Postage Meters Save Dollars During this Recession

By Chris Ulrich

We're all feeling the pressure in this recession, and very few of us are getting stimulus money. To stay ahead, businesses need to make wise spending decisions and reduce costs wherever possible. The small business postage machine, around $19 per month, will help you do just this.

Years ago, only large companies with big mailings used postage meters. They were huge, expensive and needed someone to take the machine to the post office to refill with postage. Today, the biggest users of postage machines are small business-1 to 50 employees-for use with the everyday mailing.

First, you no longer have to drive your postage meter to the post office to be refilled. The Pitney Bowes postage machines, for example, have a phone jack built in. Just plug in any regular phone line, push the refill button, and it can dial in and refill itself with as much postage as you choose. The whole process takes literally 60 seconds and you never have to leave your building. This saves a trip to the post office, the time of the employee who has to make the trip as well as the cost of the fuel (which no one ever looked at previously) to make that drive.

Second, as people mail envelopes and packages of various sizes, they very often apply too much postage. When mailing a letter, the current cost for a first-class mailing is $.44 for a piece one ounce or less. If the piece is slightly heavier, for example 1.3 ounces, more postage is required. However, it is not another $.44 stamp. People using stamps very often apply too much postage, simply throwing away money needlessly.

With the postage machine, the scale is built-in. It not only ways the envelopes it also tells you how much postage needs to be applied. Once it shows that, simply insert the envelope or the label and it will print the stamp in the correct amount without wasting a penny.

Third, you never need to run out of postage. Invariably, the stamps, people run out of stamps at the wrong time. They may be halfway through a mailing, sending out important invoices, or simply sending holiday cards. When you run out of postage, you have no option but to drive to the post office to purchase more. If you had a postage meter, you could easily plug-in, push a button to refill, in 60 seconds later you could complete stamping your envelopes.

Fourth, using a postage machine is an inexpensive way of making your business appear more substantial and reputable. It may seem odd, but people have a different perception when they get a printed letter with a postage machine stamp as opposed to a handwritten envelope with thelove stamp. This little bit of added credibility is achieved without any expensive advertising, advertising strategies or campaigns. Your attention to detail is enough to set you apart. - 31410

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