark opaque printing on the inside to prevent the contents from being read without opening – even if fraud sprays are used to attempt to render the paper transparent.

Polythene Envelopes

If you need to protect the contents from water, a strong plastic envelope could be what you need. They can be used to protect any envelope, just put one or several items inside and seal. These are used frequently for sending medical, financial and secure documents or samples.

Want to find out more about envelopes and mailroom equipment?

‍

At IMS, we’re the franking experts. Want to find out if your business could benefit from mailroom machine such as a franking machine or folder inserter ? Ask us!

Either fill out the form on our contact page, or get in touch via the Live Chat pop up in the bottom right of your screen.

Alternatively, call us on 0118 982 0988 or email info @ims-franking.co.uk .

If you have an questions about franking, just leave us a message on the form below:

Electoral departments postal votes 2021

Fri, 16 Oct 2020 16:30:39 GMT

Is your Electoral department team prepared for 2021?

How will UK COVID-19 measures affect electoral departments?

So far 2020 has been quite a year with COVID-19 making an impact on our everyday activities, and despite everyone’s best intentions, the social distancing and various lockdowns around the country seem likely to stick around for a while. While it seems most people have settled into the ‘new normal’ of home working, remote meetings and electronic document signing, what does this mean if people need to go out and vote?

People have been voting by post for some time, and since 2008 you haven’t had to prove you can’t attend in person on the day. Over the last two decades, voting by post has increased, and the signs are, this is a trend that’s likely to continue. With COVID-19 and potential lockdown, we may even have an entirely postal vote. At the very least, there will be people wishing to protect their health by staying indoors and making sure they cast their vote in advance.

What does this mean for electoral departments?

To the general public, very little would change, and voting in advance while avoiding queues and crowds would be an advantage, but for those working in electoral departments it’s a very different story. Election time is busy enough, but with increased postal votes it could mean extra work, longer hours, and having to carry out essential work in close contact with other workers.

Easier to vote, harder to manage the admin

To the advantages of voting by post are clear, but behind the scenes, the electoral department would have additional challenges to meet the demands of voters. Sending out application forms, ballot papers, reply envelopes, then dealing with the returning post, opening the mail, extracting and collating the paperwork ready for vote counting.

All of this would be an extremely daunting task if it had to be done by hand, but thanks to the time saving mailroom machines available, many of these functions can be automated. These machines not only speed up the process, but they add a level of security and error free management human hands cannot provide. With automation, you’ll need fewer personnel on hand, and allow more space for COVID-19 safety measures.

At every stage of the process IMS can help, with envelopes to fill and send, and machines to take the strain of managing them. Many of our standard envelope products are available for next day delivery, and we can provide special pre-printed envelopes with addresses, messages, and instructions on them. There are folder inserter machines capable of filling the envelope with multiple inserts, and electronic letter openers to cleanly open and extract the contents once they return.

Hire machines for short term needs

Because of the nature of elections, you may not need to have your letter opener or folder inserter all year round (although we have found that once you have them, you’ll wonder how you managed without), so we offer lease machines to help you out seasonally. With the public sector, this can be extremely useful as budgets can be tight and the investment to buy a machine outright may not be there. When you lease a machine, you get the same training and support as if you’d bought the machine. We deliver it, set it up, and when it’s time to end the contract we take it away again, simple as that.

This is something we have done for many businesses and councils, helping them cope with seasonal peaks and our customer service is well known. If you think we could help you out with mailroom machines to ease your workload, or envelopes and packaging to keep your business running, please get in touch.

Want to find out more about franking?

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At IMS, we’re the franking experts. Want to find out if your business could benefit from mailroom machine such as a franking machine or folder inserter? Ask us!

Either fill out the form on our contact page, or get in touch via the Live Chat pop up in the bottom right of your screen.

Alternatively, call us on 0118 982 0988 or email info@ims-franking.co.uk .

If you have an questions about franking, just leave us a message on the form below:

Folder inserter buyers guide

Wed, 22 Jul 2020 14:25:59 GMT

Folder Inserter Buying Guide

Thinking of buying a folder inserter? What should you consider?

If you’ve ever had the job of filling and sealing envelopes by hand, you’ll know it’s not the most exciting of activities. There can be multiple inserts going into any one envelope, and if the contents differ between recipients, the chance of error increases. Thankfully, the automatic envelope stuffer is here to save us from that time consuming GDPR nightmare.

While a folder inserter carries out a simple function – stuffing letters into envelopes, all folder inserters are not created equal. Depending on the volumes going through the machine and the type of contents being stuffed, you need to consider a few things first.

This guide to buying a folder inserter offers some simple tips to help you make an informed choice. Of course, the team at IMS is always here to help if you have questions.

Monthly Usage

This is referred to as the monthly volume, and it’s one of the first questions we’ll ask a customer when they enquire about mailroom machines. This is the maximum number of envelopes you’d expect to fill in a month, rather than the limit of the machine. If you have seasonal increases, it may be best to work out your average monthly amounts, but it’s better to go with a machine with a higher capability than regularly exceed those limits.

Speed

This, unsurprisingly, is how fast the folder inserter will operate. The industry standard to demonstrate this speed is how many times a single sheet of A4 paper can be folded and inserted into a DL envelope in an hour.

Envelopes Sizes

As there are many types and sizes of envelope, your folder inserter will need to handle a range of envelopes to fill and seal. All folder inserters can take DL and C5, but for other sizes and types, speak to one of our experts to advise you.

Machine compatibility

You can’t just use any envelope in your folder inserter. To ensure clean inserts, and a secure seal on the envelope you need machine compatible envelopes. These envelopes are made with external seams to prevent jamming, and they have a gummed flap that is moistened and sealed automatically by the machine. If you’re currently using a peal and seal envelope, you may find that your new machine compatible envelopes are cheaper, so you’ll save time and money.

Feeder Capacity

If you want to leave your folder inserter running for extended periods, you’ll need to have a folder inserter that can accept more envelopes in the feeder to run while you get on with other important work.

Paper Feeder Capacity

Along with an envelope feeder you will have one or multiple paper feeders to insert your mail into the envelopes. The feeder capacity is expressed as the number of sheets of A4 70gsm paper the feeders will accept.

Feeder Configuration

Are you just folding sheets of A4 paper? Or maybe you’re sending out booklets, return envelopes, or other content that doesn’t need folding? Your configuration will manage which items need to just be inserted and which need folding, collate them and fill the envelope automatically.

Display

Most folder inserters have a clear LCD display to show operating commands and information. Many of the higher volume machines have touch screens which are extremely user-friendly, making the operation of the machine open to more employees.

Presets

Save time with regular job set ups with presets on your machine. Your engineer will set your initial preset jobs up, and run through how to do your own using the easy-to-use screen instructions.

Reload Whilst Running

Keep your folder inserter running without breaks with reload while in operation. This useful feature allows both paper and envelope feeders to be topped up – reducing downtime.

Fold Only Option

Your folder inserter may also have the ability to simply fold and not insert and this could be useful if you have flyers or other materials for hand delivery. However, if this is something you’re doing at scale, a paper folder machine may be a cheaper option, and one that will reduce wear and tear on your folder inserter.

Approved Used Folder Inserters

A cost saving option could be a refurbished folder inserter. We have a range of machines and offer maintenance contracts to keep them running. These have been fully checked over and the savings can be quite substantial.

Want to find out more about franking?

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At IMS, we’re the franking experts. Want to find out if your business could benefit from mailroom machine such as a franking machine or folder inserter? Ask us!

Either fill out the form on our contact page, or get in touch via the Live Chat pop up in the bottom right of your screen.

Alternatively, call us on 0118 982 0988 or email info@ims-franking.co.uk .

If you have an questions about franking, just leave us a message on the form below:

Tips for Office managers to save money in 2020

Wed, 11 Dec 2019 17:13:45 GMT

Tips for Office managers to save money in 2020

Look forward to a year of savings on your office budget

As an office manager, you’ll have a lot of responsibilities – including the budget for the day-to-day running of the office - and juggling them all can be both time consuming and stressful – so we’ve put together this quick checklist for you to help you save money in 2020.

As a leading supplier of franking machines and an approved Royal Mail seller we have the insights to help you save on your mailroom supplies, from franking machines, envelopes, inks, and cartridges to maintenance and upgrades.

1. Check your current deal

When did you last check on the deal you currently have? Providers of inks and mailroom machines change their prices over time, and newer machines can offer better value. Spending less on your inks doesn’t mean lowering the quality either, with compatible inks and envelopes you could make a saving instantly.

2. Use one supplier for all

Your supplier will likely be happy to offer discounts for regular orders, bundles and additional products. Building a strong relationship with your supplier gives you the opportunity to negotiate lower prices and makes handling your admin a lot simpler.

3. Is buying or renting the best option?

Modern franking machines are capable of high speeds, reliability and are very user friendly, so if you have an older machine it’s probably worth taking a look at the newest range to see if your business needs can be more easily met with a new machine. A new machine wouldn’t necessarily mean buying one though, and renting or leasing a machine can be a very cost effective way to handle your outgoing mail.

If you have seasonal peaks, renting could be the best option, whereas if you have consistently high volumes of post going out the door, buying your machine could offer better value. You’d have no recurring costs, and complete control over the usage of the machine.

One factor to consider would be the maintenance contract, as with renting you’ll often get the maintenance contract included in the costs, and upgrading to a newer machine is just a simple swap – making life a lot easier for you as you won’t need to commit long term to a machine if your volumes alter over time.

4. Machines that match your output

Don’t be tempted to buy the most impressive, fastest machine on the market – research and assess your actual needs , and there will be a machine that fits. When you have a machine that suits your day-to-day use, you can spend the money saved elsewhere. The same is true of choosing a machine that can’t keep up with your demands, as pushing a machine too hard will shorten the lifespan of the machine, and result in more call out to fix problems caused by wear and tear.

5. Are you printing too much?

It’s all too easy to get into the habit of printing off emails, meeting notes, and miscellaneous documents, but paper and ink costs money, and there is also the environmental cost to consider. Save your printing for the documents that really need printing, and if you really do need to print a large amount you should seek a supplier who can offer discounts on paper and ink over the year.

6. Stop using stamps on your mail

Most businesses have moved on from using stamps to pay for their post, and with good reason, but if you’re still sticking stamps to yours, now is the time to change.

You’ll make large savings on your post right from the start and have complete control of your postage costs. Your post will be franked individually and priced by size and weight – where you are often going over the cost with stamps to make sure you’re not under paying. Then there is the danger of running out of, or worse, losing a book of stamps. The time it takes to apply stamps to your mail is enough to convince most people, but the benefits really do add up and even the most basic models are many times more efficient than manually sticking stamps.

7. Keep your franking machine maintained

Machines always seem to break down at the worst possible time, when you have a big job and deadline to meet and everything grinds to a halt. With regular checks, and a maintenance contract to prevent errors before they can happen, you’ll get peace of mind as your machine runs and you can get on with other duties around the office.

8. Only use approved consumables

It may be tempting to search out the cheapest inks and cartridges online, and for a while these may well work and save you money. The reality is that these often fail, produce lower quality results, and not last as long. If you use consumables that are not approved, you may find you are not covered by maintenance if they cause issues. Your provider can give you all the options for original parts, and approved compatible inks that don’t compromise on quality, while offering the best value for money.

To find out more about the best franking machines, inks and consumables to help you save money and help to take some of that load off your worklist, speak to the team today.

Want to find out more about franking?

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At IMS, we’re the franking experts. Want to find out if your business could benefit from a franking machine? Ask us!

Either fill out the form on our contact page, or get in touch via the Live Chat pop up in the bottom right of your screen.

Alternatively, call us on 0118 982 0988 or email info@ims-franking.co.uk .

If you have an questions about franking, just leave us a message on the form below:

Christmas posting dates 2019

Mon, 18 Nov 2019 12:07:01 GMT

Christmas posting dates 2019

Believe it or not, it’s that time of year again. Get your cards and gifts out in time for Christmas with the help of this list of UK and international postage dates.

For many businesses this is often a busy time of year, with a long list of deliveries that need to made before the Christmas cut off.

If you’re looking to ship to your customers in time for the 25th, here are the Royal Mail’s latest recommended posting dates for 2019.

Make sure you beat the festive rush and get all your letters and parcels in the post on time!

Royal Mail International Standard and International Tracking and Signature services

Royal Mail International Economy

HM Forces Mail (BFPO)

Tips on preparing your Christmas post

Remember, the Christmas period is a busy time for the Royal Mail too so make sure to take extra care preparing your post to ensure it arrives at its destination safe and sound. Follow Royal Mail’s festive postage tips:

Wrapped and ready

Always make sure items are wrapped and packaged properly to avoid damage.

Addressing your post

Be sure to use clearly labelled envelopes and always include the postcode and a return address.

Getting the postage right

The amount of postage you pay depends on what you're sending, so check the size and weight of your item before you post.

A franking machine with a built-in scale can help you ensure you always ship your goods with the correct postage . Plus, as postage can be printed and affixed straight onto your post, you’ll never over or under pay.

If you already use a franking machine, don’t forget to add a festive message to your post stamp to bring a little extra festive cheer to each and every one of your customers this Christmas.

Do I need a franking machine?

Tue, 22 Oct 2019 11:42:41 GMT

Do I need a franking machine?

Every business of any size needs to ask themselves the question – do I need a franking machine?

It is a popular misconception that franking machines are only suitable for businesses that send thousands of letters a week. It’s simply not true. In fact, even companies that post as few as ten letters a week could potentially save hundreds of pounds every year as a result of switching from stamps to franking.

And the more letters or parcels you send, the greater the saving. If you’re sending hundreds of letters a week, you can expect to save thousands of pounds per year, simply by installing a franking machine in your mail room.

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But cost cutting is only one of the many reasons you should consider switching to franked mail. A franking machine can also help you to streamline your mailing process, make it easier to track your post, and allow you to easily present a professional image to your customers and prospects.

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So, whether you send 500 letters a year or 1,000 letters a day, here are four reasons why you should be using a franking machine…

Discounted rates : To encourage more businesses to use franking machines, Royal Mail offers significant postage discounts to companies that frank their mail. Because of this, franked mail is always cheaper than standard postage, whether you are sending a small letter or a large parcel.

In recent years, the discounts offered by Royal Mail on franked postage have increased significantly. Modern Mailmark machines offer considerable discounts on every piece of mail sent – from 10p for a small letter, up to £1 for a 20kg parcel. Over the course of a week, month, or year, this can add up to significant savings.
Never over - or underpay: Both over- and under-paying on postage can cause major headaches for businesses. Over-paying (or over stamping) occurs when senders are unsure of the exact weight of a piece of mail, or don’t have the exact denomination of stamps to cover the correct postage, so you over stamp the letter or parcel to ensure if reaches its intended recipient. Any additional postage is simply wasted money.

Under stamping – as the name suggests – is the opposite problem. While under stamping won’t cost your business money, it can cause considerable inconvenience for you customers. If you send mail with insufficient postage, the recipient will receive a Royal Mail delivery card asking them to go to their nearest delivery centre to pay the excess postage and receive their item.

A franking machine can help you over come both of these problems. Simply weight your letter or parcel and your franking machine will print the precise postage needed to send it – no wasted money and no disgruntled customers.
Save time : A franking machine can help you to save money in a number of ways. Not only is the process of franking mail less laborious than manually peeling and affixing stamps, but it also removes the need to visit – and queue – at the post office.

In many ways, owning a franking machine is a lot like having your very own post office in your mailroom. You simply weigh your mail, frank your mail, place it in the post bag and arrange a collection – all without having to leave the office. The process is so fast that some machines can frank up to 180 items per minute.

Plus, as franking machines can be topped up online in minutes, 24/7, 365 days a year, you’ll never run out of stamps or have to delay postage even when the post office is closed.
Present a professional image : Franked mail can be customised for your business – either displaying your company name, logo, or a promotional message. This can be changed to include promotions or seasonal messages. Got a new product or latest deal that you want your customers to hear about? What better way to get it out there than to print it on every bit of post that leaves the building.

As well as presenting a more professional image to anyone who receives your mail, this is a great way to promote your brand and your services.

There’s another way franked mail can help improve the professionalism of your business too. Set your franking machine to automatically print a return address on all post and you can ensure your mailing list is always accurate and up to date.

What’s more, with Mailmark franking machines, you can track your post every step of the way, so you’ll never be in the dark about when – or if – a piece of mail has reached its intended recipient.

