Outcome 3

Mail received in the organisation must be

dealt with promptly so that others in the

organisation are able to start their day’s

work

Mail room staff often begin work earlier

that others

If mail is not received early enough by

using normal mail delivery by postman,

the organisation may rent a post-office

box

This allows the organisation to uplift their

mail at any time during the day

Open mail (not private, personal or confidential)

Remove contents

Date-stamp mail (do not cover anything important)

Make copies of documents to be seen by more than one person or use a circulation slip

Check and attach enclosures

Sort mail into departments

Mail is then collected by departments (at certain times)

How do we deal with incoming mail?

or Delivered to individual departments

Main equipment in an incoming mail area Letter opener

Date stamp

Photocopier

Mail trolley for delivering to departments

Shredder

Pigeon holes/trays for each person/department

How do we deal with Outgoing Mail?

Collect mail from departments

or

Staff deliver mail to mail room by a specified time

Check that enclosures have been included, that the letter is signed and that the address on the envelope matches the inside address on the letter

How do we deal with Outgoing Mail (2)? Fold and insert letters into their

envelopes

Seal envelopes

Weigh letters or parcels

Stamp or frank envelopes/parcels

Record value of postageSort mail into First Class, Second Class and Special Delivery

Special Category Mail

Branch Direct

Business Collection

Business Reply

Cash on Delivery

Certificate of Posting

Freepost

Special Category Mail (2)

Post Office box

Recorded Signed For

Redirection Service

Sameday

Special Delivery

Main equipment in an outgoing mail area Folding and inserting

machine

Letter and parcel Scales (manual or electric)

Franking machine

Sundries eg stapler, punch, string, tape and scissors

FILING

Information must be:

Kept Tidy

Kept Safe

Stored in an accessible place

Able to be found easily and quickly when needed

Quick and simple to use

Does not take up too much space

Able to meet future needs

Located in a convenient place

Documents should be safe and tidy

The method of filing used will depend on the type of The method of filing used will depend on the type of organisation and the type of document to be filed.organisation and the type of document to be filed.

Methods include:Methods include:

•AlphabeticalAlphabetical – most common method – most common method•NumericalNumerical – Banks file by customer account – Banks file by customer account numbernumber•GeographicalGeographical – British Gas/Scottish Power may – British Gas/Scottish Power may file file records by area records by area•SubjectSubject – Libraries and Book Shops – Libraries and Book Shops

Methods of Filing

• Release SymbolRelease Symbol• Cross-reference cardsCross-reference cards• Out cardsOut cards• Miscellaneous FileMiscellaneous File• Pending PapersPending Papers

Filing Terms

• Check staff out trays for documents Check staff out trays for documents bearing a release markbearing a release mark

• File regularlyFile regularly• Pre-sort the documents for filingPre-sort the documents for filing• Take each section in turn, place the Take each section in turn, place the

documents in the appropriate filedocuments in the appropriate file• File papers in File papers in chronologicalchronological orderorder

Filing Procedures

Customer, supplier and employee details can be held electronically on a database such as MS Access

Improved presentation

Easy to amend

Sort order

Improved accuracy

Interrogation

Space saving

Saving paper

Integration

In offices many different types of documents have to be copied

This is called REPROGRAPHICS

Making copies of letters, reports, catalogues, posters brochures and booklets

Collating and binding pages together

Laminating – covering pages of booklets and posters to make them hard wearing

Reprographic Tasks:

Photocopier

Collator

Laminator

Binder

Scanner

Printer

REPROGRAPHICS EQUIPMENT

Provides exact copy of a document

Copies are produced quickly

Copies can be made onto card, paper, OHP transparencies

Documents can be fed in quickly

Features of a Photocopier

Copies can be made in various sizes A4, A3

Copies can be made back-to-back

Documents can be collated

Original can be enlarged or reduced

Features of a Photocopier cont.

Some photocopiers can staple documents

Can be adjusted for light/dark copies

Can produce colour copies using a colour copier

Some photocopiers require an ID code before use

Features of a Photocopier cont.

