What is a Postage Meter?

Postage meters can be an invaluable tool in the mailroom, but it can also be tough to understand what you need and why. A postage meter prints postage onto your mail or metered tape, relieving you of the need for personnel time and payroll on menial labor. 

Getting the right postage meter means you eliminate cumbersome mailroom inefficiencies, streamlining your postage tasks and taking the guesswork out of postage calculations. Take a look at some of the answers you’ll need to the top questions businesses have about postage meters.

What is a Postage Meter?

If you haven’t seen a postage meter yet, welcome to one of the most underutilized, taken for granted, and crucial office mailroom tools. We all know that postage is a stamp you lick or sponge on the sticky side, then affix to an envelope. This is fine for a couple of envelopes, but not for a mass mailing. 

Today, technology allows us to advance all forms of office processes drastically, and the challenges of mailing processes are no different. Postage meters fit a range of mailing tasks for all types and sizes of businesses. 

Why is a Postage Meter Good for Your Business?

The right postage meter will ensure you only pay for the postage you need. No overages. No expensive mistakes. Eliminate the guesswork and estimates. 

• Save time. You don’t need to guess whether your envelope requires standard postage or not. You don’t need to estimate the postage based on weight and online charts. Some meters will even seal your envelopes for you, eliminating additional time spent on menial labor. 
  

• Save money. Not only does the postage meter accurately calculate your postage costs, but it will also access discounts that can save your valuable business cents that add up. Their scales are integrated, and the postage meter is calibrated to calculate and print your postage automatically.  
  

• 24/7 convenience. Not only will your company save on menial labor spent estimating postage and applying stamps by hand, but you’ll also skip trips to the post office to buy stamps. Because they print postage, postage meters can download postage on the spot, anytime. 
  

• Branded postage. Postage meters not only print postage but can also print logos and messages. Add your company logo, an icon, or a special message to the recipient. You can add a tagline, a call-to-action, or a quick hint at what’s inside. Branded postage is an invaluable value-add to any business shopping for a postage meter. 
  

Postage meters give you the postage you need, whether for a single package or a large scale mass mailing. Best of all, postage meters save every business time and money. They optimize mailroom efficiency and ensure you never spend more than you absolutely have to, no matter what you’re mailing or where it’s going. Plus, postage meters give you one more way to speak to your target audience and become recognizable to your recipients. 

Features of a Postage Meter

Now that you understand the benefits of a postage meter let’s look at the features worth shopping for in your mailroom investment. 

Top feature considerations include: 

• Controls and ease of use. Is the touchscreen or keypad simple, intuitive, and user-friendly? You might also check on whether the controls are useful for the visually impaired, such as those with color-blindness. 
  

• Type of envelope feeder. Some postage meters are manual, meaning you insert the envelope by hand, which is best for low-volume jobs. Some are semi-automatic, meaning you insert the envelopes, but the machine pulls them in one-at-a-time. And there are automatic machines that can take stacks of envelopes for batch and high-volume postage.
  

• The scale. Choose between differential and dynamic weighing. Differential means the machine will weigh envelopes and select the best postage once the envelope is removed. Dynamic means the scale will recognize the size and shape, automatically assessing each piece and applying the correct postage.
  

• Processing speed. Processing speed is measured in letters per minute (LPM). A postage meter will average 17 LPM for standard envelopes. Higher rated postage meters will work more quickly and will offer jam-free processing to boost productivity and offer more reliable and consistent projects.  

Final Thoughts on Postage Meters

Postage meters are not all created equal. Choosing the right postage meter for your business and your mailroom is vital. Now that you understand the value and benefits of postage meters and have a better understanding of their features, you’re ready to decide what’s best for your office. 

Contact the professionals at All Copy Products to help you identify the best options and optimize your investment. 

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