Want to find out more about franking?

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At IMS, we’re the franking experts. Want to find out if your business could benefit from a franking machine? Ask us!

Either fill out the form on our contact page, or get in touch via the Live Chat pop up in the bottom right of your screen.

Alternatively, call us on 0118 982 0988 or email info@ims-franking.co.uk .

If you have an questions about franking, just leave us a message on the form below:

How to make shipping a selling point

Tue, 08 Oct 2019 11:42:36 GMT

How to make shipping a selling point

When it comes to online businesses, it pays to take the shipping and postage options of your products into deep consideration. Data supplied by the trusted currency business, comScore , showed that up to 74% of those interviewed had abandoned their online shopping basket due to higher than expected delivery charges.

Although online shopping affords consumers the convenience of shopping from the comfort of our own homes, it poses a challenge to the online seller who must find the most cost-effective way of delivering our goods. A franking machine could hold the answer.

Whether you choose to add a franking machine to your business to pass on savings to your consumers or can provide additional pick-up locations, shipping can easily be used to encourage your customers to make a purchase.

What are the main issues consumers face with shipping costs?

We've all been there, as a customer, when we've found the perfect item online. Perhaps we're looking for a special birthday gift or maybe it's an end-of-month treat that's caught our eye. Either way, the majority of us can remember the disappointment of going to pay for our goods and discovering the shipping costs are sky high.

However we look at them, shipping costs are an additional charge that customers aren't always prepared for. If your product is solely available online, this may be a hurdle that they just have to overcome themselves. On the other hand, if you also have a brick and mortar store (or if your competitors do), your potential customers may be reluctant to accept this added expenditure in favour of visiting a store in person. In these situations, it pays to consider making your shipping options a significant selling point for your business.

How?

Depending on the size of your business, the bulk dimensions of the product in question and the number of sales you process on a regular basis, your options for shipping costs will alter significantly. However, for all businesses, there are a host of different ways you can use shipping costs and postage options as a beneficial promotion for your business.

Visibility

According to a mini-guide by B2C Europe , one of the clearest ways to reduce your shopping basket abandonment rates is to be upfront about shipping fees as early as possible. Make it as easy for your customers to understand what the additional fees will be and what the total basket price will come to, should they choose to proceed.

Increase available options

The addition of franking machines in your business is a practical way of increasing the number of shipping options a customer can select. Providing a range of options from Next Day Delivery through to Royal Mail 2nd Class allows your customers to take control of their shipping costs. For those able to wait a little longer, the reduction in postage costs could be a welcome saving. In turn, if it's an urgent gift they need, customers are more likely to spend more on shipping to ensure they receive their item on time.

Flexibility

B2C Europe has noted the rise of click-and-collect, express and track-and-trace options as being beneficial options for small businesses. If you have a brick and mortar store, encouraging your customers to collect their online order in-store also gives you the opportunity to generate add-on sales while you 'WOW' them with your exceptional customer service. In turn, these options provide convenience for busy working individuals who can arrange for their orders to be shipped to locations near their workplace.

Free Shipping

A sure-fire way of ensuring more online sales is to provide free shipping options. For many businesses, this may not be a viable permanent option. However, consider offering a Free Shipping promotion during busy selling periods, such as the lead up to Christmas.

If you've added a franking machine to your business, you will continue to receive the Royal Mail discounts for franked parcels and, therefore, the shipping cost loss will be kept to a minimum. In theory, offering free shipping could encourage more customers to purchase from your website, offsetting the fact that you’ll be covering the shipping costs.

How to advertise shipping costs?

Ensuring your customers are aware of your shipping costs. Make sure to include large call-to-actions on each page of your website that promote any shipping offers or special deals you are offering at any time. Use your email database to send out regular updates, especially if you decide to opt for a Free Shipping period or if your current shipping options change.

In order to offer the most competitive shipping options, franking machine leasing is a cost-effective and convenient solution for any business. Franking machines give you more flexibility for shipping options, allow you to pay the correct prices for each order and ensure you benefit from exclusive business discounts to help your company to grow and expand.

If you already have a franking machine, don't forget you can get all your consumables in our online store .

Calling online sellers: here comes the parcel postbox

Fri, 20 Sep 2019 11:42:38 GMT

Calling online sellers: here comes the parcel postbox

Parcels are big business in the UK. Between home sellers and e-commerce giants like Amazon and eBay, UK consumers send and receive a staggering number of parcels every year. So much so that the value of the UK parcel market rose to almost £10 billion in 2017.

In response to this growing demand for parcel services, Royal Mail has announced new plans to make the process of sending parcels far easier. While the new service won’t mean much to larger sellers, for smaller online businesses to send a lot of post, sending a parcel could be about to get a whole lot easier.

What’s changing?

Royal Mail is currently installing the UK’s first ever parcel postboxes across locations in Aberdeen, Belfast, Cardiff, and Leeds following on from the successful trial last year. The boxes – which mark the biggest change to Royal Mail postboxes in the last 160 years – feature a larger opening and a secure storage area.

The aim of the 1,400 new parcel boxes is to make the process of sending parcels far more convenient. If you live near one of the postboxes and wish to use them, all you need to do is buy your postage online, or frank your mail, and then simply post your parcel as you would a letter.

Mark Street, head of campaigns at Royal Mail, said: "We hope that the wider roll-out gives added flexibility to online sellers who might be running a business in their spare time and not keeping regular office hours."

