Metering

1
Metering

• Business Letter Services

2
Introduction

• Postage metering enables customers to purchase
  and print postage at any time without leaving the
  office.  Postage can be downloaded via a modem
  whenever it is needed. Australia Post provides a
  2.5 rebate each time a customer purchases
  additional credit postage when using a postage
  meter.
• In this module
• This module introduces metering explains the
  difference between postage meters and franking
  machines, and provides an overview of Australia
  Posts requirements for metering.
• Learning outcomes
• By completing this module, you will be able to
• identify the difference between postage meters
  and franking machines
• list the benefits of using postage meters
• understand Australia Posts requirements for
  using a postage meter

3
Postage meters at a glance

• What is metering?
• Metering is a payment method that can be used for
  a number of Australia Post services.
• Metering enables customers to print the postage
  price on their mail article instead of using
  stamps. The meter holds the monetary value for
  an amount of postage. Each time the postage
  meter is used, the amount of postage stored
  within it reduces.
• Metering is an easy, flexible way to pay for
  postage on business letter services, as and when
  it is needed, giving customers the freedom to
  manage business mail more efficiently.
• It is recommended that before investing in a
  postage meter, customers refer to the Conditions
  of Use for Postage Meters and Franking Machines
  booklet, or visit the Australia Post website
  (auspost.com./metering).

4
Postage meters at a glance

• What is the difference between Franking Machines
  and Postage Meters?
• Franking Machines are
• old technology, which is being phased out
• mechanical or electro-mechanical pieces of
  equipment
• cartridge reset either at a post office, or via
  the phone
• equipped with impact printing technology only
• not equipped to produce a data matrix symbol
• not available to be used to pay for Business
  Letter Services

Where an engraved stamp physically places an
impression on the mail article
5
Postage meters at a glance

• What is the difference between Franking Machines
  and Postage Meters?
• Postage Meters are
• the modern equivalent of Franking Machines
• equipped with sophisticated features and
  capabilities
• reset by modem (electronically driven)
• equipped with either impact printing, or digital
  printing technology
• embedded with a data matrix symbol
• available to be used to pay for Business Letter
  Services
• Australia Post, in conjunction with meter
  suppliers, has developed
  
  a minimum standard for all Postage Meters
  licensed on or after
  
  1 January 2002.
• Only meters which comply with the requirements of
  the
  Postage
  Meter Standard will be eligible for licensing by
  Australia Post.

Includes thermal, inkjet and laser printing
techniques.
Type 1 Impression (Impact print meter)
Type 2 Impression (Digital print meter)
6
Postage meters at a glance

• Business Letter service usage
• The following table shows which Business Letter
  Services can be metered
• Business Services Postage Meter Franking Machine
• Acquisition Mail ? ?
• PreSort Letters ? ?
• Print Post ? ?
• Clean Mail ? ?
• Charity Mail ? ?
• Impact Mail ? ?
• Unaddressed Mail ? ?
• Registered Post ? ?
• (can also be used with metered mail)
• Metered mail lodged for carriage under the
  PreSort Letters, Print Post, Clean Mail, Charity
  Mail and Impact Mail services must be prepared in
  accordance with the relevant conditions of
  service.

7
Postage meters at a glance

• More information
• More detailed information is available in the
  Metering Fact Sheet and Conditions of Use for
  Postage Meters and Franking Machines booklet.
  This guide is available at any Australia Post
  outlet.
• Customers can also contact their local Postal
  Manager, the Postage Meter section in their State
  or, where appropriate, a Postage Meter supplier.
  Details of Postage Meter suppliers are provided
  on the following pages.
• Alternatively, customers can visit the Australia
  Post website (auspost.com.au/metering)

8
Advanced Metering

• Postage meter requirements
• Overview
• Metered mail lodged for carriage under the
  PreSort Letters, Print Post, Clean Mail, Charity
  Mail and Impact Mail services must be prepared in
  accordance with the relevant conditions of
  service. Information regarding these conditions
  of service can be located in the relevant
  training modules or service guide for each
  service.
• To use a postage meter, customers need to meet
  the following requirements
• obtain an approved postage meter (via the list
  of suppliers)
• apply for a licence (Application for a Licence
  to use a postage meter
  Section 15 of
  Conditions of Use)
• reset with funds
• print the postage meter impression
• lodge metered articles
• Each of these points are covered in detail on the
  following pages.

