Preparing Mail for Collection
In order to ensure that your department's mail is processed through as swiftly and effectively as possible it would assist the Post Room staff if you could please adhere to the following procedures. If you do not follow the procedures then it is possible, especially at the end of the day, that your mail may miss the final collection. Therefore it is in your best interests to ensure:
- all envelopes are banded according to the category of mailing you want the item to be dispatched - 1st class, 2nd class, overseas, stamped mail, internal mail
- all envelopes are kept facing the same way
- all items are stamped with your department's mail stamps (this is an important safeguard to ensure that private mail is not inserted into the University's mail. It is thus in your interest to ensure that all your department's mail is properly stamped. Any obvious private mail will be retured to the department.)
Processing Mail
The mail received in the Post Room is immediately processed through the franking machine. Each department's mail is coded to the code on the envelopes. A monthly print-out to the Finance Office provides details of the actual expenditure on postage which will be credit coded and charged to the department.
Major Mailings
The University's Post Room has a range of professional equipment which are intended to reduce the laborious work of processing and packaging mailings. Before you begin a mail-shot please, contact the Post Room staff to ascertain how the equipment can reduce the effort you need to undertake. The functions which are automated include:
- Inserting booklets/ letters into envelopes
- Placing labels on envelopes
- Printing addresses onto envelopes
Contact names on your mailing lists can be transfered electronically to the Post Room, please contact the staff for details.
Internal Mail
An internal mail system operates between all University departments. A courier collects and delivers mail to every University centre. In order to ensure your mail is delivered rapidly and effectively to its destination, please ensure that it is clearly labelled. Economic and environmental considerations demand that use-envelopes are utilised for internal mail, but please ensure that the previous addresses are deleted and the new recipient is clearly marked. Address labels supplied by the Post Room, are always printed in department order. Departments are asked to keep these labels in order when affixing to envelopes. The internal mail system was recently audited by an external company and substantial improvements have been introduced and acheived. Please assist the satff to ensure that these high standards are maintained.