Transcript DEALING WITH THE MAIL
DEALING WITH THE MAIL
HANDLING INCOMING AND OUTGOING MAIL INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL MAIL
INCOMING MAIL
Mail received Variety of letters and parcels Delivered by Royal Mail or a Courier Service, eg TNT Internal Mail
RECEIVING (INCOMING) MAIL
Sorted by the Mail Clerk or Receptionist: Registered Mail Confidential Urgent and non Urgent General Mail Mail not addressed to the organisation Damaged Mail Check no mail left undelivered Opened envelopes checked to make sure nothing has been left in them
Procedures for receiving
(incoming) mail
Date Stamp As you open each item, you must date stamp all letters and documentation enclosed. It is important to do this so that the date it was received can be traced.
Enclosures Some of the mail you receive will contain enclosures.
You need to check the contents of the envelope/package against the accompanying letter or document to make sure that all enclosures are included. Then attach, using a staple or a paper clip.
Procedures for receiving (incoming) mail
Remittances If any of the envelopes you open contain remittances (payments e.g. cash, cheques or postal orders) you must record them in the Remittances book. Circulation Slip If a letter or document is addressed to or relevant to more than one person, attach a circulation list to the letter. Then, list the names of all of the addressees and deliver the letter to the first person on the list. They should read the letter and then pass it on to the next person, and so on.
Damaged or suspicious mail
For Suspect Envelopes or Packages:
Do not open, smell, or taste. Do not shake or empty the contents. Set package or envelope aside for review. Promptly notify your supervisor.
Procedures for dispatching mail
Usually outgoing mail is collected from the various departments by the mail clerk or department staff will personally deliver to the mail room Organisations will issue a last posting time for all mail to be dealt with Mail room will then sort the mail into first or second class, weigh mail, and frank mail and place in sacks ready for collection by the Postman
Dispatching Mail
Internal Reuse envelope Name and Department Different locations Courier External Types of service – recorded, registered, courier Calculating postage – franking machine, weight, size, distance CONFIDENTIAL/PRIVATE
Mailroom equipment
Franking machine
Franking replaces postage stamps by imprinting the amount of postage You must first set the correct date and amount of postage required and then slide through and print out the envelope or label for parcels If the franking machine does not include scales, the mail must first be weighed in order to calculate the cost of postage Franked mail has to be put into special bags and not in post boxes Franked mail is processed quicker than stamped mail
Weighing scales
Some contain a microchip programmed with current postal rates Every time the postal rates change, the Post Office will arrange for the machine to be reprogrammed Some print out the amount spent each day on postage Select service required, destination and the scales weigh and calculate the postage
Letter opening machine
An automatic machine, where the letters are stacked in a pile, passing through the machine which slices envelope
‘tap’ the envelopes to ensure the contents fall to the bottom – and load the envelopes the correct way up – to avoid damage to the contents
Folding machine
Equipment to fold and place letters into envelopes is available
The expense of such equipment would only be justified by large daily quantities of outgoing mail
Working Safely - Mail
Use all equipment in accordance with instructions Never move any equipment or tamper with it Do not lift or move heavy parcels or items on your own Do not leave parcels where people can fall over them Use a letter opener