Puts together pages of a multi-page document

Often linked to a photocopier so that pages of a long document can be printed off, stacked, then collated into order ready for stapling or binding

Collator

A machine used to heat seal documents inside a plastic coating

Useful for producing posters, Staff ID’s

Laminator

A binder is a machine which holds the pages of a book together

A Comb Binder puts a plastic spine on the book

A Thermal Binder uses heat to fasten an adhesive spine to the book

Binder

A scanner produces an exact copy of a document or graphic for storage on a computer

2 types - Hand-held and a flatbed scanner

Scanner

Used to print off copies of documents held electronically

Used to print one master copy which would then be photocopied to produce multiple copies

Toner cartridges can be expensive

Printer

Keyboarding

Answering the telephone

Filing

Handling Mail

Pleasant and polite

Neat and well presented

Knowledgeable about the organisation

Patient, calm and able to cope under pressure

Able to get on well with people at different levels

Good communication skills

Check the appointments book

Contact the member of staff the visitor wishes to see

If available, direct to the appropriate member of staff/office

If delayed, ask the visitor to take a seat/refreshment

Ask visitor to sign the Visitors’ Book

Issue visitor with a security pass

In either case:

Names of expected callers (in chronological order)

Time they are due to arrive

With whom they have an appointment

Reason for the visit eg interview

Visitor’s pass number

The Appointment’s Book is prepared in advance and will contain the following details:

Contact the member of staff the visitor wishes to see

To arrange another appointment If another member of staff could help

If unavailable ask them:

Issue a visitor security pass Direct to the appropriate member of staff/office

If available:

Since this visitor is not in the Appointments Book he/she must be recorded in the Register of Callers/Visitors’ Book

The Register of Callers/Visitors’ Book will contain the following:

Date

Name of caller, company address and telephone number

Who they are visiting

Time they arrived

Time they left

Visitor’s pass number

Car registration number (if applicable)

An organisation chart shows visitors and staff the relationships between individuals eg

The chain of command

The span of control

Who is responsible to whom

Employee Names

Job Titles

Room Numbers

Groupings within the organisation

Photographs

Telephone Numbers

Employees can see an overall picture of the organisation.

The position of the employees within the organisation.

Lines of communication flowing up and down the organisation.

Lines of authority - managing director to departmental manager.

Lines of responsibility - sales director in charge of the work of the sales manager.

Board of Directors

Managing Director

Sales Director

Sales Manager

Organisations must communicate information efficiently.

Information should flow up and down the organisation.

The more levels the more chance of information breaking down.

Line relationships in an organisation show those employees who are in charge of the work of other members of staff.

Chief Executive -Finance Director

Finance Director -Cost Accountant

Cost Accountant -Senior Accounts Assistant

Senior Accounts Assistant - Accounts Assistant

This section of chart shows the following line relationships

Line Relationship

Lateral relationships exist in organisations where members of staff are directly responsible to the same immediate supervisor or manager.

The Chief Executive is directly responsible for 3 members of staff.

The lateral relationship exists between the Finance Director, Marketing Director and Human Resources Director.

All have the same level of responsibility.

Lateral Relationship

• Finds appropriate slots for Finds appropriate slots for appointments automaticallyappointments automatically

• Sets reminders for regularly Sets reminders for regularly occurring meetings or occurring meetings or important appointmentsimportant appointments

• Can access several diaries at Can access several diaries at once to schedule a time for once to schedule a time for appointmentsappointments

• Files can be directly linked to Files can be directly linked to database files to provide more database files to provide more information quicklyinformation quickly

Features:

• The receptionist is able to access others’ diaries The receptionist is able to access others’ diaries to check for expected callersto check for expected callers

• If appointments overrun or are changed, If appointments overrun or are changed, amendments can be easily made by any user, amendments can be easily made by any user, thereby keeping the receptionist informed of thereby keeping the receptionist informed of the changes automaticallythe changes automatically

• Maintaining the diary is much quicker than Maintaining the diary is much quicker than manually skimming through the pages of a manually skimming through the pages of a paper-based diary to find an available paper-based diary to find an available appointment for an unexpected visitorappointment for an unexpected visitor

Advantages: