Digital Transformation for Mail

Digital transformation is not just the latest business buzzword. Companies are quickly migrating analog and manual processes into the digital realm. You might think the mailroom is one area unlikely to be affected by digitization, but you would be wrong. The transformation from an analog mail room to a digital one involves implementing digital technologies and processes to improve efficiency and productivity.

General Trends in Mail Center Transformation

Electronic messages are replacing traditional paper-based communication with digital alternatives. Document scanning and storage allow companies to convert physical documents into digital formats through automated envelope opening, document extraction, and scanning. Implementing a document management system for efficient storage, organization, dissemination, and retrieval of digital documents eliminates the need for physical storage space and allows quick access to archived information.

Inbound Mail Digitization and Delivery

Digital email delivery of physical documents has been a practical technology for a decade, but its acceptance was limited. That is no longer the case. Remote work is the new normal; teams need technology to stay on top of their postal mail as they work from a home office. Digital mail delivery solves this predicament. An organization configures digital mail for their specific needs. Business rules control who gets what mail pieces and security protocols.

How digital mail delivery works:

2. Insurance Company ABC’s main mail center receives an envelope addressed to Ted in Human Resources via sent First Class Mail. There is still an HR office onsite, but Ted works remotely and visits the office monthly. Since the envelope is an HR communication and may have legal consequences, waiting for Ted to visit the company office building is not an option.
   
   During their digital mail system implementation ABC would have created business rules dictating how to handle mail addressed to remote employees. They could decide to open and scan such mail. Alternatively, they may choose to physically deliver mail to the HR department, even employees were away. A third approach might have the mail center scan the front and back of the envelope without opening it.
3. The mail center staff opens the envelope, then extracts and scans the contents. Ted’s email address is selected from the company database; the scanned document is attached and sent to Ted for action.

The process is straightforward. But ABC receives thousands of inbound letters each day. Scalable technology beyond an office supply store scanner and an opener is needed. The Tritek Oasis inbound mail system offers a solution for companies with significant mail volumes. The scan area provides imaging of the front and back of each mail piece or document and is stored in a .tiff, .jpg, or .pdf file format. Each document receives a digital time/date stamp for retention and look-up. The system features an optional opener/extractor, scanner, imaging and archiving software, and duplexing in a single workstation.

Digital Mail Delivery Onsite

So far, our discussion has focused on remote employees. How does digital mail work for onsite employees? Essentially the same, but like delivery to remote employees, business rules dictate the disposition of mail. Let’s say that Insurance Company ABC has 16 floors and 900 employees. The mail center begins delivery to onsite employees at 3:30 p.m. Inbound mail is scanned, identified as an onsite employee, and an email is sent to that employee. The employee can respond with “recycle,” “I will come to pick it up,” “deliver,” or some other response. Some companies no longer deliver mail onsite. They send the envelope scan to the recipient, and the recipient decides if they want to travel from the 16^th floor to the mail center to pick up their mail.

Security and Privacy

Consider that First Class Mail may be opened by someone other than the addressee. Robust security measures must protect digital mail and sensitive information. Build business rules to identify envelopes that should remain sealed, the disposition of the mail piece, and if local and remote employee mail is treated differently. Security measures include encryption, access controls, and regular security audits to ensure compliance with data protection regulations.

Training, Support, and Implementation               

The digital mail center is a paradigm shift. It significantly changes how people think and work in the mail center and replaces 50-year-old business practices. Initial training and ongoing support are crucial for employees implementing the new system. Tritek will provide a detailed plan to familiarize the mail center team with the digital mailroom processes and tools. Ongoing support addresses issues or questions during the transition and ensures smooth adoption of the new digital environment.

Digital Mail Center Master Plan

Tritek engineers patented field-proven mailroom automation and document imaging solutions to improve productivity and mailroom efficiency. Besides the inbound mail solutions described here, Tritek’s outbound mail processing equipment and software allow organizations to weigh, label, manifest, barcode, print reports, and build trays and bundles of mail. Tritek’s expanding menu of mail services includes Threat Detection, Digital Email Delivery, Database Management, Returned Mail Processing, Inbound Mail, Presorted Mail, and Parcel Processing. Tritek’s clients include Fortune 500 companies, government, educational institutions, financial services, healthcare, insurance, and fulfillment.