Small Business Solutions -10 Essentials for a Shipping Center Video

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Small Business Solutions -10 Essentials for a Shipping Center

Ivy: Well, in your small business office, your shipping or mailing center may look something like this or it might just be a corner of the office. But we’re probably an expert on sbtv.com to help when it comes to setting up your shipping and mailing center. Mark Taylor is redroller.com’s Chief Logistic Officer and he’s one of the nation’s top leading authorities on utilizing technology. To increase your productivity when it comes to shipping and mailing, he’s the only author of two books on the subject. He also has 30 years of experience. So, we’re going to have him here with us today and we’re going to tell you, Mark’s going to help us tell you how you can get your shipping and mailing center setup, everything from A to Z. Alright Mark, let’s get started. Mark: Okay! It’s actually, it’s pretty easy. It doesn’t have to be done thing. I mean the first thing that you need is something to pack in. I mean this can be boxes, they can be tubes, they can be jumpy pads or envelopes. I save everything that I get from the people that I work from because recycle, reduce, reuse, help the environment, save all of the things that you get and you can use that for packing the things that you’re going to ship it out. Ivy: Absolutely, great idea! Another way that you can get your materials is by going to like an office supply website or you said sometimes directly to the carrier themselves. Mark: Yeah, the carriers themselves offer free supplies like this box over here is a free box from the post office that they will give you for priority mail. You can get the envelopes and the express boxes and the padded-up boxes and the little plastic envelopes from the carriers for free but keep in mind that this is mostly for express. You can’t use it for ground and so if you want to send it cheap, you’re going to have to use your own materials so that’s why you want to save. Ivy: And make sure you just have it on hand because you mention to me off camera that it’s going to be less expensive if you are shipping your own materials via the internet and using the internet instead of going through a retail store or to the post office itself, you’re going to save yourself some money. Mark: It’s four times more to go at one of the stores so I mean if you’re looking at $5.00 to ship a box yourself, you’re going to pay it $20.00 to ship it at one of those store so believe me it’s worth it, it’s not that hard. Ivy: So, getting your boxes and your envelopes is important. What else? Mark: You need a packing material so packing material can be you know bubble wrap that you can get, that you can reuse. You can use these Styrofoam peanuts, you know, and these are the kinds that are biodegradable so they won’t hurt the environment. And that’s why I like to reuse them. Ivy: And sometimes you have this air package. Mark: Exactly. Ivy: Right and this stuff can also be reused so never—the package with any of this stuff. Think about a stocking, your shipping and mailing standard right? Mark: Crumpled newspaper or crumpled scrap paper. I mean all of the stuff that you can use for shipping. Ivy: Perfect! Of course we’re going to need the right kind of tape. Mark: I recommend three inches wide so that you can cover the seam. Ivy: Great, good tip! And then in addition to tape, we’re going to need a tape measure. Mark: Yup, you’re going to need a tape measure because the carrier is charged not only by the weight of the box but the size of the box so you have to multiply the length times the width times the height then divide it by a 194 if it’s over 5,184 inches. Ivy: And so, once you hear them questioning all those numbers, you’re going to want a calculator in your shipping center. Mark: Calculators are good thing you have in your shipping centers as well Ivy: Okay and you know, you can’t live without a scale because it is based not only on size, you mentioned weight. Mark: Exactly. Ivy: And having an easy to read scale is very important so I know you’ve brought a digital scale which is really easy to read versus a scale which is not digital. Mark: Exactly. So, on this one, you have to kind of guess. Is this is one pound or 1.1 pound. If it’s 1.1 pound, you’re going to end up paying 60% more so you want to have an accurate scale so first of all, you don’t pay more than you need too. But secondly, if you say it’s a pound and it really was 1.1, the carriers reweigh everything. They remeasure everything. And if you don’t tell them the truth, you’re going to get a bill afterwards for these charges that you weren’t expecting. Ivy: That’s not a good surprise and I don’t think I like it. Mark: No, so it’s not. It’s the number one thing that people complain about is what they call those aftereffect charges or surprise charges they get later and they are all preventable. Ivy: Now and you can get the listing of rates through the carriers websites and find out what those weights and measurements need to be and things like that. You can also multiply check different multiple carriers by going to redroller.com’s website. Some of the other things you’re going to need is you know, well I have those fancy labels at the post office or whatever. Mark: They do, they do. If you have a computer or an internet connection, that’s definitely the best way to shift your packages because no matter who you use, that’s going to be cheaper even the post office it’s cheaper if you use their website than if you go to post office and wait in line because that obviously saves some money, reduces your labor costs. So, a computer and internet connection, this is a label printer that prints the nice labels that are 4 x 6 thermal label. But you can use just use a regular—whatever you use like your inkjet or your laser printer and print out an 81/2 x 11 sheet of paper, fold it in half and slide it in one of those clear plastic envelopes and stick it onto your box or put some tape on it and stick it on your box that way. Ivy: And then you can just call the carrier to come and schedule to pick-up to come and get it so you really don’t ever have to leave your office. Mark: You don’t ever have to leave your office but when you do call, they do charge you $4.00 to $5.00 per box unless it’s through the post office which will do it free but they come the next day so I mean if you’re going to call, know that you’re going to pay for that service. If there’s a drop box, you can go to their website and a lot of times you’ll see there’s a drop box right down stairs so you could drop it off and it’s no charge. Ivy: So already, you probably have many other things that Mark’s mentioned for your shipping and mailings that you just need to make sure you get it all in one place, get it organize on what you need definitely and what weigh materials, they’re going to be your boxes, your envelopes, tape. You’re going to need a calculator, a tape measure, scale is essential. And if you want to make it easy, you’re going to have your computer with internet connections so you can get those rates and you can direct order your postage. And then obviously, a little printer or print it nearby because you can just print it right there on any sheet of paper mark, man you made it seem easy so we’ve got our small business shippings and mailings—off that up. Mark is the only author of two books on this subject so you can get more information through his books. You can also look for more of Marks expertise right here on sbtv.com through our blog.

