Franking Machines Leeds

So you've decided that a franking machine is for you - then which one should you go for? The choice available to small businesses is not as wide as for other office equipment such as printers or PCs. Yet there are still a number of factors you need to consider.

There are currently six manufacturers producing franking machines with the Royal Mail approval needed to get a licence. In the UK, the largest is Pitney Bowes, followed by Neopost, Ascom Hasler and Frama. Francotyp-Postitalia and ASI are smaller operators.

Until a couple of years ago, the smallest machines available were suitable for offices of around 20 people handling medium volumes of mail. But with more businesses starting up at home or in a small office, manufacturers have discovered a new market.

Advances in technology have helped the development of smaller machines, both in construction and installation. Nancy Lloyd adds that falling prices have contributed to the trend. "As they are getting ever cheaper in terms of the initial purchase and the running costs, we are seeing a greater penetration of franking machines into the small business market."

Even so, once you've narrowed down your requirements, you probably won't be looking at more than four or five machines.

Other considerations

There is no use in buying a second hand machine. With a maximum life of around 10 years, most used machines will already be on their last legs.

What's more, new rules governing franking machines will come into force in 2004. New models conform to these rules but many people will be trying to offload their soon-to-be redundant machines. There is a list of the models that conform to the new regulations on the Royal Mail website.

The law says that all machines sold must now conform to Royal Mail regulations. You may hear it referred to as 'meter migration'. The new rules require all machines to be digital and capable of being re-credited remotely. Lloyd explains. "The modern digital machines are more secure and accurate for customers and for us. They also save the customer time and effort as you don't have to take the meter down to the post office to re-credit."

The various methods developed by the manufacturers include modem, code entry and smart card. You need to check that the way of re-crediting and the method of payment is suitable for you, as well as and whether there are transaction fees.

The cycle speed is the amount of time it takes to pass an envelope through the machine. Quicker machines are more expensive but if you have an average amount of mail which you frank thoughout the day, a lower cycle speed will be sufficient. Only when you have larger quantities, which need to be dealt with in a rush at the end of the day, do you need to start looking at quicker machines.

If you're getting a machine to improve your company's image, it's worth checking the print quality of the frank to make sure your message is clear. Also, find out how easy it is...