Automate Print & Mail: What is Hybrid Mail

Hybrid Mail: What Is It, And Why Is It Important To Organisations?

The use of hybrid direct mail accelerated in the year 2020. That happened during the pandemic when Covid-19 forced companies and their employees to step out of the office environment.

It became clear that depending solely on workforce-related technology to process outbound direct mail was no longer considered the right option. As a result, customer responsiveness has been adversely affected by it. Even today, hybrid working cultures continue to exist in teams.

Royal Mail delivered around 9.5 billion letters in 2021. Considering most of that mail was processed manually, that is still a lot of mail.

Let’s step a little forward with hybrid mailing and why it is crucial for your organisations!

Ready to start with some basics?

Of course, you are!

What is Hybrid Mail?

Hybrid Mail provides organisations with an effective way of addressing inefficient ad-hoc mail challenges. Many sectors use hybrid mailing to streamline mail processes, including insurance, law, real estate, and property management. However, it can also result in significant savings for any business sending physical mail and wishing to be able to keep track of the process in total.

Thousands of pounds of physical mail are wasted annually by organisations that send items manually. But you can eliminate the costs of filling envelopes, franking machines, and stamps by using hybrid mail.

Yes – physical mail can still be sent by your business while being a digital one.

In other words, Hybrid Mail lets you send physical mail items, including, letters, invoices, advertising, etc. You can send such items directly from your laptops, tablets, desktop, and more, regardless of the location of your remote team.

Why do Physical Hybrid Mail Solutions Serve As An Important Tool for Your Organisation?

At PostGrid, we think that hybrid mail is crucial within an organisation.

Why?

Because it drives loyalty, engagement, and trust to boost the brand authenticity while communicating to the target audience. Royal Mail Marketreach reported that around 70% of customers find that physical hybrid mail makes them feel highly valued by a brand.

According to a survey by Jicmail, the effectiveness of physical or hybrid mail had grown by 41% at the start of 2021. Business mail is viewed 4.83 times daily and has a 9.4-day life cycle. As a result of more stringent online security, people usually skim past emails.

So, here is the answer to your question- what is hybrid mail?

However, hybrid mail solutions are not a new concept. A rise in popularity has been observed since 2020 for this term. There have been double-digit growth rates reported by some hybrid mail providers as businesses are moving away from traditional office printing. What is the reason for now?

Back in 2020, when for many organizations, it was a challenge to have people work from home if possible. Critical outbound communications like payslips and invoices were delayed or cancelled for those relying heavily on office-based teams, processes, and equipment.

As companies began exploring their options for continuing to communicate with customers, suppliers, and employees as usual, overnight, they discovered they had no choice but to change.

Hybrid Mail again proved an ideal business continuity solution at the start of 2021 when ‘lockdown’ restrictions took place across the UK’s nations. With Hybrid mail solutions, employees can print and distribute outbound communications faster and from anywhere. It can be set up quickly, and it can be used from anywhere.

Benefits of Hybrid Mailings

Individuals and companies benefit from hybrid mail because it simplifies the process related to sending letters. Individuals and businesses can use the service for sending and receiving correspondence, hybrid mailing campaigns, and marketing campaigns.

Hybrid mail has the following main advantages:

You will no longer require printer types of equipment to send mail items.
Businesses can go paperless without worrying about the store or stationery.
Mostly, sending hybrid mail items is faster than manual or conventional processes.
These type of mailings supports hybrid working businesses with remote working teams.
You can avoid long waiting times and expensive international postage costs while mailing a letter to the UK.

What Documents do Businesses Send Through Hybrid Mail Solutions?

The answer to this question is- countless documents!

From Patient Statements or appointment letters to legal documents and more. For a better understanding of how the system fits into the overall customer experience and communication ecosystem, here are a few sector-specific examples:

Industry	Documents
Insurance	Insurance schedules Insurance policy documents Renewal Letters Complaint letters Policy cancellation letters Welcome letters And More…
Retail Finance	Welcome letters Annual statements Payment Reminder Notices Payment collections Invoices & Bills Order Summary And More…
Financial Services	Adverse action letters Collection letters Credit risk disclosure notices Privacy notices Bank Statements and Transaction Records. And more…
Healthcare	Patient or physician mailers Patient medical records Clinical notes Patient Surveys immunization record Patient Financial Engagement Reimbursements And More…

How Does a Hybrid Mail Work?

