Mail Room Essentials and Services

Having a well-organized mail room is crucial for any business or organization. Mail rooms are often the first point of contact for customers and clients, and a professional appearance can make a great impression.

A mail room should be equipped with a mail sortation system, which can efficiently sort and process mail and packages. This system can be automated or manual, depending on the volume of mail and the specific needs of the organization.

A mail room also needs to have a secure and climate-controlled environment to protect sensitive documents and packages. This can help prevent damage and ensure that mail is delivered to the right people.

Mail rooms often provide additional services, such as mail packaging and shipping, to make it easy for customers to send and receive mail.

A mail room is a centralized location for handling office mail and packages. It's often staffed by a mail clerk or postmaster who manages incoming and outgoing deliveries.

Mail rooms can be quite simple or quite complex, depending on the business needs of the office. Some offices even combine their mail room with a break area.

A mail clerk or postmaster is usually responsible for managing the mail room, which can involve a lot of tasks. They might need to sort mail, package items, and keep track of deliveries.

Larger businesses, on the other hand, may require a full-fledged mail-handling department equipped with security measures like x-ray scanning and package tracking systems.

A well-designed mail room is essential for efficient business operations. It's where mail and packages are received, sorted, and distributed, ensuring that internal and external communications run smoothly.

Mail sorting and storage are critical components of a mail room. Organized shelving or pigeonhole mail sorters are used to distribute mail efficiently, making it easy to locate and access important documents.

Here are some common features you might find in a mail room:

Secure lockers or cabinets are often used to store confidential mail, and climate-controlled areas are used to protect sensitive packages and legal documents.

A mail room is a crucial part of any office, and it's essential to have the right features in place to ensure smooth operations. A well-designed mail room can make a big difference in productivity and efficiency.

Mail sorting and storage is a must-have in any mail room. Organized shelving or pigeonhole mail sorters help distribute mail efficiently, keeping everything tidy and easy to find.

Delivery and distribution are also key features of a mail room. Mail clerks handle internal delivery to employees or departments, making sure everyone gets their mail and packages on time.

Package handling is another critical aspect of a mail room. This includes processing incoming and outgoing shipments from USPS, FedEx, UPS, and couriers, ensuring that packages are delivered quickly and securely.

Some businesses require additional security measures, such as x-ray scanning and tracking systems, to handle sensitive packages.

In smaller offices, it's not uncommon to see a mail room and break room combo, where the mail area is combined with a pantry for space efficiency.

Automated mail systems are also used by some businesses to handle high mail volumes. These digital tracking and automated sorters can significantly reduce manual labor and increase efficiency.

Here are some common features of a mail room:

In a mail room, there are several services that make processing and sending mail efficient.

Presorting is a key service, where mail is sorted based on zip codes or other criteria to speed up delivery.

Departmental sorting is another important service, where mail is sorted within a department or organization.

Metering postage is a service that accurately measures and applies postage to mail pieces.

Inkjetting is a printing service that uses inkjet technology to print addresses and other information on envelopes and mail pieces.

Mail rooms often offer inserting services, where printed materials are inserted into envelopes or mail pieces.

Folding and printing services are also available, where mail pieces are folded and printed with additional information.

Tabbing is a service that adds tabs or labels to mail pieces for easy sorting and identification.

Pick-Up & Delivery is a service that collects and delivers mail to and from mail rooms.

International Packaging & Shipping is a service that prepares and ships mail internationally, including packaging and customs forms.

Mail is delivered to the Student Mail Room daily Monday – Saturday, with deliveries made throughout the day based on the shipping agents' schedules.

Deliveries can be impacted by holidays, inclement weather, staffing shortages, or unexpected circumstances, which may affect the mail delivery process.

USPS mail is not delivered to the Union on Saturdays, so if you're expecting a package, be aware of this exception.

To ensure smooth delivery, include your first and last name on packages sent to the Student Mail Room, as mail without a last name may be marked as undeliverable and returned to sender.

Packages are delivered to the Mailroom on the lower level of Rockland Center. They are stored alphabetically and an email is sent to the student when the parcel is ready for pickup.

To pick up your package, you'll need to present your student ID at the Rockland Mailroom. This is a required step to ensure that the package is given to the right person.

Packages can only be picked up by the student whose name is listed on the package. So, make sure to include your first and last name on packages sent to the Mailroom.

Bulk interoffice mail requires some planning ahead. Requests to distribute bulk interoffice mail should be sent to the Mailroom Manager as soon as possible.

You can reach the mailroom at 443-352-4351 to make arrangements. A minimum 24 hour notice must be given for distribution to departments, and a minimum 48 hour notice must be given for distribution to the entire Stevenson community.

If you're planning to send out a large mailing, keep in mind that bulk interoffice mail is defined as any mailing over 50 pieces. This includes postcards, magazines, advertisements, personal correspondence, and more.

To ensure your mail gets to the right person, all interoffice correspondence should include the recipient's location information. This helps the mailroom staff deliver your mail efficiently.

