Why technology and automation are a must for today’s mail centers.
Secure, timely and cost-effective shipping and delivery have become top business priorities. Customers expect it and the massive volume of parcels demands it. Yet parcel processing is still handled manually in most corporate mail centers.
That has to change, according to 30-year mail operations veteran Nick Staffieri. Shipping and receiving operations have to adapt in order to manage growing demands and complexity, and they can’t do it without an infusion of technology and automation. In the new Pitney Bowes® white paper, Optimizing your shipping and receiving operation — an expert’s perspective, Mr. Staffieri lays out the necessity for change and the resulting benefits. He mixes personal wisdom with plenty of industry examples. Readers should come away with a sense of urgency that should resonate with everyone in the shipping business today.
Worth the investment
Technology and automation are already having a major impact in every other area of the business, so why not the mail center? In highly regulated, communications-intensive environments like law offices, hospitals and college campuses, the need is especially acute. In these environments, shipping and receiving had better be fast and accurate. An organization’s credibility, reputation and image are at stake.
Streamlined shipping and receiving. Today’s automation technologies enable mail centers to process escalating shipping volumes with greater speed and efficiency while reducing the risk of errors, delays and loss.
Visibility across the enterprise. Tracking technologies create digital histories for every parcel and piece of mail, making it possible to trace and identify their whereabouts at any point in time. With the entire chain of custody documented, it’s easier to determine where a shipping delay originated and satisfy compliance demands.
Simplified multi-carrier processing. Automation relieves the complexity inherent in multi-carrier shipping operations by integrating carrier pricing and services on a single platform. Mr. Staffieri summed up the advantage: “Organizations don’t have to limit their [shipping] options because they don't have the time to look things up, research costs and go over everything.” It’s far easier for them to dispatch, track, bill and compare individual carrier services.
The time is now
Today’s mail centers are active business hubs that have a direct impact on the bottom line. Shipping and delivery affect customer satisfaction, and they can build brand loyalty — or put an end to it. Technology and automation help to ensure the former.
To learn how technology and automation can enhance the customer experience and your business, download Pitney Bowes white paper: Optimizing your shipping and receiving operation — an expert’s perspective.
Or for a quick snapshot of key white paper topics, check out the videos.