In large office this work is done through a despatch section or mailing section. Centralised despatch is advisable because it encourages greater responsibility on various operations like folding, inserting, sealing stamping, recording and sending out.
The outward correspondence or mail involve three stages before despatch like production, signature and control and referencing. Production involves drafting of letters. After production, the letters are signed by the officer and copies are kept in file for future reference. Despatching involves the following steps :
- Collection of outward mail
- Recording in despatch register
- Folding of letters
- Preparing the envelopes
- Sealing and stamping
- Posting the mail.
Collection of Mail:
Collection of mail is regarded as the first step in the outgoing mail routine. The mailing department collect letters ready for despatch from different departments through a messenger. Collection of letters are done twice or thrice a day.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Recording in Despatch Register:
To keep a proper record of outgoing mail and accounts of postal expenditure, a despatch register is maintained. This register contains the date, serial no., address of the receiver, contents of letters, the name of the department who has sent and the value of postage stamp. To have a record of the letters delivered locally, a peon book is also maintained. The despatch register is otherwise called as postage book since it reveals the accounts of postal expenditure.
Folding Letters:
Letters should be folded carefully and care should be taken to ensure that letters are not folded haphazardly. An important letter may lose its importance if these are not folded properly. Folding can be done manually or with the help of folding machine.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Preparing the Envelopes:
Before folding and inserting of letters, the envelopes are to be prepared properly. It should be seen that the inside address of the letter should tally with the addresses of the envelopes. To save time and labour on writing addresses on the envelopes, window envelopes are used. Sometimes an address stamp is used to record “From Address”.
Sealing and Stamping:
After inserting letters and enclosures in the envelope, the flap portion is sealed with gum. Sealing work can be done manually or by a sealing machine. After sealing work postage stamps are affixed on the envelopes. In big organisation where correspondences are large, a franking machine is used to affix postage stamps. Before stamping, the letters are weighed in the weighing scale.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Posting the Mail:
The last step in the mailing routine is posting of the mail. The registered letters and VPP are handed over to the postal clerk at the counter and the other types of letters are put into post boxes. The urgent letters are put in G.P.O’s special arrangement scheme or R.M.S. (Railways Mall Service)