unaddressed mail lodgement business letter services

Unaddressed Mail LodgementBusiness Letter Services

IntroductionUnaddressed Mail is an Australia Post service for the delivery of mail which does not include a delivery address, and is used to deliver leaflets, catalogues, merchandising samples etc to all letterboxes in a geographical area.

In this presentationThis module introduces you to Australia Post’s requirements for Unaddressed Mail sorting and lodgement.

Learning outcomesBy completing this module, you will be able to:• identify the bundling requirements for Unaddressed Mail articles• identify and prepare the correct tray labels for Unaddressed Mail articles• identify the necessary steps to prepare an Unaddressed Mail lodgement• identify and complete the correct lodgement documentation for Unaddressed Mail

Unaddressed Mail at a glance Unaddressed Mail is an Australia Post service for the delivery of mail which does not include a name or specific delivery address. This mail can be enveloped, wrapped or unwrapped.

Businesses can design and produce Unaddressed Mail articles for delivery to geographic areas, targeting business addresses, residential addresses or both. They can use the service to contact prospective customers without needing to have a name and address on the article.

With Unaddressed Mail, you can:

• target either businesses or private addresses with advertising material

• maximize the space available for creative artwork

• start building a customer database as a first step in creating direct mail

• acquire new customers or build store traffic

• communicate to prospective customers without having to acquire their name and address

• target a specific geographical area at a low cost.

Unaddressed Mail at a glance

More information

More detailed information is available in the Unaddressed Mail Fact Sheet and Unaddressed Mail service guide.

Prices for Unaddressed Mail are available in the Post Charges booklet and at auspost.com.au

These guides are also available at any Australia Post outlet.

Unaddressed Mail lodgement

Sorting and Lodgement Overview

To qualify for Unaddressed Mail prices, customers need to meet Australia Post’s sorting and lodgement requirements. Each requirement is covered on the following pages.

Unaddressed Mail lodgement Sorting Unaddressed Mail articles

IntroductionThere are specific mail preparation arrangements for Unaddressed Mail. As the items do not have a name and address, it is crucial that the items are lodged and transported in a way in which Australia Post can manage them effectively. To ensure optimum delivery of Unaddressed mail articles you need to prepare and lodge articles correctly

For Unaddressed Mail lodgements, customers need to:• sort articles to delivery centres• bundle articles• prepare letter trays• prepare tray/bundle labels• sort bundles into small or large trays depending on the size of the article• ensure that every tray, and one bundle in each tray is labeled

These requirements are explained in more detail on the following pages.


Unaddressed Mail only needs to be sorted to the delivery centre level. Delivery centre sorting instructions are provided by Australia Post on the Booking Confirmation Advice, and are subject to change periodically

A delivery centre delivers mail to a specific range of postcodes

Example sorting breakdown

In the sample Booking Confirmation Advice shown below the articles would need to be sorted for the two nominated distribution centres:• 25,800 (258 bundles of 100 brochures) would be put in letter trays and labelled to the Nunawading DC (delivery centre)• 2,900 (29 bundles of 100 brochures) would be put in letter trays and labelled to the Templestowe DC.


Unaddressed Mail preparation

Bundling

Bundle the articles in lots of 100, secured with two vertical bands. Australia Post prefers rubber bands.

Bundling assists with the distribution and delivery of articles and ensures the safekeeping of the articles during transportation.

Ask your printer to provide you with the articles pre-bundled in lots of 100. If bundles of 100 are impractical then bundles of 50 or 25 are acceptable.


Unaddressed Mail preparation

Letter trays

Obtain letter trays at no cost from your nominated lodgement point.

Ensure that you have sufficient time to prepare the mailing prior to the lodgement time, as outlined on your booking confirmation advice. Place the bundles into letter trays as follows:

Size category Tray use

Small In Small Letter Trays

Large In Large Letter Trays To facilitate ease of handling we recommend that large letter traysshould not be filled above the handle holes.

The maximum acceptable weight for a tray is 16kg (including the weight of the tray).


How to prepare tray labels

Tray labels must be correctly completed and affixed to each tray, as well as affixed to one bundle within each tray.

Preprinted tray labels

Obtain preprinted tray labels (8838626) at no cost from your nominated lodgement point.

1.Write the delivery office name in the Delivery Office space.

2.Write the postcode for the delivery office in the Postcode space.

3.Write the number of articles in the letter tray to which the label is attached.

4.Write the Organisation that is being promoted (not the mailing agent or printer if one is being used).

5.Write the name of your article or publication.

6.Write the Booking Code that you were supplied on your booking confirmation.

7.Write the date (usually a Monday) that the delivery is going to start.


How to prepare tray labels

Tray labels must be correctly completed and affixed to each tray, as well as affixed to one bundle within each tray.

Labelling software

For large volume mailers, Australia Post recommends the use of Print On Demand Labelling Systems for preparing lodgements. Print on Demand Systems are available either free of charge from Australia Post (VISA Labelling) or may be purchased from third party suppliers.

These labels must conform to specifications, which are subject to periodic review. Specifications may be obtained by contacting the Technical Support Centre on 03 0391068098 or by downloading documentation from the Australia Post website at www.auspost.com.au/traylabels. Third party software must be approved by Australia Post prior to use.

Blank label stock is also provided free of charge by Australia Post. This label stock is heat sensitive, and is suitable for use only in direct thermal label printers.


How to affix tray labels to letter trays and bundles

Letter trays

Label pockets are affixed to all letter trays.

Remove any old tray labels on trays prior to lodgement.

Place a completed tray label in the label pocket with the printed side visible.

Bundles

1. Ensure bundles are secured with two vertical rubber bands.

2. Place a completed label underneath the rubber bands of one bundle within each tray.


Use of Unit Load Devices (ULDs)

Steel cage containers known as Unit Loading Devices (ULDs) can be obtained from Australia Post, subject to availability and in instances where large mail volumes are to be lodged. Contact your mail facility for further information.

ULDs remain the property of Australia Post and all other rules and regulations pertaining to the use of the ULD are applicable. Australia Post reserves the right to charge for any ULD that you damage or do not return.

The maximum weight for a loaded ULD is 600kg (including the weight of the ULD which weigh around 100kg). This means that 500kg is available for the contents. Be aware that ULDs will often exceed the maximum weight limit before they are completely full.

In order to maximise transportation efficiency and ULD utilisation, mailers should ensure that each ULD is used as efficiently as possible.

If you are lodging more than one ULD per state, refer to the Advanced module: Large Volume Lodgements.

Unaddressed Mail lodgementSorting Unaddressed Mail articles

Use of pallets

Where pallets are used to transport articles to the lodgement point, the dimensions of these pallets should conform with the Australian standards (1,165mm x 1,165mm) and total load must weigh less than 600kg.

Pallets can only be used to transport articles to mail centres.

Australia Post does not accept responsibility for the pallets and will not accept any transfer of hiring charges.


Summary

Sorting Unaddressed Mail articles involves:

• sorting to delivery centre

• bundling the articles into lots of 100

• preparing and attaching the correct labels to each tray

• sorting bundles into small or large trays depending on the size of the article

• ensuring that every tray, and one bundle in each tray is labeled

For more information about sorting Unaddressed Mail articles, refer to the Unaddressed Mail service guide and the Australia Post website (auspost.com.au).

Unaddressed Mail lodgement Lodging Unaddressed Mail articlesIntroductionOnce an Unaddressed Mail lodgement is prepared, ready for bulk mailing, customers need to:• ensure lodgement on the nominated date• complete documentation• lodge the Unaddressed Mail articles with both

- the Unaddressed Mail Lodgement document, and - a copy of the Booking Confirmation advice

These requirements are explained in more detail on the following pages.

Unaddressed Mail lodgement Lodging Unaddressed Mail articles

Lodge on the nominated date

It is crucial that the articles are lodged on the nominated date, and at the nominated lodgement office, as shown on your booking confirmation advice.

Note that this date has been selected to ensure that your lodgement can be processed and transported to the delivery office in time to meet the delivery standard.

Lodgement is required five business days prior to the Monday of the nominated delivery week for Same State deliveries and seven business days prior for Other State deliveries.

Failure by you to lodge at the nominated office, and on the nominated day, as outlined on the Unaddressed Mail Booking Confirmation will mean that Australia Post is unable to deliver the articles within the agreed time.If you are unable to lodge on time or as planned, for any reason, it is imperative that you contact your Unaddressed Mail service team to discuss the situation as soon as possible.In the event that late lodgement can not be avoided additional costs may be incurred and delivery dates may need to be moved.

Unaddressed Mail lodgement Lodging Unaddressed Mail articles

Complete documentation

An Unaddressed Mail Lodgement Document (8835126) and a copy of the Booking Confirmation advice is required with each mailing.

If the customer has an Agreement with Australia Post, tick ‘Yes’ hereThe name of the Unaddressed Mail piece goes hereThe customer details go here - business name and address contact, phone/fax and email

If a Mail Contractor is used, they will fill their details here The details of the lodgement go here, including the size, destination and the price

The nominated date, and thenominated lodgement office, as shown on your booking confirmation advice.

If the customer has an Australia Post Credit Account, its number goes hereThe Booking Advice Code (from the Booking Confirmation Advice)After reading it, sign the Declaration here. The mailing agent will do so if they are lodging on the customer’s behalf.

Unaddressed Mail lodgementLodging Unaddressed Mail articles

Confirming your lodgement point

It is important that you confirm your lodgement point with the Unaddressed Mail service team. The “Lodgement Office(s)” is printed on the front page of the Booking Confirmation advice.

If the delivery office needs to be changed, contact the Unaddressed Mail service team as soon as possible.


Lodging Unaddressed Mail articles

SummaryLodging Unaddressed Mail articles involves:• Ensuring lodgement on the nominated date• Completing required documentation• Lodging the articles at an approved lodgement facility with both:

a correctly completed Unaddressed Mail Lodgement document, anda copy of the Booking Confirmation Advice

Limited capacity at some lodgement facilities means customers are requested to provide advance notice to the Officer-In-Charge of the facility for lodgements over 50,000 articles, no later than the Friday of the week prior to lodgement.

If customers lodge Unaddressed Mail regularly at the same facility, they can enter into standing arrangements and avoid the need for notification.

Unaddressed Mail articles cannot be lodged in Street Posting Boxes.

For more information about lodging Unaddressed Mail articles, refer to the Unaddressed Mail service guide and the Australia Post website (auspost.com.au).


Delivering Unaddressed Mail articlesUnaddressed Mail processing

Following receipt of the Unaddressed Mail at the nominated lodgement point it will be checked against the booking records. The lodgement will then be distributed to the relevant delivery centre and assigned to postal delivery officers for delivery within the nominated week.

Australia Post delivery policy

Australia Post services are regulated by the Australia Post Terms and Conditions, which are made pursuant to Section 32 (1) (b) of the Australian Postal Corporation Act 1989.

The terms and conditions expressly limit Australia Post’s liability for any claimed loss or damage associated with mis-delivery, delayed delivery, early delivery or failure to deliver, or any other loss or damage of any kind associated with its services.

Whilst every possible effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information, Australia Post cannot guarantee the complete accuracy of the data provided. Ongoing demographic changes, private and commercial building growth, and associated postal round changes make it difficult to guarantee absolute accuracy at any point in time.


Delivering Unaddressed Mail articles

Shortages and surpluses

Australia Post is not able to guarantee the exact number of delivery points by suburb/town at any given time. It is therefore necessary to have processes in place to manage any surplus or shortage of articles received for delivery.

The policy is:

• Where the number of articles lodged for points in an area equals the number of actual delivery points, one article shall be delivered to each point.

• Where the number of articles lodged is less than the number of actual points, Australia Post shall select the points to be serviced and deliver one article to each point selected.

• Where the number of articles lodged exceeds the number of actual points, the excess shall be disposed of in any manner as Australia Post in its absolute discretion decides.

Unaddressed Mail basics Cost

Prices for Unaddressed Mail are available in the Unaddressed Mail service guide and at auspost.com.au

You can choose Regular or Select services.

Articles attract Same State prices when the article is lodged within the same state as the delivery (for example the articles are lodged in Queensland and delivered in Queensland).

For charging purposes, the ACT is considered to be part of NSW, and South Australia does not include Northern Territory.

Contracts may be available if you post more than 250,000 Same State articles per annum. Please contact your account manager or call 1300 223 571 for more details.

The mailing must be paid for at the time of lodgement.

Australia Post provides a variety of payment options. For details, please discuss with your lodgement point or Account Manager, or call 1300 223 571, or the contacts detailed on the inside front cover of this booklet.

If using an Australia Post Business Credit Account you will need to lodge your articles at the office at which you hold the account. Otherwise you will need to arrange with your account manager or Australia Post credit management for your account to be made available at the selected lodgement office.

Regular service applies if you decide to target all private and/or all business delivery points in your chosen localities.Australia Post will deliver to all available street, PO Boxes, counter mail and roadside delivery points.

Select service applies if you decide to target less than all private and / or less than all business delivery points in your chosen localities.You may request partial delivery to any of the delivery channels of street, PO Boxes, counter mail and roadside delivery points.The select service has a higher price per article, which reflects the higher administrative and delivery costs incurred by Australia Post.

SummaryYou have now completed this module. The key points covered were:

• Sort articles to delivery centres as described on the Booking Confirmation Advice.

• Bundle Unaddressed Mail articles in a mail tray, in lots of 100. Bundling assists with the distribution and delivery of mail and ensures the safekeeping of the articles during transportation.

• It is important that the correct size mail tray is used. Small letter size articles should be placed in small letter trays and large letter size articles placed in large letter trays.

• It is necessary to attach one completed label to the front of each tray and also attach a completed label to one bundle within each tray.

• Australia Post can provide Unit Load Devices (ULDs) to facilitate the transportation and lodgement of large volumes of mail trays.

• It is crucial that Unaddressed Mail is lodged on the nominated date, at the nominated lodgement office, as shown on your Booking Confirmation Advice.

• A copy of the Booking Confirmation Advice should be presented with the completed lodgement form when you are lodging Unaddressed Mail.

• The mailing must be paid for at the time of lodgement.

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

a. Because the items must be delivered on the agreed day

b. Because the items do not have a name and address

c. Because Australia Post cares about its reputation

Assessment

1

Correct answer = B

Because the items do not have a name and address, it is crucial that the items are lodged and transported in a way in which Australia Post can manage them effectively

Why is it crucial that Unaddressed Mail items are lodged and transported in a way in which Australia Post can manage them effectively.

a. 75

b. 50

c. 25

d. A and B

e. B and C

Assessment

2

Correct answer = E‘If bundles of 100 are impractical, then bundles of 50 or 25 are acceptable.

When asked, a printer explained to his customer that, due to their size, it was impractical to provide the Unaddressed Mail articles pre-bundled in lots of 100. What other sizes are acceptable to Australia Post?

a. 10kg

b. 12kg

c. 16kg

d. 20kg

Assessment

3

Correct answer = CThe maximum weight per tray is 16kg.

What is the maximum weight a letter tray can be packed to?

a. In the Unaddressed Mail service guide

b. At the Australia Post web site

c. In their Booking Confirmation Advice which lists the nominated distribution centres.

Assessment

4

Correct Answer = C

The Booking Confirmation Advice lists the nominated distribution centres.

Unaddressed Mail only needs to be sorted to the Delivery Centre level. Where would a customer locate the sorting details for their Unaddressed Mail lodgement?

a. To ensure the trays don’t get lost or mislaid

b. To ensure that the Unaddressed Mail is processed efficiently within the Australia Post network.

c. To ensure customers check they have bundled all items correctly

Assessment

5

Correct answer = B

These labels ensure that the Unaddressed Mail is processed efficiently within the Australia Post network.

The Unaddressed Mail labels show the delivery centre, booking number, number of items and the delivery start date. Why is it necessary to attach one completed label to the front of each tray and also attach a completed label to one bundle within each tray?

a. Machine printed tray labels also contain a barcode which facilitates faster processing by Australia Post

b. Australia Post provides the software at no costc. A specific printer is needed.

Assessment

6

Correct answer = AMachine printed tray labels also contain a barcode which facilitates faster processing by Australia Post.

Describe an added feature of machine printed tray labels which does not occur on pre-printed labels.

a. Bigger letter trays

b. Mail Bags

c. Unit Load Devices (ULDs)

d. Cartons

Assessment

7

Correct answer = CAustralia Post can provide Unit Load Devices (ULDs) to facilitate the transportation and lodgement of large volumes of mail trays.

If you have a large lodgement of Unaddressed Mail articles what can you obtain from Australia Post to make it easier to lodge?

a. Ten (10) business days prior to the Monday of the nominated delivery week for deliveries

b. Five (5) business days prior to the Monday of the nominated delivery week for deliveries

c. Three (3) business days prior to the Monday of the nominated delivery week for deliveries

d. Seven (7) business days prior to the Monday of the nominated delivery week for deliveries

Assessment

8

Correct answer = DLodgement for interstate (other state) Unaddressed Mail must be made seven (7) business days prior to the Monday of the nominated delivery week for deliveries.

Stephen is based in Victoria but is expanding his business into NSW. He has a large unaddressed mailing for NSW. When should he lodge the mailing by?

a. The delivery will be spread out over all 5 days of the nominated delivery week.

b. The delivery will be packed into the Friday - the last available day of the nominated delivery week.

c. The actual day/s of delivery are at the discretion of Australia Post between Monday and Friday of the nominated delivery week.

Assessment

9

Correct answer = C

Australia Post will deliver Unaddressed Mail between Monday and Friday of the nominated delivery week. Within this period, the actual day/s of delivery are at the discretion of Australia Post.

On which days in the nominated week does Australia Post deliver Unaddressed Mail?

a. The Unaddressed Mail Lodgement Document

b. The Unaddressed Mail Booking Confirmation Advice

c. Both of the above

Assessment

10

Correct answer = CA copy of the Booking Confirmation Advice should be presented with the completed lodgement form when you are lodging Unaddressed Mail.

What documentation needs to be presented with an Unaddressed Mail lodgement?

unaddressed mail lodgement business letter services

Documents