Chapter 7: Processing Mail

1. Chapter 7
Processing Mail

2. Processing Mail Topic Outline
Handling E-Mail
Handling Traditional Incoming Mail
Handling Outgoing Domestic Mail
Using Office Equipment
International Mail

3. Handling E-Mail
TIPS FOR HANDLING
E-MAIL
E-MAIL ETIQUETTE
ETHICAL ISSUES
REGARDING E-MAIL

4. E-Mail—Tips
Check messages frequently
Respond to messages immediately
Sort and delete messages regularly

5. E-Mail—Etiquette/Netiquette
Never send anything you don’t want made public
Address receiver by name in opening sentence
Reread message before sending
Use spell-checker
Keep message concise

6. E-Mail--Etiquette (continued)
Use capital letters sparingly
Include original message in replies or forwarded
messages to eliminate need to summarize what
has been written
Always get writer’s permission before forwarding
or posting e-mail message
Post only messages pertinent to members of
group

7. E-Mail—Ethical Issues
Employers have reasons for monitoring
employees’ computer activity
Maintain organization’s reputation
Improve employee productivity
Increase security
Prevent employee disclosure of trade secrets/other
confidential information

8. E-Mail—Ethical Issues (continued)
Employees’ concerns include
Privacy issues
Long hours at work and need to communicate with
others outside company

9. Handling
Traditional
Incoming Mail
SORTING MAIL
OPENING MAIL
READING AND
ANNOTATING MAIL
PRESENTING MAIL
ANSWERING MAIL IN
THE MANAGER’S
ABSENCE

10. Handling Traditional Incoming Mail—Sort
Sort by groups:
Mail sent with urgency
Letters, including bills and statements
Interoffice mail
Personal mail
Newspapers and periodicals
Booklets, catalogs, etc.
Packages

11. Handling Traditional Incoming Mail—Open
Mail
Assemble supplies:
Opener, date stamp, paper clips, tickler file, To Do list, and pencils
If envelope opened by mistake, seal and write
“Opened by mistake” and initial; then distribute
to addressee
Establish preferences for handling “Personal
and Confidential” mail with manager

12. Handling Traditional Incoming Mail—
Read and Annotate
Know what manager wants:
Does he/she want you to underline key words and
dates, and write marginal notes?
Keep alert to things that
Contain date of appointment
Mention report being mailed separately
Confirm phone conversation
Request decision that cannot be made until
additional information is obtained

13. Read and Annotate Mail (continued)
Annotate
Use small handwriting
Make notes brief

14. Handling Traditional Incoming Mail—
Present Mail
Process mail quickly
Place urgent mail on top and least urgent items
on bottom
Protect manager’s privacy
Place mail so it is not visible to others
Place confidential items in large envelope or folder

15. Answer Mail in Manager’s Absence
Abide by manager’s preference
Typically, if only gone one or two days, set mail aside
If urgent correspondence, call or e-mail manager
Organize business mail in folders
Forward mail that requires immediate action to person designated
Respond to letters you can answer

16. Handling
Outgoing
Domestic Mail
FORMATS
DANGEROUS
GOODS

17. Handling Outgoing Domestic Mail
Steps in preparing items
Review documents for signatures and enclosures
Verify inside address with envelope address
Determine most accurate way of mailing item if needed
Presort mail
Outgoing mail divided into two classes
Domestic
International

18. Handling Traditional Outgoing Mail—
Dangerous Goods
Prohibited from being mailed
both domestically and to
points outside of United
States
Articles or substances listed
could be dangerous to postal
workers and postal
equipment, or could damage
other mail
Explosives
Flammable items
Radioactive materials
Gases, oxidizers,
organic peroxides
Corrosives
Toxic and infectious
substances
Asbestos, air bags, dry
ice

19. Using Office
Equipment
POSTAGE METERS
POSTAL SCALES
POSTAGE PRICE
CALCULATION
FACSIMILE (FAX)
MACHINE
SCANNERS
PHOTOCOPIERS

20. Office Equipment—Postage Meters
Postage added automatically to envelope or
package
Advantages
Mail need not be canceled or postmarked by post office
Sent directly for sorting
Allows receiver to track actual time, date, and place where
processing occurred
May be dispatched slightly sooner than mail that must be
canceled at post office
Convenience of not using stamps
Apply exact postage needed

21. Office Equipment—Postage Scales
Show weight and amount of postage required

22. Office Equipment—
Postage Price Calculation
Use postage calculation link on USPS Web site
From Web site, print postage

23. Office Equipment—Fax
Copies and transmits documents over
telephone lines to corresponding remote fax
machine
To send or receive a fax from your computer,
use fax software

24. Office Equipment—Fax (continued)
General procedures for sending
Complete adhesive note or use transmittal form to
show contact information of sender and recipient
Place document in fax unit (face up or down?)
Dial fax number; if sending long-distance, enter LD
access code
Press Send button

25. Office Equipment—Fax (continued)
Tips to establish guidelines—determine
If message is appropriate for faxing
If document is delivered by fax, type an appropriate
notation on line below signature, such as “By fax”
Appropriate cover sheet
Guidelines for maintaining confidentiality
How misdirected messages will be reported

26. Office Equipment—Scanners
Used to input text and photographs
Common types are
Flatbed
Sheetfed
Photo
Portable

27. Office Equipment—Photocopiers
Copier-based
Printer-based
All-in-one
Size/purpose according to workgroup needs
Personal
Small to mid-size
Department
Production

28. Office Equipment—
Photocopiers (continued)
Tips
Copy when you have several items
Determine best times to use copier
Keep track of monitoring device, such as a card or
access code
Plan ahead for copying needs
Comply with Copyright Act
Turn on “Power Down” mode when you have
finished

29. International
Holidays and
Mail Services

30. International Holidays and Mail Services
Holidays celebrated each year change from
year to year
Countries with diverse populations may
practice over ten major religions
Before mailing or faxing important documents:
Check out country’s schedule of holidays
Use Internet and access search tools for current
list of holidays