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Ivy: Well, in your small business office, your shipping or mailing center may look something like this or it might just be a corner of the office. But we’re probably an expert on sbtv.com to help when it comes to setting up your shipping and mailing center.

Mark Taylor is redroller.com’s Chief Logistic Officer and he’s one of the nation’s top leading authorities on utilizing technology. To increase your productivity when it comes to shipping and mailing, he’s the only author of two books on the subject. He also has 30 years of experience. So, we’re going to have him here with us today and we’re going to tell you, Mark’s going to help us tell you how you can get your shipping and mailing center setup, everything from A to Z. Alright Mark, let’s get started.

Mark: Okay! It’s actually, it’s pretty easy. It doesn’t have to be done thing. I mean the first thing that you need is something to pack in. I mean this can be boxes, they can be tubes, they can be jumpy pads or envelopes. I save everything that I get from the people that I work from because recycle, reduce, reuse, help the environment, save all of the things that you get and you can use that for packing the things that you’re going to ship it out.

Ivy: Absolutely, great idea! Another way that you can get your materials is by going to like an office supply website or you said sometimes directly to the carrier themselves.

Mark: Yeah, the carriers themselves offer free supplies like this box over here is a free box from the post office that they will give you for priority mail. You can get the envelopes and the express boxes and the padded-up boxes and the little plastic envelopes from the carriers for free but keep in mind that this is mostly for express. You can’t use it for ground and so if you want to send it cheap, you’re going to have to use your own materials so that’s why you want to save.

Ivy: And make sure you just have it on hand because you mention to me off camera that it’s going to be less expensive if you are shipping your own materials via the internet and using the internet instead of going through a retail store or to the post office itself, you’re going to save yourself some money.

Mark: It’s four times more to go at one of the stores so I mean if you’re looking at $5.00 to ship a box yourself, you’re going to pay it $20.00 to ship it at one of those store so believe me it’s worth it, it’s not that hard.

Ivy: So, getting your boxes and your envelopes is important. What else?

