Own a Business? Revolutionize Your Mail Handling Today
Running a small business is challenging, with tasks ranging from complex operations to handling state regulations. Among these, managing a deluge of business mail is a task often overlooked, yet crucial. Whether it’s packages or traditional mail, a streamlined process is essential, especially in a world where remote work has become the norm.
The Challenge of Business Mail in a Remote Work Environment
PO boxes are offered at many local post offices and can be used for both personal and business use. They are secure, accessible, and easy to open online. But, it is worth noting that you still have to visit the post office once or twice a week to collect everything that came in; for some, this is enough to put them off.
Remote work has reshaped business operations, making physical mail collection a logistical hurdle. The question arises: who handles the mail when everyone works remotely? This is where the convenience of a virtual mailbox service comes into play.
The Traditional Route: USPS PO Boxes and Business Mail Pickup
Before diving into the virtual mailbox solution, let’s explore the USPS options: PO Boxes and Business Mail Pickup. Each has its merits, like security and accessibility, but they also come with drawbacks like the need for physical collection and the inconvenience of distance if your office relocates.
The Virtual Mailbox Solution
Here’s where a virtual mailbox service shines. It addresses the challenges posed by traditional methods, offering a suite of benefits:
- Convenience: Mail is managed online, eliminating the need for physical collection.
- Security: Enhanced security measures protect your sensitive mail.
- Professionalism: A physical address for your business boosts credibility.
- Privacy: Keep your home address private and secure.
- Permanence: A stable address, regardless of your business location changes.
- Efficiency: Streamlined mail management accessible by all employees digitally.
Weighing the Pros and Cons
While the advantages are compelling, it’s important to consider the costs, particularly for startups. However, the long-term benefits and ROI of a virtual mailbox service are substantial.
Pros of PO Boxes
- It’s a secure way of receiving mail while you’re not in the office.
- You don’t have to worry about packages sitting on your doorstep.
- It is easy to keep confidential documents safe and private.
- You can travel to your PO box whenever is convenient for you.
- Some are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Cons of PO Boxes
- You have no choice but to go to the physical box once, twice, or three times a week.
- It isn’t as secure as a virtual mailbox since it is right next to everybody else’s box.
- If your office moves far away, you will have to change your PO box as it won’t move with you.
USPS Business Mail Pickup
This option is for those of you who receive a lot of mail (or numerous parcels and packages that are too big for the largest PO box).
The post office will receive all of your business address mail forwardings once your office has moved or you have started working from home full time. Then, you arrange a time to collect all your letters, parcels, and packages, turn up, gather them up, and you’re all set!
How To Get Started?
If you’re interested (although we’d advise you to check out the pros and cons below before you settle), here is how to set up business mail pick up. It won’t take long, you will just need to supply two forms of ID and fill in a form.
- Find the PS Form 1093-C online.
- Print it out.
- Fill out the “Application for Post Office Caller Service” section.
- Take your completed form and two types of government-approved US identification. For your primary form, you can use one of the following (ensuring they are either federal, state, or tribal issued):
- State driver’s license
- Non-driver’s ID card
- Uniformed Service ID card
- US Armed Forces card
- Corporate identification
- US passport
- US passport card
- US university identification
- US permanent resident card
- Any ID card issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
- US certificate of naturalization or citizenship
- Tribal identification card
For your secondary ID document, you can bring one of the following:
- Lease agreement
- Mortgage agreement
- Deed of trust
- Voter registration card
- Home insurance policy
- Vehicle registration card
- Utility bill
- Form I-94
- Vehicle insurance policy
- Decide which service option you want. This could be 1 year or 6 months.
- Pay the fee. Make sure you do this at the post office where you’ll be using this service is located. You can pay with a credit or debit card, cash, check, or money order.
- Pick up your business mail whenever you need to.
Pros of Business Mail Pick Up
- You can receive large items without worrying about whether they will fit in your PO box.
- If there aren’t any PO boxes available, this is your chance to get an even better service.
- You can pick up your mail whenever is convenient.
- Your business can easily scale up without fear that it won’t be able to cope with the influx of mail.
Cons of Business Mail Pick Up
- You might not want to pay for a mail service that lasts a year or 6 months, especially if you are a start-up as it restricts you to one location.
- You still have to travel to a specific location to receive your mail.
- Could be quite time consuming depending on travel time.
Okay, now that you are familiar with the mail forwarding business address services that the USPS offers, it is time to show you where you should really put your money!
Why Does Your Small Business Need Mail Forwarding?
There are plenty of reasons why your small business needs mail forwarding! We are about to go through each one in turn but, if you haven’t got much time, just scoot down to the end of this section where you will find a quick-glance list. So, if you are still with us, let’s jump straight into all the benefits you’ll reap once you set up a virtual mail forwarding service.
Convenience
When a package is shipped to you, and requires you to be around to pick it up, it can be problematic if you happen to be out of the office, visiting a job site or simply too busy to receive your parcel. What business owners end up doing, is signing up for a PO box to receive all packages and mail. That gives birth to a new problem; you need to allocate a certain day of the week to drive to your local post office location, stand in line, and get your mail. But what if you had someone sign for your package only with your authorization, and at the fraction of the cost of having your secretary do so? What if you could request that package is shipped on demand to your location, for up to 80% off typical shipping rates? The time saving and shipping costs advantage to this is pretty obvious.
Mail Security
When you get mail at your location, it can usually be accessed by pretty much anyone who wants to get their hand on it. From ID theft, to mail theft and everything in between, having mail sit at a location without supervision or while you’re away, is probably not the best idea. When you have your mail outsourced, all packages are stored in a warehouse with 24/7 surveillance systems, and on-site security personnel. There is no safer place to store your snail mail, than at a mail forwarding facility.
Look Sharp
As a company, there is nothing worse than looking unprofessional, right? Well, if you are an online business, or have simply decided to register it under a PO Box or your home address, that comes with a number of issues.
Not only are there added security concerns that you need to consider (angry customers knowing your place of residence etc,) but your business does not look professional at all. A business registered with a post office box, surely does not look as good as a business registered under a real physical address.
Home Privacy
We already touched on this a bit, but when you decide you want to use your home address for business mail, you are exposing that address to literally every ill-intentioned person online. Angry customers, employees or investors, can know of yours and your family’s whereabouts with a simple Google search. Registering your business with a real physical address that is not your home address, keeps your privacy and family protected.
Permanent Address
What happens if you decide to move the location of your business? You need to keep updating all your contact info, informing customers of a move, and completing change of address forms with the USPS. When you register for a virtual address, this address is yours for life, regardless of where you are physically located. Think of it; do you change your phone number whenever you move? Why would you therefore need to change your mailing address when you do so?
Streamlined Mail Management
When you sign up for a virtual business address, all employees are able to digitally manage incoming mail. There is no requirement of someone being on site, and virtually, from the comfort of their own office or home, they can make a few clicks and handle mail online.
The Bottom Line
To summarize; using a virtual mailing solution for your small business can be a big time and money saver. The convenience, security and savings it provides you with makes all the sense in the world to test out — yes, even if you are a start-up company.
If you need to reach out with any questions about business mail forwarding or get a proposal, contact us here.
