Choosing the Right Mail Forwarding Service

In this article, we discuss the benefits of using a mail forwarding service and the factors one needs to consider in choosing the right service provider.

Small business owners and sole traders often don’t have the budget to purchase or rent an office location from which they can run their business.

As a matter of fact, a sharp rise in the use of cloud technology and small business registrations with residential addresses indicates the trend of home-run businesses is growing.

However, using a residential address for your business could damage the perception of your business and threaten your privacy. Business addresses are freely available to the public and other companies use this information to send out junk mail.

The alternative option is to rent a low-cost virtual office that provides mail forwarding services. You can find companies online that offer excellent value for money - some as little as £8 a month.

Before you jump straight into a contract, however, investigate whether the company is a good fit for you. The best companies offer more than just post redirection and others - although not all - have hidden costs.

Mail Forwarding Service - More Than A PO Box

If you’re a new business, a mail forwarding service can provide an affordable solution in a number of ways. There are several benefits to having a post redirection service that can make a real difference.

Companies that offer mail forwarding in the UK typically provide a much broader service than a simple PO Box from Royal Mail. When you rent a PO Box from Royal Mail, you can only receive post and parcels delivered by Royal Mail. They do not accept deliveries from other carriers.

Most mail forwarding services in the UK accept deliveries from all the major couriers. Some fulfillment centers will even sign for the delivery on your behalf.

The best mail forwarding companies send you an email confirmation informing you that you have mail. Your mail will then be sent to the address you have provided as your forwarding address.

When choosing a mail forwarding service in London, look for companies that send your mail as recorded delivery and provide you with a tracking code. Thisinsures you against the fulfillment centre claiming they sent out your mail and pinning the blame on the courier service if it doesn’t arrive.

Mail Forwarding in London

Given its premium image worldwide, a mail redirection service in London with a prestigious address will do more for your business image than most other cities in the world.

What’s more, business owners that work from home, outside of London, or even overseas can still promote their business with an address in central London.

Mail forwarding services are typically offered by companies that provide virtual office in London space and company formation services in London. Under UK law, this is a perfectly legitimate means of setting up a business with an actual address even if you are not physically based at that location.

Not only is it legal, but fulfillment centre’s also ensuring you have a legitimate postal address with an actual street name and not merely a PO Box address.

Needless, to say, a prestigious office address in central London increases the public perception of your business. You are also entitled to advertise the address on your website and business stationery.

Mail Redirection Service - Anywhere in the World

If you are not based in the UK, look for a mail redirection service that delivers post and parcels anywhere in the world. This provides you with fast and convenience and is a lot less expensive than using couriers.

Some post redirection companies scan your mail and forward it to your mobile phone or email address. You can access your mail through secure servers anywhere in the world.

For parcels and packages, look for mail redirection services that include the service in their monthly pricing package and do not have hidden charges.

The best companies will only charge you to cover the cost of post and re-packaging at the actual cost of the couriers. Others will add a service charge on. Always ask about mail redirection charges before signing up to long-term contracts.

Most fulfillment centers in the UK use Royal Mail as a first choice as they are usually more cost-effective. However, you also have the option to use one of the major couriers including DHL, UPS, TNT and FedEx. This gives you more shipping options and the opportunity to take advantage of better rates and faster delivery times.

There’s no question that mail forwarding services offer plenty of benefits to small businesses. The issue is knowing which is the right mail forwarding service to choose.