Benefits of Hybrid Mail

June 29, 2021

What is Hybrid Mail and why there’s never been a better time to use it?

Let’s get the definition of out of the way first, as it’s really simple. Hybrid Mail is a secure and cost-effective digital mail service that enables users to send physical mail, like letters, marketing collateral and invoices, directly from a computer connected to the internet.

In simple terms, users create the content and a third-party provider does the printing and the posting, with the user never having to leave their desk, so the service works equally well for office-based staff or those working remotely.

And let’s be clear, it’s not new. The ability to send electronic documents to a service provider to have them print and post the work has been around for years. But now it’s more secure, more cost-effective and a lot simpler to use with endless possibilities given the quality of digital printer available to the service provider.

New working practices require new solutions

The recent need to work from home for obvious reasons was embraced and efficiently handled by most businesses, particularly those with a knowledge-based offering. But this flexible approach is likely to cause a paradigm shift in the way workforces approach work in the future.

According to a survey in June, undertaken for The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising, eighty-nine per-cent of UK employees want a fully flexible approach to returning to the office, allowing them to choose when they worked at home and when they worked from the office.

If any of these workers want to send mail, personalise some marketing collateral or mail an invoice, rather than send emails and risk the growing issue of ‘inbox blindness’, a business could just buy and secure a lot of new printers delivered to people’s homes (if they have room) – something we can help with.

Alternatively, users working from home, rather than wait for a day in the office or impose on a colleague in the office to do their work for them (which probably won’t go down too well), they can make use of the new generation of Hybrid Mail solutions and maintain control.

If you have a dedicated mailroom, or a team of secretaries ready to undertake the printing, you will still benefit from Hybrid Mail ensuring a faster response time, to say nothing of the potential cost savings, from both the hardware and postal perspectives.

But what are the key benefits of a Hybrid Mail solution?

Ease of use – There is no installation needed, just a simple portal that requires a username, password and an internet connection to enable users to upload documents directly from their computer, whether they are in the office, at home or on the move.

Cost effective – With no set up charges, Hybrid Mail could potentially save up to 40% compared to office printing and mailing costs. Hybrid mail costs less than the cost of a 2nd class stamp so you could be sending out a printed letter including paper, envelope and stamp for less than 0.50p per item, which should encourage you to get in touch with customers more often. Make it personal.

Retain control – Hybrid Mail works well if you have different offices around the country, or people from different departments working from home. They can be given access to only the documents and templates relevant to their role, to ensure complete control over what is sent and by whom.

Increased agility – Switching to a Hybrid Mail subscription based consumption model, not only improves cashflow by reducing the costs associated with loading franking machines and purchasing stamps, but offers infinite on-demand scalability at the touch of a button or two.

Increased accuracy – Within your document library, you can store documents, templates, letters, marketing collateral, in fact just about anything you need printed (within reason – ask for details). You can also check post codes when sending, impose user and department spending limits, apply custom signatures and archive documents for future reference.

Improved security – Outsourcing to state-of-the-art production facilities ensures the highest level of security, with data transferred by secure protocol (SSH) identical to those used for banking transactions. Processes and procedures are certified to ensure controls and safeguards comply with privacy rules and regulatory requirements.

The fact here at Dataquest we offer solutions that appear at odds with each other, Managed Print Services and Hybrid Mail, demonstrates our commitment to deliver what is best for each client and not just what is good or easy for us to provide.

If you want an agile, cost-effective, responsive answer to the mailing problems of a dispersed remote workforce and would like to discover more about a Hybrid Mail solution from Dataquest, please get in touch on 020 7330 0900 or email [email protected]