The new year is underway, and just as many people are tackling new challenges and resolutions to better their personal lives, the new year presents an opportunity to rethink how we perform at work too. For mailroom personnel, this means rethinking how inbound mail and packages are managed and tracked.
Whether in universities, government agencies, or corporate environments, the need for efficient, transparent, and accountable mail operations is universal. The mailroom bears responsibility for ensuring all inbound mail and packages are efficiently routed to the right recipients.
Unfortunately, when it comes to tracking inbound items, organizations usually prioritize packages, and letter mail takes a backseat. The result? Packages might be accounted for, but envelopes and anything else that comes in without a barcode is at risk of being misrouted.
Why does letter mail get left in the dust?
So, why does letter mail always seem to get left in the dust while packages are tracked end to end? We’ve found there are a few reasons for this:
The assumption that packages are more important than mail
Most of us operate under the assumption that packages are more valuable than letter mail, and it’s an understandable misconception. Packages tend to contain physical goods with clear, tangible value. Items like electronics, clothing, and supplies are typically shipped as parcels, and their monetary worth is apparent, making the need for tracking obvious.
In contrast, letter mail is frequently associated with lower-stakes items such as advertisements or personal correspondence—documents that are less likely to demand immediate attention or involve significant financial risk. This perception, however, overlooks the fact that letter mail can include critical items like contracts, legal notices, bills, or checks, which, despite their smaller size and inconspicuous nature, are equally important.
By focusing predominantly on packages, mailrooms underestimate the value and urgency of letter mail, leading to a lack of accountability for these crucial items and significant risk for them to be mishandled.
Traditional tracking solutions aren’t built to track mail
Nearly every software tracking solution on the market was designed to efficiently track packages, but most struggle to do the job well when it comes to letter mail. This is because the technology used for tracking by nearly every solution is barcode scanning. Equipped with a handheld barcode scanner, the mailroom operator scans the label on an inbound package, keys in the recipient name, and the chain of custody begins.
However, without a barcode, the mailroom operator is left to her own devices, which usually involves a significant amount of manual entry and often even requires the mailroom operator to apply her own barcode to the mail piece. This inefficient process is simply too time consuming and cumbersome. In the end, the experience for both the mailroom operator and the recipient is far from ideal.
Why tracking everything matters
Our philosophy and motivation behind building our modern mailroom solution called Received Digital is that every mail piece and package that comes into the mailroom should be tracked. By embracing a “track everything” approach, you can improve operations, build trust with recipients, and set your organization apart.
Accountability and security
Every item passing through your mail center is important—whether it’s critical government correspondence, a student’s care package, or a time-sensitive corporate document. While the exact value of the item or document inside might be unknown, that’s all the more reason to treat everyone with care and ensure it’s accounted for. Tracking items from receipt to recipient creates a reliable chain of custody, ensuring nothing is misplaced and providing peace of mind for all stakeholders.
Operational efficiency
Managing a busy mail center is challenging, especially with growing volumes of packages and letter mail. While it might feel like tracking every item that comes in adds time to your workflow, it will actually save you time in the long run by reducing the effort spent locating misplaced items and responding to queries from recipients. Whether you’re running a university mailroom, a government facility, or a corporate office, effective tracking gives both mailroom staff and recipients full visibility into where the item is at any point in time.
Recipient satisfaction
Clear communication is key to building trust, whether with students, employees, or constituents. With most tracking solutions, notifying recipients is part of the process. By providing timely notifications for every inbound item—parcels and letter mail alike—you create a seamless recipient experience. Notifications provide clarity, reduce follow-up inquiries, and ensure recipients know exactly when their items are ready for pickup.
Addressing the unique challenges of letter mail
While parcel carriers often send notifications directly to recipients when their packages reach your mail center, letter mail lacks this kind of transparency. The USPS has filled this gap for most households and some small businesses with Informed Delivery, but this service is not available for many recipients of mail. This creates a major gap in visibility, particularly for universities, government agencies, and corporations handling high volumes of important documents.
Received Digital closes this gap. Our system provides the first—and often the only—notification recipients receive for their letter mail, ensuring it is not forgotten or delayed. This unique capability sets us apart by addressing a need that no other solution fully manages, giving your organization a clear advantage.
What organizations can benefit from tracking everything?
The need for efficient mail tracking is not limited to one type of organization. Universities must manage diverse recipient needs, from students and faculty to administrative departments. Government agencies handle sensitive documents requiring tight accountability. Corporations demand speed and efficiency to maintain productivity. A comprehensive tracking system ensures every item is managed with the same level of care, no matter the environment.
Boosting mailroom accountability in 2025
Modernizing mail operations is about more than just tracking packages—it’s about delivering visibility, accountability, and efficiency across the board. By adopting Received Digital, you can manage all inbound items in a single solution, provide clear notifications to recipients, and create a superior experience for everyone involved.
Let 2025 be the year your mail center takes the lead, ensuring every item is accounted for and every recipient is informed. Whether you serve students, employees, or constituents, tracking everything sets the foundation for a smarter, more efficient future. You can learn more about how Received Digital works here, or request a demo from one of our experts and have all of your questions answered!
