Mail Handling

1
Mail Handling

• The way in which mail is dealt with depends on
• Size of the organisation
• Number of staff involved
• Type of mail received (internal, external, e-mail
  etc)
• Level of the use of ICT for communicating
• Space available for equipment
• Resources available to the organisation.

2
Mail Handling

• In a small organisation
• Mail will usually be dealt with by a member of
  staff as part of their daily routine.

3
Mail Handling

• In a large organisation
• The volume of incoming and outgoing mail is
  likely to be high
• They are likely to have a separate mail room
  department
• The staff who work in the mail room will deal
  with all of the organisations mail.

4
Mail Handling

• Main features of an incoming mail area
• Photocopier
• Pigeon holes/trays for each person/department
• Mail trolley for delivering to departments
• Shredder
• Date stamp
• Letter opener
• Stapler

5
Mail Handling

• Main features of an outgoing mail area
• Mail bags
• Post office forms
• Folding and inserting machine
• Scales (Manual or Electric)
• Franking Machine
• PC used for printing address labels, check e-mail
  messages.

6
Mail Handling

• How do we deal with incoming mail?
• Sort mail into
• Private/personal/confidential
• Urgent
• Special (Recorded or Special Delivery)
• First class
• Second class

7
Mail Handling

• How do we deal with incoming mail (2)?
• Open mail (not private)
• Remove contents
• Date-stamp mail (dont cover anything important)
• Check and attach enclosures
• Sort mail into departments
• Mail is then collected by departments (at certain
  times)
• OR
• Delivered to individual departments

8
Mail Handling

• Procedures for Scanning Mail
• Open mail as normal
• Scan mail onto a floppy disc or network
• Copy/sort directly to staff mail boxes
• Shred originals
• Confidential mail is treated as normal (ie
  unopened)

9
Electronic Sources of Incoming Mail

• Voicemail
• Check at regular intervals
• Note message on to message form
• Sort messages into departments
• Deliver messages the same as for incoming mail

10
Electronic Sources of Incoming Mail

• E-mail
• Check for messages at regular intervals
• Print the number of copies required
• Sort and deliver messages OR
• Redirect by internal e-mail to staff mailboxes

11
Electronic Sources of Incoming Mail

• Fax
• Check for incoming faxes at regular intervals
• Photocopy or route faxes as necessary
• Sort and deliver faxes

12
Mail Handling

• How do we deal with Outgoing Mail
• Collect mail from departments OR
• Staff deliver mail to mail room by a specified
  time
• Sort mail into
• First class
• Second Class
• Special Delivery

13
Mail Handling

• How do we deal with Outgoing Mail (2)
• Weigh letters or parcels
• Stamp or frank envelopes/parcels
• Deliver mail to the post office

14
Electronic Sources of Outgoing Mail

• E-mail
• Create new message
• Enter e-mail address of person message is to be
  sent to
• Key in message
• Check message
• Attach attachments (if applicable)
• Send message