FAQs
A franking machine is a useful piece of equipment for any business that sends out mail. They work by leaving an official mark on a letter or parcel to show that postage has been paid. The ‘frank’ left by the machine functions in the same way as a postage stamp but at a discounted price. Making them a cost-effective and efficient way of handling outbound business post.
– Convenience
– Savings
– Online postage re-fills
– Online accounting and reporting
– Faster delivery
– Enhances your image
– Free advertising
– Add company logo
– 1st Class: 78p
– 2nd Class: 51p
– YES – franking is up to 33% cheaper than the cost of stamps. Calculate your savings using our online postage calculator.
– Franked mail is handled less and goes through the Post Office system faster than stamped items, so is delivered faster to recipients
– We have undergone a very detailed application process, to prove ourselves as trusted sellers, maintainers, repairers and inspectors of franking machines. We have been an approved supplier for over 20 years!
– YES – will arrange delivery of your franking machine at a convenient time to you and the equipment will be installed by our trained installation team. This process will ensure that all equipment is operational on the day of delivery. Our trained installation team will ensure the customer is happy and using the franking system to its full potential and using correct postal savings.
This is a very broad question as it varies depending upon the machine. For more information please contact us on info@ashcroftmailing.co.uk
– YES – you can send franked mail abroad and even better it will cost you much less than if you were to use a stamp!
– The maximum size for a large letter is: 35.3cm L x 25cm W
– If your letter is particularly thick we recommend, franking on to a label first and then applying the label to your envelope
– For details on sizes and weights of packages visit the Royal Mail website: royalmail size and weight guide UK letters and parcels
– Put a line through the incorrect date in black ink
– Select surcharge with a value of £0.00 (zero test print)
– Check date is correct on the machine (if franking after 5pm date will automatically change to the next day)
– Re-frank the envelope with the correct date either
– On the bottom left-hand corner or shorter edge of the envelope
– If using a label, place on the envelope to the left of the original frank (do not cover original barcode)
– If franking after 5 pm the franking machine will have automatically changed to the next day’s date, so re-frank following the steps above for ‘wrong date;.
– If franking before 5 pm manually advance the date in your machine then re-frank.
– Boldly cross through the 2D Mailmark barcode (careful not to cross through the price you paid) and write your initials (the first letter of your first and last names).
-Select surcharge and enter the remaining amount of postage to be paid.
-Then frank the envelop again to the bottom left-hand corner, on the shorted edge of the envelope or on a label with the extra amount, placing it on the envelope to the left of the original Mailmark franking mark.
– Don’t post the items
– Remove the contents and start again with a new envelope.
– Send any used franked envelopes (the whole envelope) to:
Royal Mail Franking
Stone Hill Road
Farnworth
BOLTON
BL4 9XX
– All franked mail must either be collected by Royal Mail, put into a franked mail post box, taken to your nearest post office or alternatively you can place your mail in a posting meter envelope, this allows up to 25 letters to be placed in the envelop and put in a normal post box.
– If it’s not possible to do any of the above, you must ensure all of your franked mail is grouped together using an elastic band so it can be sorted easily.
– You can buy a replacement franking machine ink through our consumable shop – https://www.ashcroftmailingsolutions.co.uk/buy-consumables/
– Find out all about Mailmark here
– Find out all about SendPro Software here
– The best franking machine for a small office is our AS145 but whilst this works well for most small offices, some may require something slightly less or more, so get in touch and we will carry out an assessment to find the perfect machine for your business