If you're moving to a new location, be sure to report the change to the Mailroom Manager right away. This will help prevent any disruptions to your mail service.

Sending from the Student Room is a straightforward process. You can send outgoing mail from the Student Mail Room by simply stamping your item or applying a pre-paid shipping label.

You'll need to include a stamp or pre-paid shipping label, as the Student Mail Room is unable to provide postage. If you forget to include postage, your mail will be returned.

Just bring your stamped or pre-paid item to the Student Mail Room during their hours of operation.

Bulk mailings can qualify for rate discounts if they exceed a certain number of pieces. To maximize these discounts, it's essential to have printed envelopes or labels in zip-code order with the correct bulk mail classification for first-class, pre-sort, or standard mail non-profit rates.

Large mailings that don't meet the minimum number can be combined with other departments' mailings. This should be coordinated in advance with the Mail Room Supervisor to find the cheapest and most suitable mail classification.

Utilization of postal permits or pre-printed forms requires coordination with the Mail Room Supervisor before printing to ensure accuracy and sufficient allocation of postage funds.

To streamline your mailings, consider the following mail classification guidelines:

Having a dedicated mail-room is essential for efficient mail and package management. Businesses receive a steady influx of documents, contracts, invoices, and shipments, and a mail-room ensures fast and accurate distribution to employees.

Employees do not have to leave the office for mail and packages, saving valuable work time. This can be a significant productivity boost, especially for businesses with a large number of employees.

Businesses with a dedicated mail operation can also take advantage of bulk mailing and shipping discounts. This can help reduce costs and make mail and package management even more efficient.

Here are some benefits of having a dedicated mail-room:

When planning a mail room, it's essential to consider the space requirements. A dedicated mailroom is ideal for large offices, which should include shelves, storage cabinets, and package stations.

For smaller businesses, a combined mailroom-breakroom hybrid can be a space-saving solution. This setup maximizes space by combining two functions into one area.

The space requirements for a mail room will depend on the size of your office, but here are some general guidelines to consider:

By considering these space requirements, you can create an efficient and functional mail room that meets the needs of your office.

Sending perishable items to the Student Mail Room is possible, but be aware that space in the refrigerator is limited, so you'll need to pick them up as soon as possible.

You can store perishable items in the Student Mail Room's small refrigerator, but be considerate of space and retrieve your items promptly.

If you're picking up a large or heavy package, don't rely on the Student Mail Room's resources – bring a moving cart from your residence hall instead.

The mail room staff is dedicated to designing a mail service that exceeds the needs of the Stevenson community.

You can contact any member of the Mailroom staff with questions or comments relating to the mail service. Renee Wheat is the Manager, Mailroom & Materials, and can be reached at 443-352-4351.

The Mail Room Procedures are designed to make sending and receiving mail as smooth as possible. All packages are now tracked using the SmartTrack system, which ensures that you'll be notified when your item arrives.

To send outgoing mail, simply stamp your item or apply a pre-paid shipping label and bring it to the mail room during their hours of operation. Mail submitted without proper postage will be returned.

If you're expecting a package, be sure to sign for it upon receipt. If you're not available, a location sticker will be scanned to create a time stamp for delivery purposes.

When working with our mail inserter, we can insert multiple pieces at once, which greatly speeds up the process. The Pitney Bowes inserter allows us to insert 6 pieces at once.

We can also manually insert any material that is not machinable, such as bulky mail pieces or business cards.

Inserting these types of materials by hand can be a bit more time-consuming, but it's a necessary step when dealing with items that can't be processed through the machine.

When you're sending a package, make sure to include the recipient's full name, as improper format can lead to delays in receiving the ordered material.

To avoid any issues, use the correct address format for faculty and staff, or for students. This will ensure that your package reaches its destination on time.

If you're unsure about the correct address format, double-check the address formats provided for faculty and staff, or for students.

Here are the address formats you should use:

By following these simple steps, you can help ensure that your packages are delivered quickly and efficiently.

Once you receive mail, you'll get an automated email to your Brockport email address once it's logged in. This email will let you know that your item is ready for pickup.

Mail is delivered to the Student Mail Room daily Monday – Saturday, but USPS mail is not delivered on Saturdays. You'll get an email for each item logged into the Mail Room's tracking software, so be prepared for multiple emails if you receive multiple pieces of mail.

If you send packages to the Student Mail Room, be sure to include your first and last name on the package. Mail without a last name may be marked as undeliverable and returned to sender.

The mail room procedures are designed to ensure efficient and secure package delivery.

All packages are now tracked using the SmartTrack system, which allows us to keep tabs on your deliveries.

Upon receipt, you will be asked to sign for the items, which helps us confirm that the package was received.

If the recipient is unavailable, a location sticker will be scanned to create a time stamp for delivery purposes.

Please don't remove any packages from the loading dock before they're processed by the mailroom.

Early removal of packages will eliminate the tracking ability of the mailroom, so it's best to wait until they're officially processed.

Here are the key steps to keep in mind: