Metering Business Letter Services Introduction Postage metering enables
Metering Business Letter Services
Introduction Postage metering enables customers to purchase and print postage at any time without leaving the office. Postage can be downloaded via a modem whenever it is needed. Australia Post provides a 2. 5% rebate each time a customer purchases additional credit postage when using a postage meter. In this module This module introduces metering; explains the difference between postage meters and franking machines, and provides an overview of Australia Post’s requirements for metering. Learning outcomes By completing this module, you will be able to: • identify the difference between postage meters and franking machines • list the benefits of using postage meters • understand Australia Post’s requirements for using a postage meter
Postage meters at a glance What is metering? Metering is a payment method that can be used for a number of Australia Post services. Metering enables customers to print the postage price on their mail article instead of using stamps. The meter holds the monetary value for an amount of postage. Each time the postage meter is used, the amount of postage stored within it reduces. Metering is an easy, flexible way to pay for postage on business letter services, as and when it is needed, giving customers the freedom to manage business mail more efficiently. It is recommended that before investing in a postage meter, customers refer to the Conditions of Use for Postage Meters and Franking Machines booklet, or visit the Australia Post website (auspost. com. /metering).
Postage meters at a glance What is the difference between Franking Machines and Postage Meters? Franking Machines are: • old technology, which is being phased out • mechanical or electro-mechanical pieces of equipment • cartridge reset either at a post office, or via the phone • equipped with impact printing technology only • not equipped to produce a data matrix symbol • not available to be used to pay for Business Letter Services Where an engraved stamp physically places an impression on the mail article
Postage meters at a glance What is the difference between Franking Machines and Postage Meters? Postage Meters are: • the modern equivalent of Franking Machines • equipped with sophisticated features and capabilities • reset by modem (electronically driven) Includes thermal, inkjet and laser printing techniques. Type 1 Impression (Impact print • equipped with either impact printing, or digital printing technology • embedded with a data matrix symbol meter) • available to be used to pay for Business Letter Services Australia Post, in conjunction with meter suppliers, has developed a minimum standard for all Postage Meters licensed on or after 1 January 2002. Only meters which comply with the requirements of the Postage Meter Standard will be eligible for licensing by Australia Post. Type 2 Impression (Digital print meter)
Postage meters at a glance Business Letter service usage The following table shows which Business Letter Services can be metered: Business Services Postage Meter • Acquisition Mail • Pre. Sort Letters • Print Post • Clean Mail • Charity Mail • Impact Mail • Unaddressed Mail • Registered Post* *(can also be used with metered mail) Franking Machine Metered mail lodged for carriage under the Pre. Sort Letters, Print Post, Clean Mail, Charity Mail and Impact Mail services must be prepared in accordance with the relevant conditions of service.
Postage meters at a glance More information More detailed information is available in the Metering Fact Sheet and Conditions of Use for Postage Meters and Franking Machines booklet. This guide is available at any Australia Post outlet. Customers can also contact their local Postal Manager, the Postage Meter section in their State or, where appropriate, a Postage Meter supplier. Details of Postage Meter suppliers are provided on the following pages. Alternatively, customers can visit the Australia Post website (auspost. com. au/metering)
Advanced: Metering Postage meter requirements Overview Metered mail lodged for carriage under the Pre. Sort Letters, Print Post, Clean Mail, Charity Mail and Impact Mail services must be prepared in accordance with the relevant conditions of service. Information regarding these conditions of service can be located in the relevant training modules or service guide for each service. To use a postage meter, customers need to meet the following requirements: • obtain an approved postage meter (via the list of suppliers) • apply for a licence (Application for a Licence to use a postage meter Section 15 of Conditions of Use) • reset with funds • print the postage meter impression • lodge metered articles Each of these points are covered in detail on the following pages.
Advanced: Metering Postage Meter requirements Obtain a Postage Meter When selecting a Postage Meter, customers need to consider: • Printing speed - average daily mail volumes and mailing patterns to determine the printing speed required. Suppliers generally take this into consideration when assisting in selection. • Costs - price depends on the printing speed and whether the machine is equipped with extra features (eg weighing scales or envelope feeding devices). • Maintenance - customers should also consider the ongoing maintenance costs associated with metering (resets, ink, labels and other consumables). • Lease or purchase - basic model postage meters are available for lease from a few dollars a week. Leasing provides the scope to upgrade the postage meter when necessary, and the freedom to take advantage of new technology as it becomes available.