Did you know… the first ever UK postboxes were trialled in Jersey in 1852

If you like the sound of the new parcel postboxes, and are on the lookout for more ways to make the postage process more convenient, you should consider investing in a franking machine . Here are three reasons why they make a great addition to your business…

Franking machines…

Save you money : Franked mail is cheaper than standard postage, and with Mailmark franking machines, postage is automatically updated so you know you’ll only ever pay the going rate. As franking machines print the exact cost of postage , you can also be sure that you’ll never overpay or underpay simply because your stamps don’t add up to the precise amount.

Save you time : A franking machine is like your own mini, on-site post office. You’ll never need to queue for stamps again as you can add postage credit to your franking machine in just a few clicks.

Help you stay in control : It’s easy to stay in control of your postage with a franking machine. You can set a PIN so only authorised staff can use the machine, plus you’ll be able to see who posted what and how much it cost – allowing you to charge postage back to the relevant department if necessary.

To see how we can help you save money on your postage, give us a call on 0118 982 0988 or email info@ims-franking.co.uk.

How Much Does a Franking Machine Cost to Run and How Much Can You Save?

Mon, 24 Jun 2019 10:51:25 GMT

How Much Does a Franking Machine Cost and How Much Can You Save?

Did you know in 2017, direct mail advertising generated 1.75 billion British pounds in the U.K?

What does this mean? ... Direct mail still works.

And if you're one of the companies that take advantage of direct mail, then you need to know about franking machines . They are machines that can save you over hundreds of pounds per year on mail -- and possibly hundreds of hours too. But how does this work and how much does a franking machine cost?

Read on to find out everything you need to know about franking machine prices and how much you can save exactly by using one.

Franking Machine Cost

The question that we get the most from customers is "How much does a franking machine cost?" Well… it depends.

Franking machine prices depend on many variables. How much mail does your business need to send out per day? What kind of features would you like to have on it? And whether you'll be renting one or buying one?

Let's go over how each of these variables can affect the cost of a franking machine.

Mail Volume

Certain large businesses can send thousands of pieces of mail per day. This means they need franking machines that process hundreds of pieces of mail per minute.

In general, however, most small businesses tend to generate about 25-100 pieces of mail per day. So we've come up with three categories of franking machines that are much more suitable for these volumes.

Low volume - sends up to 25 pieces of mail a day
Medium volume - sends up to 50 pieces of mail a day
High volume - sends more than 50 pieces of mail a day

Renting and Leasing Franking Machines

Another factor that'll determine the cost of your franking machine is whether you'll be leasing it, renting it, or buying it.

If you're not sure how you feel about buying a franking machine yet, you can rent one to try it out first without committing to ownership. Or if you know you want one but simply cannot or prefer not to pay the full price, you can lease it and save money as you go.

For specific rental and leasing prices, you'll need to get in touch with us directly so we can determine the perfect plan for you.

Whichever way you prefer to pay for it, however, don't forget that a franking machine is an investment. It takes time to see your savings but it will almost certainly pay for itself over time. Now, let us show you exactly how much a franking machine can help you save.

Make postage a selling point on your website>>

Franking Machine Savings

By franking your mail with a franking machine, you'll automatically qualify for discounts from Royal Mail. In addition, you can also claim back the VAT of all franked mail postages from HMRC.

As of 2018, royal mail franked prices are 24% cheaper than normal stamps. This means for every £100 you spend on mail, you'll save £24, and for every £1000, you'll save £240. But to give you even more exact prices, here's a breakdown of all franked mail prices in each category.

Letters

For every franked 1st class letter, you'll save 7p
For every franked 2nd class letter, you'll save 14p

Large Letters

For every franked 1st class large letter, you'll save 6p
For every franked 2nd class large letter, you'll save 5p

Small Parcels

For every franked 1st class small parcel, you'll save 23p
For every franked 2nd class small parcel, you'll save 23p

Medium Parcel

For every franked 1st class medium parcel weighting 0-1kg, you'll save 78p
For every franked 1st class medium parcel weighting 1-2kg, you'll save £33
For every franked 2nd class medium parcel weighting 0-2kg, you'll save 43p

As you can see, the savings on franked mail prices can be as high as 78p, and the more you frank, the more you'll save.

Time

In addition to the money you'll save from using a franking machine , don't forget that you'll also be able to save on labour costs and time. Without a franking machine, your staff might take several hours to get the day’s mail done depending on the amount of post you send.

With a franking machine, however, the process of sending out mail can be cut in half or less. All the user will need to do is place the mail on top, put it through the machine and it's franked. And if you'd like, you can even get a folder inserter - machine that folds, inserts and seals your mail for you too - saving even more time.

A Professional Image

Last but not least, another benefit of having a franking machine is that it'll make your business look much more professional. Since the postmark will be printed instead of pasted on, your envelopes will look more official. This sends a subtle message to your clients that you are willing to invest in your business.

On top of all that, many franking machines also allow businesses to print their logos and slogans onto their envelopes, which is essentially free marketing for your business, wherever your mail goes.

Start Franking and Saving

Now that you know all about franking machine cost and savings, we hope you'll consider getting one for your business. It'll allow your business to save a lot of time on mail, save you hundreds of pounds a year, and make your mail look more professional. The only question you'll ask yourself after you get one is why you didn't get one sooner. We also sell all the franking inks, envelopes and other consumables to keep you running and keep your mail going out the door on time.

If you'd like to speak to someone directly about franking machine prices or learn more about them, just message us, or give us a call on 0118 982 0988 .

Your Guide to an Efficient Mailroom

Mon, 17 Jun 2019 10:25:16 GMT

Despite all the digital tools at a company’s disposal, mail is still an important means of communication for many businesses. Estimates of mail operations suggest that they account for around 9% of the budgets of Fortune 500 companies.