9
Advanced Metering

• Postage Meter requirements
• Obtain a Postage Meter
• When selecting a Postage Meter, customers need to
  consider
• Printing speed - average daily mail volumes and
  mailing patterns to determine the printing speed
  required. Suppliers generally take this into
  consideration when assisting in selection.
• Costs - price depends on the printing speed and
  whether the machine is equipped with extra
  features (eg weighing scales or envelope feeding
  devices).
• Maintenance - customers should also consider the
  ongoing maintenance costs associated with
  metering (resets, ink, labels and other
  consumables).
• Lease or purchase - basic model postage meters
  are available for lease from a few dollars a
  week. Leasing provides the scope to upgrade the
  postage meter when necessary, and the freedom to
  take advantage of new technology as it becomes
  available.

10
Advanced Metering
Inspection and servicing requirements differ for
Postage Meters and Franking Machines. Regardless
of machine type, customers must immediately
report any fault or defect to their supplier or
service organisation and to the Licence
Controlling Office, and should not allow anyone
other than a supplier or Australia Post to
inspect, repair or service their
machine. Postage Meters need to be inspected at
least once every three months. Australia Post
recommends that Postage Meter customers have a
servicing agreement with a service organisation
for the servicing and maintenance of their meter.
Australia Post reserves the right to request a
physical inspection of a Franking Machine at any
time. More detailed information regarding
Inspection and servicing requirements can be
located in the Conditions of Use for Postage
Meters and Franking Machines booklet.

• Postage Meter requirements
• Obtain a Postage Meter
• Postage Meter suppliers and service organisations
• A number of suppliers and their agents may
  supply, service and inspect standard-compliant
  postage meters. They may also service and
  inspect approved franking machines.
• For the latest supplier information, customers
  can contact the postage meter section in their
  State, or visit the Australia Post website
  (auspost.com.au/metering).
• Australia Post staff cannot comment on the
  relative merits of different brands or models of
  postage meters. Products that meet the
  requirements of the postage meter standard are
  approved.
• Australia Post is not responsible for the quality
  of the products or their fitness for use, and
  provides no support for such products. Customers
  should contact their supplier for service queries.

11
Advanced Metering

• Postage Meter requirements
• Apply for a licence to use a Postage Meter
• Customers need to apply to Australia Post for a
  licence to use the machine, as follows
• Complete a licence application form
• The application must be accompanied by a
  zero-value postage impression from the postage
  meter to be licensed. Suppliers generally assist
  with this.
• Upon signing the application form, the customer
  is deemed to be the holder of an interim licence
  and may commence using the postage meter as soon
  as it is installed at their premises.
• Forward the completed licence application form to
  the postage meter section in their state
• Australia Post processes the application and
  advises the outcome by mail.
• Should an application be refused for any reason,
  the supplier is required to cancel the lease or
  purchase agreement without any cost to the
  customer.

A licence application form can be located in the
Conditions of Use for Postage Meters and Franking
Machines booklet.
12
Advanced Metering

• Postage Meter requirements
• Reset with funds
• Every time the Postage Meter or Franking Machine
  is used, the amount of postage stored within it
  is reduced. The process of replenishing the
  machine with additional postage in known as
  resetting.
• Postage Meter resets
• Postage Meters are reset by modem. The steps
  involved in modem resets differ from model to
  model.
• Customers using Postage Meters receive a 2.5
  rebate on the postage value of every Postage
  Meter reset. For example, a reset for 1000
  worth of postage will entitle the customer to a
  25 rebate so the amount payable to Australia
  Post is 975.