Advanced: Metering Inspection and servicing requirements differ for Postage Meters and Franking Machines. Postage Meter requirements Regardless of machine type, customers must immediately report any fault or defect to their Obtain a Postage Meter supplier or service organisation and to the Licence Controlling Office, and should not allow Postage Meter suppliers and service organisations anyone other than a supplier or Australia Post to inspect, repair or service their machine. A number of suppliers and their agents may supply, service and inspect standard-compliant postage meters. They may also service and inspect approved franking machines. Postage Meters need to be inspected at least For the latest supplier information, customers can once contact the three postage meter. Australia section in. Post their every months. State, or visit the Australia Post website (auspost. com. au/metering). recommends that Postage Meter customers have a merits servicing agreement with or a service Australia Post staff cannot comment on the relative of different brands modelsorganisation of for the andmeter maintenance their meter. postage meters. Products that meet the requirements of servicing the postage standardofare Australia Post reserves the right to request a approved. physical inspection of a Franking Machine at any Australia Post is not responsible for the quality of the products or their fitness for use, and time. provides no support for such products. Customers should contact their supplier for service queries. More detailed information regarding Inspection and servicing requirements can be located in the Conditions of Use for Postage Meters and Franking Machines booklet.
Advanced: Metering Postage Meter requirements A licence application form can be located in the Conditions of Use for Postage Meters Apply for a licence to use a Postage Meter and Franking Machines booklet. Customers need to apply to Australia Post for a licence to use the machine, as follows: Complete a licence application form: • The application must be accompanied by a zero-value postage impression from the postage meter to be licensed. Suppliers generally assist with this. • Upon signing the application form, the customer is deemed to be the holder of an interim licence and may commence using the postage meter as soon as it is installed at their premises. Forward the completed licence application form to the postage meter section in their state: • Australia Post processes the application and advises the outcome by mail. • Should an application be refused for any reason, the supplier is required to cancel the lease or purchase agreement without any cost to the customer.
Advanced: Metering Postage Meter requirements Reset with funds Every time the Postage Meter or Franking Machine is used, the amount of postage stored within it is reduced. The process of replenishing the machine with additional postage in known as resetting. Postage Meter resets Postage Meters are reset by modem. The steps involved in modem resets differ from model to model. Customers using Postage Meters receive a 2. 5% rebate on the postage value of every Postage Meter reset. For example, a reset for $1000 worth of postage will entitle the customer to a $25 The reset payable rebate is only available Postage Meter resets. Any rebate; so 2. 5% the amount to Australia Post is for $975. fees a supplier may charge for processing the reset will not attract the rebate. The rebate is received at the time of billing for the reset. Many postage meter customers pay their postage meter supplier directly for their resets. Methods of payment vary from supplier to supplier. In most cases, customers are required to pay for the reset up-front. Postage meter suppliers provide specific details.
Advanced: Metering Postage Meter requirements Reset with funds Paying for resets by Australia Post business credit account (charge account) Customers who operate an Australia Post business credit account may have their Postage Meter resets charged to their account. For optimum service and efficiency, a Licence Controlling Office (LCO) should be nominated as the first Preferred Lodgement Centre when completing an application for a business credit account. The LCO stated in the Postage Meter or Franking Machine If the application for a business credit account is approved, customers are provided with a licence is usually the Proposed Primary Office of Lodgement business credit account number. When in receipt of customer this number, the customer must: of Metered Mail which the nominates in the licence • Advise the Postage Meter application supplier in form. writing of their credit account number along with their In addition to being then a lodgement for metered or franked Postage Meter licence number. The supplier amendspoint records to ensure that all future mail, the LCO is where customers should: resets are charged to this account. • present a manual reset Franking Machine for resetting and • Send a copy of the correspondence to the Postage Meter Section in their State. inspection • seek refunds for spoils • where appropriate, seek approval for the use of advertising slogans • notify Australia Post of any address changes or if the machine is moved to another location and • notify Australia Post of any intention to dispose of the machine
Advanced: Metering Postage Meter requirements Print a Postage Meter impression Determine the correct postage amount for the article Current prices are available in the • Post Charges Guide (MS 11), • Easy Guide to Preparing Metered and Franked Mail and • Australia Post website (auspost. com. au/metering) If the machine has a pricing scale or an in-built rate calculator, the correct postage is automatically calculated. In the event of a change in postage prices, the customer must arrange with their supplier to have the pricing scale or rate calculator adjusted appropriately. Sample of a Postage Meter impression
Advanced: Metering Postage Meter requirements Print a Postage Meter impression Calculate the correct postage amount on the meter. Customers should follow the operating instructions provided with the machine. It is important to enter the correct postage amount into the machine. Deficient postage means that the article is ‘underpaid’ and therefore entitles Australia Post to recover the deficiency (including, if applicable, the debiting of an Australia Post business credit account) and, in certain cases, charge a fee. Articles bearing deficient postage may also experience processing and delivery delays. Printing the date in the impression is optional for Postage Meter customers. However, if the impression on an item does bear a date, that item may only be lodged on the date that appears in the impression. In accordance with part A, Section 28 of the Australia Post Terms and Conditions.
Advanced: Metering Postage Meter requirements Print a Postage Meter impression Imprint the postage impression onto the article To imprint, letters are fed through the machine. For bulky articles, customers need to imprint onto an adhesive label then affix the label to the article. Articles bearing impressions which are incorrectly placed, incomplete, faint or printed using poor quality ink may be rejected by our processing equipment, potentially resulting in processing and delivery delays. To avoid this, customers should remember to: • Print or affix the impression to the top right corner of the address side of the article. The impression should be positioned inside the Postage Zone. • Re-ink regularly and only use Australia Post approved red fluorescent ink. • Ensure all impressions are clear and complete. Customers can request a refund for impressions which are incorrectly positioned or wrongly priced.
Advanced: Metering Postage Meter requirements Lodge metered mail Metered articles prepared for carriage by Pre. Sort Letters, Print Post, Clean Mail, Charity Mail, Impact Mail or with Registered Post must always be separated from other mail, and lodged over the counter. • Metered Pre. Sort Letters, Charity Mail and Clean Mail lodgements must be accompanied by a Meter Lodgement Document (8838236). • Metered Impact Mail lodgements must be accompanied by an Impact Mail Lodgement Document (8839151). • Metered Print Post articles must be accompanied by a Print Post Mailing Statement (8835283). • Metered Acquisition Mail lodgements must be accompanied by an Acquisition Mail lodgement document with the appropriate payment channel noted. All documents are available from the Licence Controlling Office (LCO).
Advanced: Metering Postage Meter requirements Other considerations Advertising slogans Many Postage Meters and Franking Machines allow the printing of an advertising slogan, return address, seasonal greeting or company logo alongside the postage impression. Suppliers can advise on how to do this. Australia Post reserves the right to cancel a customer’s Postage Meter licence and/or refuse to accept mail bearing a metered message or slogan that may be considered misleading, defamatory, offensive or otherwise objectionable. If in doubt, customers can seek approval for the use of a slogan from their Licence Controlling Office (LCO).
Advanced: Metering Conditions of refund for spoils 1. Requests for refund must be made within Postage Meter requirements six months of the impression(s) being made Other considerations 2. Envelopes and wrappers bearing spoils must be presented intact (although contents Refunds for spoils may be removed). Refunds will not be made Australia Post may refund the value of postage impressions whichbeen are printed butfrom not lodged for impressions that have removed for carriage; for example, impressions containing an incorrect postage value. These articles their original envelopes or wrappers are referred to as spoils and conditions 3. apply. Illegible impressions will be refunded for the lowest value that the machine can print 4. Customers receiving the 2. 5% reset rebate To qualify for a refund on spoils, customers need to: will be refunded the net postage value (i. e. the • Collect all envelopes, wrappers and labels affected, and bundle value and in date order metered postage value lessby 2. 5%) 5. Where a customer has elected to have their • Make a written request to Australia Post on charged companytoletterhead for the value of the spoils resets their Australia Post collected, quoting licence number and, if applicable, Post business credit Australia account; refunds will be credit account number deducted from the customer’s next account statement. Post business credit • Present the spoils and the written request within Australia six months to the Licence Controlling Office account customers will only be eligible for a (LCO) refund once Australia Post has received payment for the impressions.
Advanced: Metering Summary You have now completed this module. The key points covered were: • Metering enables customers to print the postage price on their mail articles instead of using stamps. • Two types of machines print the postage price onto mail - Franking Machines and Postage Meters. • Customers can use Postage Meters, but not Franking Machines as a payment method for Acquisition Mail, Pre. Sort Letters, Charity Mail, Print Post, Clean Mail and Impact Mail. • When selecting a Postage Meter, customers need to consider speed, costs and whether to lease or purchase. • Only meters which comply with the requirements of the Postage Meter Standard will be eligible for licensing by Australia Post. • Customers need to apply to Australia Post for a licence to use a Postage Meter. • Every time the Postage Meter or Franking Machine is used, the amount of postage stored within the meter is reduced. Resetting replenishes the machine with additional postage. Customers may have their resets charged to their Australia Post business credit account. • Australia Post may refund the value of postage impressions which are printed but not used. These articles are referred to as spoils. • Metered articles for carriage by Acquisition Mail, Pre. Sort letters, Charity Mail, Print Post, Clean Mail or Impact Mail must always be separated from other mail and lodged over the counter.
Assessment You now need to complete a short assessment to check your understanding of the information covered in this module. This assessment consists of 10 multiple-choice questions and should take you approximately 10 minutes to complete. To pass the assessment, you need to answer at least eight of these questions correctly. Attempt this assessment as many times as you need to. If you do not pass, it is recommended that you review this module again.
Assessment 1 What is metering? a. A way of measuring distance b. A way of printing postage instead of using stamps Correct answer = B Metering enables customers to print the postage price on their mail articles instead of using stamps, or postage paid / charge account.
Assessment 2 True or false? There are two types of machines that customers can use to print postage instead of using stamps: Postage Meters and Franking Machines. a. True b. False Correct answer = A Postage Meters and Franking Machines are the two types of machines that customers can use to print postage instead of using stamps.
Assessment 3 Which of the following Business Letter services cannot use metering as a payment method? a. b. c. d. e. f. Pre. Sort Letters Print Post Impact Mail Unaddressed Mail Clean Mail Acquisition Mail Correct answer = D Customers cannot use metering as a payment method for Unaddressed Mail.
Assessment 4 Which of the following Business Letter services can use Franking as a payment method? a. b. c. d. e. Pre. Sort Letters and Acquisition Mail Print Post Impact Mail Clean Mail None of the above Correct answer = E Customers can only use metering as a payment method for the Business Letter Services. Franking Machines cannot be used.
Assessment 5 True or false? Only meters which comply with the requirements of the Postage Meter Standard are eligible for licensing by Australia Post. a. True b. False Correct answer = A Australia Post, in conjunction with meter suppliers, has developed a minimum standard for all Postage Meters licensed on or after 1 January 2002. Only meters which comply with the requirements of the Postage Meter Standard are eligible for licensing by Australia Post.
Assessment 6 What do customers require to use their Postage Meter? a. b. c. d. A contract with a listed supplier A separate room to keep the machine in A licence from Australia Post A regular office where they can lodge their mail Correct answer = C Customers need to apply to Australia Post for a licence to use the machine.
Assessment 7 What does Australia Post mean when it refers to ‘resetting’? a. Updating the leased metering machine with a newer model b. Altering the programming in the Postage Meter c. Replenishing the metering machine with additional funds d. Ensuring that the metering machine is placed on a level surface Correct answer = C Every time the Postage Meter or Franking Machine is used, the amount of postage stored within it is reduced. ‘Resetting’ replenishes the machine with additional postage.
Assessment 8 Can an Australia Post business credit account be used to pay for Postage Meter resets? a. Yes b. No Correct answer = A Customers who operate an Australia Post business credit account may have their Postage Meter resets charged to their account.
Assessment 9 Lodgements of which Business Letter services must be accompanied by a Metered Lodgement Document? a. Print Post and Impact Mail b. Pre. Sort Letters and Clean Mail c. Unaddressed Mail and Reply Paid Correct answer = B Metered Pre. Sort Letters and Clean Mail lodgements must be accompanied by a Meter Lodgement Document (8838236).
Assessment 10 What does Australia Post mean when it refers to ‘spoils’? a. Incorrectly addressed envelopes b. Mail items which were damaged while processing c. Postage impressions that are printed but not lodged d. Mail items where the wrong Business Letter service was used Correct answer = C Australia Post may refund the value of postage impressions which are printed but not lodged for carriage (eg. impressions containing an incorrect postage value). These articles are referred to as ‘spoils’.
- Slides: 31