Never lose a package again!
The problem has existed for as long as packages have been delivered. An employee receives notification from a carrier that their package has been delivered to the office. They call the mailroom to ask where it is, and the chaos begins.
You dig through all the packages in the mailroom. You call the mail clerk making rounds. You check the tracking number to see who signed for the package.
At this point, you begin to panic because you aren’t sure if you actually received the package, if you misplaced it, or if the package was delivered to the wrong internal person. Regardless, the responsibility falls on you, and without package tracking software, you are left without answers and no way to efficiently manage inbound packages.
Why is package tracking important?
While most packages are received and routed without error, it only takes one issue to create significant disruption within your organization. And today’s modern mailroom should not be a disruption. Instead, the mailroom should create value for the organization by enhancing and optimizing inbound communications.
Business has changed, and work environments are more dynamic than ever. Hybrid work models are commonplace, meaning employees are often in and out of the office. Employees expect real-time access to information from anywhere they are. This empowers them to make decisions that have important implications on time, money, and customer satisfaction.
Mailroom managers can take a step toward satisfying these needs by investing in inbound package tracking software.
Automated package tracking with software
How does package tracking software improve the package receiving process and add value to the business? The answer is by providing the recipient with information about their items in real time.
You might be thinking, that sounds a bit excessive for something as simple as receiving a package. But consider the recipient perspective. Many employees are now frequently working remotely or traveling for business. When a package is received on their behalf, they need to not only know where it is but what it is.
This is where the mailroom plays a vital role. With the use of internal package tracking software, you can provide employees with more detailed information about their packages as soon as they arrive. This way, employees can easily assess how critical the package is and retrieve it at an appropriate time.
Nothing is more frustrating than trying to figure out what has been delivered in a long email chain with the mailroom operator. It’s a waste of everyone’s time. Or, how about driving all the way to the office just to find out the package is of little importance? Mailroom package tracking software can eliminate this point of frustration and improve the overall employee experience, a key in today’s work environment.
Four key benefits of package tracking software
1. Automated notifications and reminders
Manually notifying recipients that they’ve received a package is one of the most time-consuming and cumbersome parts of a traditional mailroom process. Package tracking software completely eliminates this task by automating notifications. Plus, automatic, time-based reminders encourage recipients to pick up their items which reduces pileups and overflows in the mailroom.
2. Image for the recipient
As mentioned before, recipients not only want to know that they received a package, but also what it looks like and what’s on the label. That’s why providing the recipient with an actual image of the package is so valuable. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words.
3. Mailroom organization and efficiency
A good internal package tracking application allows you to record where the package is being stored in the mailroom so you can keep things organized. We call it the Location ID.
By assigning a package a Location ID, you know exactly where to go to retrieve it when an employee comes to pick it up. It helps you maximize efficiency and gives you peace of mind to know where every package is at all times.
4. Easy proof of pickup
One of the nicest features of mailroom package tracking software is the ability to easily capture proof of pickup. Whether this is a digital signature, a picture, or simply a record that the item was picked up, you can feel confident knowing that you have evidence for where that package is.
What to look for in package tracking software
At this point you may be asking yourself, how much effort is required to implement and use package tracking software? Well, the answer varies widely depending on the application you choose. Here are some things to consider.
Capture method
The best-in-class inbound package tracking software allows you to easily snap a picture of the item and assign it to a recipient in just a few clicks from any handheld device. Older, outdated solutions require multiple barcode scans with an external scanner, and the recipient notification process is cumbersome and complicated.
Additionally, an image gives recipients much more information than a barcode since it has the ability to capture shape, size, and label information.
Notifications and reminders
The best solutions take care of notifying recipients and reminding them when they have items that need to be addressed without you needing to lift a finger. If you can customize the timing and frequency of these notifications to fit your needs, that’s even better.
Tracking and proof of pickup
Fortunately, all mailroom package tracking systems will maintain a chain of custody record from the time the mailroom receives the package to the final delivery to the recipient. This single feature eliminates the core challenge for many organizations receiving packages—tracking them from receipt to recipient.
However, not all applications have the same functionality when it comes to proof of pickup. Do you require recipients to sign for packages upon pickup? Or is it enough to simply have a record of when the package left the mailroom? Additionally, does the application make it easy for recipients to request that the item be shipped to them instead?
Web-based
Web-based applications are not only the most popular type of solution these days, they also make it super easy to get started. In fact, getting set up is usually as easy as creating an account online.
Web-based package tracking software also gives you access to your account and all of its information from anywhere, at any time. This is incredibly valuable for recipients, allowing them to see what packages are waiting for them at any time. But it’s also an important feature for mailroom staff because it gives them a detailed look into the mailroom’s inventory from their own device.
Free trial
It’s always nice to be able to give something a try before you buy. This is especially the case when you’re talking about a solution that impacts an important business process and affects everyone in the organization, albeit for the better. Taking advantage of a free trial is a worry-free, economical way to solidify your choice.
Package Tracking with Received Digital
If you’re interested in seeing how our own complete solution for inbound mail and packages makes package tracking a breeze, you can check out how it works here! Then, give it a try at no cost and no credit card required.
If you’re interested in exploring the market for more solutions designed to help you manage inbound mail and packages, we’ve written an entire article about the topic titled A Complete Guide to Mailroom Management Software. We encourage you to check it out!