The 2.5 reset rebate is only available for
Postage Meter resets. Any fees a supplier may
charge for processing the reset will not attract
the rebate. The rebate is received at the time
of billing for the reset. Many postage meter
customers pay their postage meter supplier
directly for their resets. Methods of payment
vary from supplier to supplier. In most cases,
customers are required to pay for the reset
up-front. Postage meter suppliers provide
specific details.
13
Advanced Metering

• Postage Meter requirements
• Reset with funds
• Paying for resets by Australia Post business
  credit account (charge account)
• Customers who operate an Australia Post business
  credit account may have their Postage Meter
  resets charged to their account. For optimum
  service and efficiency, a Licence Controlling
  Office (LCO) should be nominated as the first
  Preferred Lodgement Centre when completing an
  application for a business credit account.
• If the application for a business credit account
  is approved, customers are provided with a
  business credit account number. When in receipt
  of this number, the customer must
• Advise the Postage Meter supplier in writing of
  their credit account number along with their
  Postage Meter licence number. The supplier then
  amends records to ensure that all future resets
  are charged to this account.
• Send a copy of the correspondence to the Postage
  Meter Section in their State.

• The LCO stated in the Postage Meter or Franking
  Machine licence is usually the Proposed Primary
  Office of Lodgement of Metered Mail which the
  customer nominates in the licence application
  form.
• In addition to being a lodgement point for
  metered or franked mail, the LCO is where
  customers should
• present a manual reset Franking Machine for
  resetting and inspection
• seek refunds for spoils
• where appropriate, seek approval for the use of
  advertising slogans
• notify Australia Post of any address changes or
  if the machine is moved to another location and
• notify Australia Post of any intention to
  dispose of the machine

14
Advanced Metering

• Postage Meter requirements
• Print a Postage Meter impression
• Determine the correct postage amount for the
  article
• Current prices are available in the
• Post Charges Guide (MS11),
• Easy Guide to Preparing Metered and Franked Mail
  and
• Australia Post website (auspost.com.au/metering)
• If the machine has a pricing scale or an in-built
  rate calculator, the correct postage is
  automatically calculated.
• In the event of a change in postage prices, the
  customer must arrange with their supplier to have
  the pricing scale or rate calculator adjusted
  appropriately.

Sample of a Postage Meter impression
15
Advanced Metering

• Postage Meter requirements
• Print a Postage Meter impression
• Calculate the correct postage amount on the
  meter.
• Customers should follow the operating
  instructions provided with the machine.
• It is important to enter the correct postage
  amount into the machine. Deficient postage means
  that the article is underpaid and therefore
  entitles Australia Post to recover the deficiency
  (including, if applicable, the debiting of an
  Australia Post business credit account) and, in
  certain cases, charge a fee. Articles bearing
  deficient postage may also experience processing
  and delivery delays.
• Printing the date in the impression is optional
  for Postage Meter customers. However, if the
  impression on an item does bear a date, that item
  may only be lodged on the date that appears in
  the impression.

In accordance with part A, Section 28 of the
Australia Post Terms and Conditions.
16
Advanced Metering

• Postage Meter requirements
• Print a Postage Meter impression
• Imprint the postage impression onto the article
• To imprint, letters are fed through the machine.
  For bulky articles, customers need to imprint
  onto an adhesive label then affix the label to
  the article.
• Articles bearing impressions which are
  incorrectly placed, incomplete, faint or printed
  using poor quality ink may be rejected by our
  processing equipment, potentially resulting in
  processing and delivery delays.
• To avoid this, customers should remember to
• Print or affix the impression to the top right
  corner of the address side of the article. The
  impression should be positioned inside the
  Postage Zone.
• Re-ink regularly and only use Australia Post
  approved red fluorescent ink.
• Ensure all impressions are clear and complete.
  Customers can request a refund for impressions
  which are incorrectly positioned or wrongly
  priced.