Mark: You need a packing material so packing material can be you know bubble wrap that you can get, that you can reuse. You can use these Styrofoam peanuts, you know, and these are the kinds that are biodegradable so they won’t hurt the environment. And that’s why I like to reuse them.

Ivy: And sometimes you have this air package.

Mark: Exactly.

Ivy: Right and this stuff can also be reused so never—the package with any of this stuff. Think about a stocking, your shipping and mailing standard right?

Mark: Crumpled newspaper or crumpled scrap paper. I mean all of the stuff that you can use for shipping.

Ivy: Perfect! Of course we’re going to need the right kind of tape.

Mark: I recommend three inches wide so that you can cover the seam.

Ivy: Great, good tip! And then in addition to tape, we’re going to need a tape measure.

Mark: Yup, you’re going to need a tape measure because the carrier is charged not only by the weight of the box but the size of the box so you have to multiply the length times the width times the height then divide it by a 194 if it’s over 5,184 inches.

Ivy: And so, once you hear them questioning all those numbers, you’re going to want a calculator in your shipping center.

Mark: Calculators are good thing you have in your shipping centers as well

Ivy: Okay and you know, you can’t live without a scale because it is based not only on size, you mentioned weight.

Mark: Exactly.

Ivy: And having an easy to read scale is very important so I know you’ve brought a digital scale which is really easy to read versus a scale which is not digital.

Mark: Exactly. So, on this one, you have to kind of guess. Is this is one pound or 1.1 pound. If it’s 1.1 pound, you’re going to end up paying 60% more so you want to have an accurate scale so first of all, you don’t pay more than you need too. But secondly, if you say it’s a pound and it really was 1.1, the carriers reweigh everything. They remeasure everything. And if you don’t tell them the truth, you’re going to get a bill afterwards for these charges that you weren’t expecting.

Ivy: That’s not a good surprise and I don’t think I like it.

Mark: No, so it’s not. It’s the number one thing that people complain about is what they call those aftereffect charges or surprise charges they get later and they are all preventable.

Ivy: Now and you can get the listing of rates through the carriers websites and find out what those weights and measurements need to be and things like that. You can also multiply check different multiple carriers by going to redroller.com’s website. Some of the other things you’re going to need is you know, well I have those fancy labels at the post office or whatever.

Mark: They do, they do. If you have a computer or an internet connection, that’s definitely the best way to shift your packages because no matter who you use, that’s going to be cheaper even the post office it’s cheaper if you use their website than if you go to post office and wait in line because that obviously saves some money, reduces your labor costs. So, a computer and internet connection, this is a label printer that prints the nice labels that are 4 x 6 thermal label. But you can use just use a regular—whatever you use like your inkjet or your laser printer and print out an 81/2 x 11 sheet of paper, fold it in half and slide it in one of those clear plastic envelopes and stick it onto your box or put some tape on it and stick it on your box that way.

Ivy: And then you can just call the carrier to come and schedule to pick-up to come and get it so you really don’t ever have to leave your office.

Mark: You don’t ever have to leave your office but when you do call, they do charge you $4.00 to $5.00 per box unless it’s through the post office which will do it free but they come the next day so I mean if you’re going to call, know that you’re going to pay for that service. If there’s a drop box, you can go to their website and a lot of times you’ll see there’s a drop box right down stairs so you could drop it off and it’s no charge.

Ivy: So already, you probably have many other things that Mark’s mentioned for your shipping and mailings that you just need to make sure you get it all in one place, get it organize on what you need definitely and what weigh materials, they’re going to be your boxes, your envelopes, tape. You’re going to need a calculator, a tape measure, scale is essential. And if you want to make it easy, you’re going to have your computer with internet connections so you can get those rates and you can direct order your postage. And then obviously, a little printer or print it nearby because you can just print it right there on any sheet of paper mark, man you made it seem easy so we’ve got our small business shippings and mailings—off that up. Mark is the only author of two books on this subject so you can get more information through his books. You can also look for more of Marks expertise right here on sbtv.com through our blog.

Transcription by: Scribe4you Transcription Services