This article will explore how you can achieve a more organised mailroom, from altering the way you use your mailroom space to technology that can make your life easier, such as fracking machines, which weigh, calculate, and print the postage needed for each item.

There are some services which can take the weight off your mailroom, creating tailored solutions to your mailroom woes. In the first quarter of 2017 alone, the contracts for outsourcing mail services were worth £437 million. Such services can evidently be very expensive, though you may feel that it is worth it. However, there are some simpler solutions you can try beforehand to make your mailroom more efficient.

First off, there are some basic questions that you can ask yourself or the people running the mailroom, so you can effectively deal with the problem at hand:

How are you using your mailroom's space?

Space is a very basic aspect of the organisation process, but a crucial one. The way in which you have positioned the furniture and equipment hugely affects productivity. Look at the space in which you are sorting and packaging your mail and how you and your employees work within that space. It is a good idea to have internal mail on one side of the room and outgoing mail on the other side. Then create an easy workflow with the outgoing mail, scale and franking machine (which will be discussed below) all in a convenient line.

For internal mail, you could even colour-code mail sorters based on individual departments as a simple visual aid. For external mail, have specific bins or mail bags for the most frequent destinations. Make sure that all your employees understand the system your putting in place and the workflow. Investing time in training and discussion is really worth it in the long run, even if it appears like a basic system.

Mailmark franking machines

· Prices for sending a normal letter through your franking machine with Royal Mail Mailmark will increase, with prices now starting from 61p for a 1stClass letter and 41p for a 2nd Class letter.

· Prices for sending a large letter through your franking machine with Royal Mail Mailmark will start from 95p for a 1st Class letter, with a 2ndClass Large Letter starting from 72p.

· Prices for sending a small parcel through your franking machine with Royal Mail Mailmark will start from £3.48 for a 1st Class parcel, or from £2.90for a 2nd Class parcel.

How much mail are you dealing with?

If you are dealing with a lot of mail then you might be able to get faster shipping, better deals or postal services that are more tailored to you. Do research online about the various services on offer and get down into the nitty-gritty of the terms and conditions.

Where are you sending the mail?

Whether you are sending your mail domestically or to foreign countries it is crucial to investigate the best postal services, especially for foreign countries, which ones will give you discounts or rewards for your loyalty.

Invest in technology

When considering buying machines you have to consider what is important to your business, how regularly you are sending mail, how many employees you have as well as other issues. Is technology that saves you time more important enough to invest in? For example, it is likely that the time you save by buying the machines below will save you money long-term, which essentially pays for the machines. As the old adage goes: time equals money. In other words, the right machine will save you a lot of hassle.

A basic but important piece of equipment is a letter opener. Letter openers can seem very old-fashioned but resist the cynicism because they can save you a lot of time. Electronic letter openers start from around £30 but industrial sized models can cost up to several hundred pounds.

You could also invest in other technology, such as franking machines. Franking machines calculate the exact amount of postage required for each item, including any discounts that may occur through using the machine. They have a scale built in so it's all there to use. The easy-to-use software then allows you to put the business name and message onto the parcels.

You can rent franking machines if you would like to test out the difference they could make to your business.

If you are a large business then you almost certainly need a fracking machine. It would be ridiculous to do all your mail by hand. It simply isn’t worth the cost not to invest in a machine. Even for small businesses without a dedicated room for mail, franking machines can save a great deal of time in the long-run, particularly if you are looking at expanding your business.

Automation of your systems via technology also prevents human error, which is always going to happen even if your employees are dedicated and excellent at their jobs.

In summary…

There are many ways in which you can organise your mailroom to make it as efficient as possible. Start by assessing the weight of all the mail you are sending, how often you send mail as well as where you send your mail. Then, invest in your mailroom accordingly.

Once you have looked at all the simple practical measures and undertaken them, consider investing financially in your mailroom by buying technology. For example, you might think about buying a fracking machine, which, as discussed, conveniently calculates the accurate postage and then puts correct postage, date, company logo or message, and unique code on the parcel. It is at least worth considering more basic machines such as letter openers, which cost very little and can greatly increase the efficiency of your mailroom.

For more information, please just leave us a message in the form below.

Why Use Franking Machines?

Mon, 10 Jun 2019 09:54:41 GMT

Why Use Franking Machines?

Technology has completely changed the way that inbound and outbound mail works within a business. As mailroom technology evolves, you need to ensure your business mail solutions are keeping up!

The current standard for mailroom equipment is to use franking machines.This can be a great way to align your inbound and outbound mail with the industry. Plus, with options available such as franking machine hire your business can avoid the high setup costs of buying the machines outright, while still benefiting from the service.

5 Reasons Why You Should Use Franking Machines:

1. Saving you time and effort

You know that terrible feeling, right when the most important delivery deadline is looming and you’ve run out of stamps. Sometimes this means taking an emergency trip to the post office. Sometimes it can mean missing important targets.

With franking machines you can cut out this risk completely. As you can top them up at any time of day or night without leaving your mailroom.

You can also process outgoing mail quickly and easily, saving you stress and time. You can easily weigh items in house and make sure correct postage is applied. This means that even large batches of letters can be quickly passed through the franking machine and sent out.

2. Postal discounts and incentives from the Royal Mail

Since franking machines and Mailmark™ rose to popularity in the last few years RoyalMail has launched lots of money saving incentives for businesses to use these services. For the Royal Mail handling franked items is a lot cheaper than issuing stamps and processing stamped mail. So, they’re able to pass on these savings in the form of discounts for franking machine users.

