Have posts a role to play in e-registered mail?
Globalisation and efficiency have driven companies to do business online; in fact most businesses could not survive without the Internet. A consequence of the current economic crisis is to push even more output document processes online. So many commercial messages and documents are now delivered electronically, which is somewhat bizarre, since it’s like sending important information by postcard.
Anyone who has access can read it and on the Internet that’s not necessarily people with good intentions. Also business can never be absolutely certain that important electronic communications have been received correctly; the Internet is like a big black hole!
Now companies and government are seeking better ways of doing business online; they want proof, security, reliability and compliance. So what is the solution and is there an opportunity for Posts?
Postal services have built a reputation and trusted brand on the qualities and universality of mail delivery where businesses can rely on services, such as confirm and signed receipt including content confidentiality.
Now businesses worldwide are realising the shortcomings of electronic mailstreams and the market becomes more and more educated about the misconceptions of doing business over the Internet and the compliance issues that creates.
As a result businesses become sensitive to a lack of proof of delivery, content confidentiality and sign off for electronic items. The current rise in take-up of secure e-services for message and document delivery makes it a timely opportunity for Posts to enter the market and win back some of the revenues substituted by electronic technology. Also the big Internet Service Providers are entrenched in the dynamics of e-mail operations, so competition for a national registered e-service is weak.
Registered Email is a trusted outbound messaging service that addresses the concerns of doing business over the Internet.
– The core service provides legally verifiable and admissible evidence of delivery, time, and content sent and received for any internet mail piece.
– Includes optional end-to-end security (encrypted) and automatic conversion of attachments to pdf format.
– Registered Email also allows e-Signing where the sender and recipient add a legally valid e-signature and timestamp to email messages and attachments.
Businesses using Registered Email are able to drive through important process improvements, efficiencies and cost savings, whilst achieving compliance and increased customer satisfaction:
– A full e-capability allows business processes to be automated and that can reduce conventional handling costs by up to 75%.
– Sales cycle times can be reduced, with simplified follow-up and savings over courier costs.
– Legal proof of delivery is achieved for client documentation plus encryption for the secure transmission of personal data.
– Compliance to industry rules (delivery by electronic media, informed consent), for example:
– Compliance for Terms of Business Agreements; documentary evidence of procedures and proper handling of client funds; agreements with third parties; evidence of adherence to Client Asset rules …
– The agility to deliver documents and replies quickly by Registered Email speeds up customer service by settling claims, securing renewals and contracts …
– Registered Receipts for e-mails can be matched automatically to e-documentation giving call centre and processing staff efficient tools to manage those items reported as non-delivered, non-opened, or non-replied.
– Most important, customers receive good service quickly and efficiently.
So how does Registered Email work in overcoming the limitations of standard e-mail, where copies can be deleted or altered by sender or recipient? Remember Outlook receipts are unreliable and the absence of a ‘bounce’ notice does not prove delivery.
The best solutions work as a simple add-in button to Outlook, Lotus Notes, or any other e-mail system. The user is provided with a ‘Send Registered’ button, which allows the message to be sent to recipients via the trusted e-service provider. As part of the ‘handshake’ on delivery, the sender gets a ‘Registered Receipt’, enclosing a locked copy of the e-mail delivered, including attachments (or a notice of delivery failure), confirmation of the time delivered and a record of the delivery audit trail.
In the event of a dispute over non-delivery or content, the receipt may be sent for authentication. The original message is reconstructed and returned. The original sender may forward receipts allowing even the recipients to similarly authenticate the original message. Once both parties can see copies of the original e-mail, potential disputes can be avoided.
The market need for improving business integrity over the Internet is evident. Companies worldwide are becoming increasingly concerned about the safety of doing business online and the compliance issue that creates. There are various services on offer but many are inconvenient for the user or incomplete. However, well developed solutions are available with good international acclaim offering a full, successful and user friendly suite of services. Select an experienced partner with technology leadership, one that can provide a growth path with new features, platforms and services, integrates well with other e-postal services and last but not least offers a well managed low risk route to market.
Biography: Dennis Gilham
A Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing with over 30 years experience of delivering customer facing solutions in the postal sector. Dennis has held senior industry roles as Head of Corporate Partnerships, Group Business Line Director, Group Director of Product Marketing and Director of Research & Development. He has built a unique set of skills and knowledge in promoting new solutions for business customers of all sizes in mail, express and parcels.
Having worked with Posts worldwide, contributing to their business development through customer insight, marketing strategy and innovative solutions, Dennis is now an Independent Strategy Advisor currently working with RPost the global leader in High Value Outbound Messaging Services. RPost has set up an investment fund to pay for the adoption of their Registered Email® services.
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