With hybrid mail, you can send your letter immediately after uploading the document, depending on your provider. Below, we have outlined the process for UK Hybrid Mail:

Create the document you wish to send or upload a CSV file on a platform like PostGrid.
Select your preference for mailing services like first-class mail.
PostGrid will then print and mail your document and send it on your behalf.
You can track and measure your hybrid mail campaign.
Follow the process again in case you want to send another letter.

To save a lot and maximise your savings – you need to set up a few moving parts properly. You can also print & mail to your hybrid mail solutions through PostGrid- by integrating an API on your computer.

With PostGrid, you can use our HTML template editor to create your documents. For example, you might want to personalise content copy or design your contract renewal notice or a patient appointment reminder.

For many service providers the process starts by receiving end, a third party picks up the print request, pairs it with the print request specifications, such as envelope type, postage tariff, and required inserts, and then prints the document.

However, with PostGrid, we pair up with our printing partners to work on your specific print & mail request specifications, such as letter or envelope type, printing preferences, compliance, postage rate, and inserts required, before printing them. You can also post documents and inserts by printing and enclosing them in envelopes. Your documents are paired with their inserts if required, enclosed into envelopes and posted.

With PostGrid, it is like this- You Prepare- We Print& Mail.

It somehow unlocks many benefits, like enhanced compliance, increased brand control, output consistency, and physical mail optimisation to mail significantly cost savings.

In short, it is a system that allows you and your team to print, sort, enclose, and mail documents from the comfort of your home in just a few clicks.

So, with PostGrid- No faffing with printing and mailing. And, no more going through the hassles of working through office printers. Talk to us to know more about our Hybrid mail solutions!

How PostGrid Can Help You With Hybrid Mail Solutions?

With regard to hybrid mailing services, the pandemic has shown that teams require web-based technology or APIs. In PostGrid, we aim to provide the solution through our online print and mail APIs.

PostGrid, a powerful productivity tool for automating your print and mail processes, is a SaaS-based API for sending mail. We deliver scalable, end-to-end print and mailing from our secure, GDPR-compliant UK platform.

Also, PostGrid does not require any software installation, heavy investment, or license fees to connect- All you have to do is integrate our API with your system solutions. Your processes can be future-proofed to cope with changing demands through digital transformation and document through our direct mail automation.

In addition, it’s okay if your daily letter count fluctuates. Changing print preferences and seasonal demands can be handled easily. Sending one mailpiece or hundreds of thousands of pieces is possible with PostGrid’s Hybrid Mail solutions without incurring extra costs for equipment and personnel.

Our Use Case

Several digital transformation projects for inbound and outbound mail have been carried out in partnership with leading retail and eCommerce leaders for years.

The outcomes were high ROI and huge savings, and the hybrid mail solution has continuously provided operations benefits for the organization.

You can send invoices, contracts, and promotional letters from your desktop using PostGrid’s Hybrid Mail service. With an automated outbound mail process, your organization can stop manually sending mail within a few days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Hybrid Mail Solutions GDPR compliant?

Of course! GDPR compliance is assured with hybrid mail solutions, and PostGrid adheres to strict processes, procedures, and certifications.

Who should be involved at PostGrid during the setup process?

Choosing the right solution requires the involvement of the operational, compliance, marketing, finance, and IT departments. Our account manager or expert would handle the process from our end. We believe that by involving experts or key personnel early in the implementation process, delays or service failures can be minimised.

Is it possible to remove the system if we don’t like it?

You can remove the Hybrid Mail system if you no longer need it, depending on PostGrid’s plan or package.

Is it PostGrid reliable?

Yes, PostGrid as a solution is highly reliable, allowing our business to manage ad-hoc customer communications more efficiently and effectively, whilst mitigating all of the risks associated with doing so internally.

How fast will my letters or documents arrive?

Mail delivery is dependent on the specified in the two business SLAs. From the time we receive your order, we print and enclose the envelopes the next day. You can expect your letters to arrive within 2 or 3 days.

Are there any size limits for documents?

Well, that’s a No! You can create mail items as per your size requirements. Also, to ensure PostGrid is as agile and efficient as possible when it comes to handling different requirements of our clients.

Why PostGrid has a lower postage cost?

PostGrid helps you to consolidate production runs, leverage its buying power with affordable plans or packages, and offer more competitive rates through Royal Mail by developing postage optimization services. While other hybrid mailing or Postal services are often set up specifically for this type of activity by suppliers.

Can we get started without additional training?

Our API is easy-to-implement, intuitive, and easy-to-use solutions are the norm. PostGrid helps you get started with a wealth of readable materials, including API docs and Quick Guide, as well as a demo if necessary.