3.Keeping up with the industry

Perhaps an unexpected benefit of franked mail is the professional image presented by the franking machine stamp. You can fully customise your franking stamp to contain your business logo along with other text or images you fancy. This can be a good promotional tool if you want to push new services, promotions or company news - at no additional cost! It also makes outbound mail look slick and professional.

4. No risk of Over Stamping

This is a common issue in mailrooms across the nation. Having an item that needs to be posted quickly, but you don’t have the correct weight or exact value of stamps to make the delivery - so you overpay.

With a franking machine with an integrated scale this won’t ever be an issue as the goods are accurately weighed and franked at the correct price.

5. ...Or Under stamping

The old Royal Mail policy was to charge the sender if the items didn’t have enough stamps to make the delivery. However, now it’s the recipient who is asked to pay the difference. Often in addition to a handling fee. Leaving your recipient out of pocket and probably pretty annoyed with your service.

With franking machines, it is easy to get the correct postage every time and avoid the embarrassment of under stamping.

The Do's and Don'ts of Office Supplies

Mon, 03 Jun 2019 15:59:00 GMT

The Do's and Don'ts of Office Supplies

The new season is a great reason to make and keep resolutions. Whether it’s eating right or cleaning out the garage, here are some tips for making and keeping resolutions.

In addition to being your source of mail franking machines and supplies , IMS Franking can also keep your workplace fully stocked with the most common office supplies ranging from paper products to rubber bands. Over the years, we have learned a thing or two about office supplies and the best way to go about making sure we remain fully stocked ourselves.

There are certain dos and don'ts that go with stocking and using office supplies. When everyone gets on board with them, there is rarely a shortage to be found. On the other hand, it is easy to find yourself without something you need when co-workers are not following the dos and don'ts.

Need some examples? Here are the unwritten dos and don'ts of office supplies:

DO Take Only What You Need

Nobody likes an office supply hoarder. Be kind to your co-workers by only taking those office supplies you absolutely need for the moment. And if you happen to find you have taken too much once the job is done, return any unused supplies to their original location. The last thing you want is for someone to open your desk while you're away on holiday only to find out you were the one controlling all the paper clips.

DO Report Low Supply Levels

The person in your office designated to order new office supplies may work on a schedule that does not necessarily account for emergency shortages. Therefore,always report when supplies are running low. If you notice that there are only a few pens and pencils remaining, say something. If you go in the supply room and notice you are down to just a handful of meeting pads, report that to the person in charge of ordering.

DON'T Take Office Supplies Home

Please be kind to your employer by refraining from taking office supplies home. Unless you are specifically authorised to do so, those supplies belong at work and only at work. Companies lose a tremendous amount of money every year by way of employees who help themselves to office supplies. Do not be one of those employees.

DON'T Move Office Supplies Elsewhere

Once your office has established a location for its various supplies, don't move those supplies elsewhere without doing a couple of things. First, check with the person charged with maintaining inventory to ensure that the new location is convenient for him or her. If that person agrees with the move, the second thing to do is inform the rest of the office about the change. If you simply move office supplies elsewhere without telling anyone, you will have co-workers driving themselves crazy looking for envelopes and labels.

Office supplies are not necessarily a delicate subject in the modern office. But they can be, especially if everyone on the team does not respect the do's and don'ts. Be one of those workers who does the right thing and you are less likely to cause workplace issues over something that is otherwise so trivial.

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What does Brexit mean for the postal process?

Mon, 13 May 2019 15:59:00 GMT

What does Brexit mean for the postal process?

The political situation at the moment is very volatile, with the nature of Brexit still to be decided three years on. Here we will examine the possible effects that the various versions of Brexit (no deal, Boris' deal etc.) could have, so you can best prepare your business for whatever happens.

The place to start is with the regulations that the EU actually currently impose on postal services in the UK. The European Parliament and the Council adopted Directive 2008/6/EC (the Third Postal Services Directive) in February 2008, setting a deadline for full-market liberalisation of 31st December 2010 for 16 long-term members (such as the UK) and 31st December 2012 for the remaining 11 members. The main rule brought into force was that letters and parcels had to be collected and delivered on at least five working days each week.

New rules and regulations to come?

The Directive had mixed success, encouraging and stifling competition in different countries. When the UK leaves the EU, however, the Directive will be one of many rules that no longer affect us. The government can then formulate new rules, potentially preventing companies from undercutting others on prices.

It is important to note that approximately 50% of UK exports go to the EU, so the government will hopefully take this into account in their current negotiating strategy. Theresa May’s original deal with the EU, which was voted down in the House of Commons, promised “frictionless access at the border to each other’s markets for goods”.

The government then gives more detail about the concept of the free trade area, reassuring companies that little will change:

“This free trade area would protect the uniquely integrated supply chains and ‘just-in-time’ processes that have developed across the UK and the EU over the last 40 years, and the jobs and livelihoods dependent on them, ensuring businesses on both sides can continue operating through their current value and supply chains. It would avoid the need for customs and regulatory checks at the border, and mean that businesses would not need to complete costly customs declarations. And it would enable products to only undergo one set of approvals and authorisations in either market, before being sold in both.”

The original withdrawal agreement had no tariffs on any goods as well as the introduction of a new Facilitated Customs Arrangement, which would mean that customs checks and controls would not be necessary between the UK and EU. There would also be a common rulebook for manufactured goods as well as agriculture, food, and fisheries products. Yet, as the House of Commons voted against this withdrawal agreement, whether the UK and EU will come to an acceptable agreement at all or the nature of such an agreement is still very much ellusive.

Customs duties on UK / EU deliveries?

According to the website for the House of Commons and the House of Lords, however, there might be some cause for concern:

“Non-participation in the EU's cross border parcel delivery regime will have little impact on UK stakeholders. However, leaving the customs union and the single market will potentially lead to customs duties, border formalities, and import VAT being applied to parcel deliveries between the UK and the EU (and vice-versa), which would lead to slower delivery times and increased costs for businesses and consumers.”

It is likely that items worth over £15 will be liable for VAT. The price of VAT may even be approximately 20% of the total value of the item. This is particularly worrying for UK based ecommerce brands and might perhaps even hit Amazon hard, as many of their operations go through an EU subsidiary (Amazon EUSarl).

The time that customs would add to both exports and imports to the EU is an important consideration.

To compensate, make sure your mailroom is as efficient as possible and, if you can, plan as far ahead of time as possible. Be aware that there will be an adjustment period in any Brexit scenario and to be careful with your business during this time, warning customers of potential consequences and delays that might be incurred.

This interesting article, published in November 2018 in The Financial Times on the reaction of the Royal Mail boss, Rico Back, is a useful reminder that despite the advice dispensed in this article, anything might change, regardless of Brexit, and it is important to be aware of the political and economic climate.

Regardless of the outcome of Brexit, the UK’s GDP is forecast to drop by at least 2.2% and perhaps as much as 6%. Putting this in perspective, our GDP dropped a similar amount to the conservative estimate during the 2008 recession. How did this affect logistics? In 2014, the courier network still hadn’t recovered from the recession of 2008.

Following the 2008 recession, one area which was hit particularly badly was HGVs (heavy goods vehicles), whose numbers dropped sharply. HGV drivers are obviously a very important part of the logistics process, so if they are key to your business it is definitely something to watch out for.

In short, it is very difficult to predict at the moment what the outcome of Brexit might be and, therefore, the outcome for customs and logistics. The best thing to do is to keep an ear to the ground concerning political and economic rumblings and prepare for the worst, rather than hope for the best. If the government manage to get their deal through then little should change, assuming all runs smoothly, but it is difficult to predict how likely that is.

If you have any questions about how Brexit will impact upon your business post, please just get in touch.

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Changes to Royal Mail franking charges

Mon, 29 Apr 2019 15:58:59 GMT

Royal Mail prices change their prices every year around March, affecting conventional and commercial postage costs.

We’ll outline in detail the increase in the latest price below as well as some of the advantages of using a Mailmark franking machine . Despite the changes to charges, using a Mailmark franking machine not only ensures you are always paying the right price (adjusting charges automatically), but it is also the cheapest and most convenient way to send mail on a significant scale.

The cost of postage in the UK goes up slightly each year, we will let you know when this happens and publish details on our website. There may be changes you need to make to your machine to complate these updates, and those details can be found on our website here under Machine rate updates .

Tables featuring the new franking costs for UK and international shipping can be found here . You’ll also find a brief overview below.

What is the difference between a franking machine and a Mailmark franking machine?

Mailmark is the new 2D barcode that the Royal Mail can process a lot more efficiently, making postage cheaper for them and, therefore, for you as they pass the savings on to the customers. The Royal Mail is also offering an extra 1p discount on every item sent with the Mailmark Extra tariff.

Mailmark franking machines

Prices for sending a normal letter through your franking machine with Royal Mail Mailmark will increase, with prices now starting from 61p for a 1st Class letter and 41p for a 2nd Class letter.
Prices for sending a large letter through your franking machine with Royal Mail Mailmark will start from 95p for a 1st Class letter, with a 2nd Class Large Letter starting from 72p.
Prices for sending a small parcel through your franking machine with Royal Mail Mailmark will start from £3.48 for a 1st Class parcel, or from £2.90 for a 2nd Class parcel.

Standard or Smartmeter Franking Machines

The cost of sending a 1st Class letter will start from 64p and a 2nd Class Letter will start from 47p.
The cost of sending a 1st Class large letter through a standard or Smartmeter franking machine will start from £1.01 and a 2nd Class large letter will start from 77p.
The cost of sending a small parcel 1st Class through a standard or Smartmeter franking machine will start from £3.48 and for 2nd Class parcels will start from £2.90.
The cost of sending international standard letters anywhere in the world will start from £1.25 and international standard parcels will start from £4.25.

With the price of postage increasing, using a Mailmark franking machine is even more beneficial for your business. Not only do franking machines significantly reduce the cost of postage overall, but it is also more convenient and efficient, saving you and your employees time.

Getting a franking machine, in particular, a Mailmark franking machine, is one of the best ways to improve the efficiency of your mailroom. It saves you and your employees more time than any other efficiency measure – such as changing the layout of your mailroom or better training.

Mailmark franking machines also mean that only ever pay the correct amount for postage.The machines calculate the exact cost of the postage for each parcel and letter, so you never under- or over-pay.

To put the investment into perspective, here are some of the possible savings you can make with a franking machine.

Mailmarkfranking is at least 10p cheaper per first-class letter and can be up to 19p cheaper for each second-class letter, which can quickly lead to a colossal saving. This fact is only increased because the top-of-the-range franking machines can frank up to 180 letters a minute. If you opt for the Royal Mail’s Mailmark Extra tariff, then you get an additional 1p off the price of every package.
Mailmark franking machines are also very easy to use. Little training is needed for youand your employees to use the machine effectively. The personalized labels also look much more professional on your business letters and packages.
So, remember that the price changes come into force on 25th March. If you’re really organized, why not mark the date for next year in your diary? To be more efficient, go for a Mailmark franking machine. You’ll be surprised atthe difference the investment can make.

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