17
Advanced Metering

• Postage Meter requirements
• Lodge metered mail
• Metered articles prepared for carriage by PreSort
  Letters, Print Post, Clean Mail, Charity Mail,
  Impact Mail or with Registered Post must always
  be separated from other mail, and lodged over the
  counter.
• Metered PreSort Letters, Charity Mail and Clean
  Mail lodgements must be accompanied by a
  Meter Lodgement Document
  (8838236).
• Metered Impact Mail lodgements must be
  accompanied by an Impact Mail Lodgement Document
  (8839151).
• Metered Print Post articles must be accompanied
  by a Print Post Mailing Statement (8835283).
• Metered Acquisition Mail lodgements must be
  accompanied by an Acquisition Mail lodgement
  document with the appropriate payment channel
  noted.
• All documents are available from the Licence
  Controlling Office (LCO).

18
Advanced Metering

• Postage Meter requirements
• Other considerations
• Advertising slogans
• Many Postage Meters and Franking Machines allow
  the printing of an advertising slogan, return
  address, seasonal greeting or company logo
  alongside the postage impression. Suppliers can
  advise on how to do this.
• Australia Post reserves the right to cancel a
  customers Postage Meter licence and/or refuse to
  accept mail bearing a metered message or slogan
  that may be considered misleading, defamatory,
  offensive or otherwise objectionable. If in
  doubt, customers can seek approval for the use of
  a slogan from their Licence Controlling Office
  (LCO).

19
Advanced Metering
Conditions of refund for spoils 1. Requests for
refund must be made within six months of the
impression(s) being made 2. Envelopes and
wrappers bearing spoils must be presented intact
(although contents may be removed). Refunds will
not be made for impressions that have been
removed from their original envelopes or
wrappers 3. Illegible impressions will be
refunded for the lowest value that the machine
can print 4. Customers receiving the 2.5 reset
rebate will be refunded the net postage value
(i.e. the metered postage value less 2.5) 5.
Where a customer has elected to have their resets
charged to their Australia Post business credit
account refunds will be deducted from the
customers next account statement. Australia
Post business credit account customers will only
be eligible for a refund once Australia Post has
received payment for the impressions.

• Postage Meter requirements
• Other considerations
• Refunds for spoils
• Australia Post may refund the value of postage
  impressions which are printed but not lodged for
  carriage for example, impressions containing an
  incorrect postage value. These articles are
  referred to as spoils and conditions apply.
• To qualify for a refund on spoils, customers need
  to
• Collect all envelopes, wrappers and labels
  affected, and bundle by value and in date order
• Make a written request to Australia Post on
  company letterhead for the value of the spoils
  collected, quoting licence number and, if
  applicable, Australia Post business credit
  account number
• Present the spoils and the written request within
  six months to the Licence Controlling Office (LCO)

20
Advanced Metering

• Summary
• You have now completed this module. The key
  points covered were
• Metering enables customers to print the postage
  price on their mail articles instead of using
  stamps.
• Two types of machines print the postage price
  onto mail - Franking Machines and Postage Meters.
• Customers can use Postage Meters, but not
  Franking Machines as a payment method for
  Acquisition Mail, PreSort Letters, Charity Mail,
  Print Post, Clean Mail and Impact Mail.
• When selecting a Postage Meter, customers need
  to consider speed, costs and whether to lease or
  purchase.
• Only meters which comply with the requirements
  of the Postage Meter Standard will be eligible
  for licensing by Australia Post.
• Customers need to apply to Australia Post for a
  licence to use a Postage Meter.
• Every time the Postage Meter or Franking Machine
  is used, the amount of postage stored within the
  meter is reduced. Resetting replenishes the
  machine with additional postage. Customers may
  have their resets charged to their Australia Post
  business credit account.
• Australia Post may refund the value of postage
  impressions which are printed but not used. These
  articles are referred to as spoils.
• Metered articles for carriage by Acquisition
  Mail, PreSort letters, Charity Mail, Print Post,
  Clean Mail or Impact Mail must always be
  separated from other mail and lodged over the
  counter.

