Postal Machines - Top Tips For Solving Simple Issues

By Author: Daljeet Sidhu
Total Articles: 4762
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Postage meters, also called postal meters or postage machines are an immense help to small businesses as they improve the efficiency of their mailing processes and reduce operating costs, save time, and resources. It helps you keep trips to the post office at a minimum.

Postage meters are mechanical devices and they can develop faults or even break down. While government regulations mandate the repair and maintenance of postage meters by approved suppliers and personnel only, basic problems can be easily remedied by you. This article discusses some of the most common problems encountered and suggestions on how to correct them. Directions are given keeping the Pitney Bowes postage meter in mind - the biggest provider in the market.

Display screen not switching on

If the display of the postage meter is not switching on, examine if the:

* device is plugged in properly

* batteries are installed properly

* unit is in sleep mode

You can verify if the postage meter is in sleep mode by examining the indicator light. It will be yellow. Hit any button to bring the postage meter to active ...
... mode again.

Power is on but the display screen is blank

If nothing is visible on the display screen, try varying the contrast. Select 'Options' from the main menu of the postage meter, then select 'Adjust the contrast'. Increase or decrease the contrast for enhanced visibility.

Issue with printing

If the postage meter cannot print properly, check if:

* the printing deck is jammed. If it is, refer to the user manual for instructions on clearing it.

* the printer cartridge needs to be replaced. If so, replace the cartridge by accessing the cartridge guard, removing out the old and putting in the new one.

Bad print quality

If the issue is not with the printer but the quality of the print, you should recheck the cartridge to see if it has dried up. If that is not the case, you should purge the printer nozzles. Go to 'Options' in the main menu. Look for 'Advanced Features', go to 'Maintenance Mode'. Here, select the 'Printer Maintenance' menu option. Under this section, you will see the 'Purge' option. Selecting this purges the printer nozzles.

Problems with connectivity

Sometimes, the postage meter may be unable to connect to the Data Center and print out postage. This can be a network or connectivity issue. Check the phone line is functioning and that you have access to the internet service. Understand that a DSL connection may require you to install a filter between the wall unit and the phone line.

Software related issues

Software based postal machine solutions help you administer your mailing configurations. In case of any deviation from predicted results, recheck the configurations in the 'Internet Settings' in the Data Center. You can try going back to the default configuration and reset your options from scratch.

All these guidelines are simple to follow. They can assist you with basic problems that you face with your postage meters. You don't have to waste time waiting for an expert to deal with small problems. Technicians should only handle issues that cannot be corrected by you.
About Author:
Daljeet Sidhu is at TradeSeam B2B Marketplace. Read Postage meters for small business and postage machine blog.