How Manual Mail & Parcel Tracking Is Killing Your Profits—and How Automation Can Save You!

Is Manual Mail & Parcel Tracking Holding Your Business Back?

Scaling a business is no easy feat. And if you're running a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME), you likely have ambitions to grow. But whether you're a 10-person startup or an expanding company approaching the 500-employee mark, one thing remains constant—your operations need to be efficient.

Surprisingly, despite being the backbone of the American economy—representing 99.9% of all U.S. firms, employing nearly half the private sector workforce, and driving 43.5% of GDP (source: U.S. Chamber of Commerce)—many small businesses still rely on outdated, manual processes for managing their mail and parcel logistics. Why? And at what cost?

In this blog, we’ll explore how manual mail and parcel tracking could be silently draining your profits—and how automation can turn things around.

The Hidden Costs of Manual Tracking

For many SMEs, mail and package management isn’t a top priority—until it becomes a problem. Lost documents, delayed invoices, misplaced package shipments, or time-consuming retrieval processes all add up to hidden costs that eat away at profits.

Time Wasted

Employees spend a significant portion of their workweek searching for information, including physical mail and packages. According to Forbes, the average American spends approximately 2 hours per day searching for documents, which equates to nearly 25% of their total work time (source: Forbes).

Human Error

Studies show that manual processes result in error rates of 3-5%. Even a seemingly small percentage of errors can lead to lost contracts, delayed payments, and unhappy customers (source: Forbes)

Storage & Space Costs

Physical mail and packages take up space, leading to increased storage costs. In a city like New York, commercial real estate averages $80 per square foot (source: Statista)—meaning even a small, inefficient mailroom can add thousands of dollars in unnecessary expenses.

Compliance Risks

Misplaced legal documents, contracts, or sensitive customer data due to poor mail tracking can lead to regulatory fines, legal liabilities, or loss of trust. The Guardian highlights instances where manual data handling errors have led to significant issues, such as the misreporting of COVID-19 cases due to spreadsheet errors (source: The Guardian)

As businesses strive to improve their collaborative efforts with key suppliers, supply chain data disparity can often hinder their efforts. When 43% of small businesses don’t even track their inventory (and that’s just one stat), the potential for miscommunications and disruptions between partners is alarmingly high.

Forbes, July 2023 (source)

Mailroom Automation: A Necessity, Not a Luxury

Think about it—can you imagine running a home or business without electricity? It’s unthinkable. Electricity powers your lights, computers, and operations. Without it, everything grinds to a halt.

Mailroom automation is no different. Whether you handle a few dozen mails a day or hundreds of packages, an automated mail and package management system ensures your business runs smoothly. Yet, many SMEs continue using outdated, labor-intensive methods instead of leveraging cost-effective automation tools.

How Mailroom Automation Saves Money & Drives Growth

Investing in automation isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about improving your bottom line. Here’s how:

Boost Productivity

Automating mail/package sorting, tracking, and retrieval minimizes manual tasks, allowing employees to focus on higher-value work that drives business growth. Businesses that implement automation report up to 40%-time savings on mail-related processes.

Eliminate Lost Packages & Errors

Digital tracking ensures that every piece of mail/package is accounted for, reducing errors and lost items by over 90%.

Faster Decision-Making

With instant access to mail and documents, businesses can process invoices, contracts, and customer requests 60-70% faster, improving cash flow and customer satisfaction.

Scalability for Growth

Like cloud computing, an automated mailroom scales with your business. Whether you're handling higher volumes or expanding to new sites, it adapts seamlessly at minimum costs.

Why Small Businesses Can't Afford to Wait

Despite the clear benefits, many small businesses delay automation due to perceived costs. However, the reality is that modern mailroom automation solutions are scalable and cost-effective.

With more SMEs leveraging automation to streamline their operations, those who resist the change risk falling behind. The question isn’t whether you can afford to automate—it’s whether you can afford not to.

Ready to stop losing money on inefficient mail tracking? Discover how BearTracks can help you automate your mailroom operations and boost your bottom line: (click here!)