21
Assessment
You now need to complete a short assessment to
check your understanding of the information
covered in this module. This assessment
consists of 10 multiple-choice questions and
should take you approximately 10 minutes to
complete. To pass the assessment, you need to
answer at least eight of these questions
correctly. Attempt this assessment as many times
as you need to. If you do not pass, it is
recommended that you review this module again.
22
Assessment
1
What is metering?

• a. A way of measuring distance
• A way of printing postage instead of using stamps

Correct answer B Metering enables customers to
print the postage price on their mail articles
instead of using stamps, or postage paid / charge
account.
23
Assessment
2
True or false? There are two types of machines
that customers can use to print postage instead
of using stamps Postage Meters and Franking
Machines.
a. True b. False
Correct answer A Postage Meters and Franking
Machines are the two types of machines that
customers can use to print postage instead of
using stamps.
24
Assessment
3
Which of the following Business Letter services
cannot use metering as a payment method?

• a. PreSort Letters
• b. Print Post
• c. Impact Mail
• Unaddressed Mail
• Clean Mail
• Acquisition Mail

Correct answer D Customers cannot use metering
as a payment method for Unaddressed Mail.
25
Assessment
4
Which of the following Business Letter services
can use Franking as a payment method?

• a. PreSort Letters and Acquisition Mail
• b. Print Post
• c. Impact Mail
• Clean Mail
• None of the above

Correct answer E Customers can only use
metering as a payment method for the Business
Letter Services. Franking Machines cannot be
used.
26
Assessment
5
True or false? Only meters which comply with the
requirements of the Postage Meter Standard are
eligible for licensing by Australia Post.
a. True b. False
Correct answer A Australia Post, in conjunction
with meter suppliers, has developed a minimum
standard for all Postage Meters licensed on or
after 1 January 2002. Only meters which comply
with the requirements of the Postage Meter
Standard are eligible for licensing by Australia
Post.
27
Assessment
6
What do customers require to use their Postage
Meter?

• a. A contract with a listed supplier
• A separate room to keep the machine in
• A licence from Australia Post
• A regular office where they can lodge their mail

Correct answer C Customers need to apply to
Australia Post for a licence to use the machine.
28
Assessment
7
What does Australia Post mean when it refers to
resetting?

• a. Updating the leased metering machine with a
  newer model
• Altering the programming in the Postage Meter
• Replenishing the metering machine with additional
  funds
• Ensuring that the metering machine is placed on a
  level surface

Correct answer C Every time the Postage Meter
or Franking Machine is used, the amount of
postage stored within it is reduced. Resetting
replenishes the machine with additional postage.
29
Assessment
8
Can an Australia Post business credit account be
used to pay for Postage Meter resets?
a. Yes b. No
Correct answer A Customers who operate an
Australia Post business credit account may have
their Postage Meter resets charged to their
account.
30
Assessment
9
Lodgements of which Business Letter services must
be accompanied by a Metered Lodgement Document?

1. Print Post and Impact Mail
2. PreSort Letters and Clean Mail
3. Unaddressed Mail and Reply Paid

Correct answer B Metered PreSort Letters and
Clean Mail lodgements must be accompanied by a
Meter Lodgement Document (8838236).
31
Assessment
10
What does Australia Post mean when it refers to
spoils?

• a. Incorrectly addressed envelopes
• Mail items which were damaged while processing
• Postage impressions that are printed but not
  lodged
• Mail items where the wrong Business Letter
  service was used

Correct answer C Australia Post may refund the
value of postage impressions which are printed
but not lodged for carriage (eg. impressions
containing an incorrect postage value). These
articles are referred to as spoils.