71% of Americans have been out of the country at least once. And a special minority (11%) have done so over 10 times.
If these numbers are making you envious, at least you’re not alone. In fact, 27% of Americans have never traveled abroad before.
You might be nervous about taking a trip even within the country because you have important pieces of mail you can’t miss. But that’s no way to live; you shouldn’t be tied down to your mailbox.
The good news is, you can book a vacation and get your mail too. How? With a digital mailbox.
What Is a Digital Mailbox?
A virtual mailbox is a digital service that gives you access to your physical mail. This means that you can be anywhere in the world and still get your mail, as long as you have an internet connection.
Usually, the service providers will have different package options so you can choose the one that works best for your budget and needs. These will have different benefits, such as more mail recipients.
Is It Safe?
Considering that you might get sensitive mail, you’re probably concerned about security. Rest easy knowing that digital mailbox services will take extra steps to ensure that your mail is safe, both physically and digitally.
Every company will have its own protocols, but typically, they’ll have on-site security and CCTV for their physical locations. And for their online files, they’ll encrypt them and use robust servers.
How Does a Digital Mailbox Work?
First, you’ll need to sign up for an account. The information you input will be the login details you’ll use to get into the dashboard, where you’ll see your mail and the actions you can take.
Choose a Location
In order for the virtual mailbox service to receive your mail on your behalf, you need a physical address. Thankfully, they’ll have plenty to choose from in various states. For example, we at Business Anywhere have physical locations in Arizona, Florida, Wyoming, and New Mexico.
This is the address you’ll put on your mail while you’re traveling.
Choose a Plan
As we’ve mentioned earlier, there are usually several plans to choose from. Determine which one is optimal for you, then make the payment to get started.
As a quick FYI, all of our plans have unlimited mail and scans. The only difference between our plans is the number of recipients you want.
Fill Out and Upload Your Postal Authorization Form
Unfortunately, it’s not as easy as sending us your mail, and us opening it for you straight away. It’s a federal crime to open someone’s mail without authorization, and you can go to prison for up to five years.
To get proper clearance, you’ll need to fill out a postal authorization form. This tells the USPS that the digital mailbox service can officially receive your mail.
Do note that this form must be notarized before uploading. The good news is, we can do that for you.
Start Using Your Virtual Mailbox
After the company has confirmed your details and has set up your account, they’ll notify you. You can then use your login details to check the dashboard.
In general, the service will scan your mail within 3 working days. The exact timing will depend on how busy they are.
Once they’ve scanned your mail, you can choose from several actions:
- Open
- Forward
- Archive
- Shred
- Recycle
How to Use a Digital Mailbox Service While Traveling
You now understand how a digital mailbox service works. But how can you make it work for you while you’re traveling and seeing the sights?
Ensure You Can Connect to the Internet
You can only use digital mailbox services if you can connect to the internet. So make sure that the places you’re going have wifi. Or ensure that you can use your phone as a hotspot if you’re afraid of unreliable reception.
Understandably, there are some more remote places where it’ll be next to impossible to get get a signal. In that case, plan around this and schedule your trip so there are days in between when you’re sure to have access to the internet.
Set up Automatic Mail Forwarding
If you already know you’ll be disconnected from the online world, then plan ahead and ask the service for automatic mail forwarding. That way, you won’t have to check every piece manually.
This works best if you’re only staying in one place, as there’s a very low chance your mail will get lost or sent to the wrong place.
Get Copies of Important Documents
If you need important documents while on your trip but won’t receive them in time, have them sent to the virtual mailbox address instead.
That way, you don’t need to delay your vacation, nor will you have to sit around at home waiting for days. You can still set off, and when the documents arrive, the service will scan them, and you’ll have them in your dashboard in no time. You won’t have to waste time or money with ticket cancellations.
Get Parcels if You Need Them
Maybe there’s an amazing online sale right before you leave for vacation. But you won’t be home to receive the pricey package, and you don’t trust your neighbors with such costly items either.
In this case, the digital mailbox service can actually receive your parcels and keep them safe. Then, when you return, they can forward them to your house.
Have a Worry-Free Vacation by Using a Digital Mailbox
Now that you know all about the perks of using a digital mailbox, you can finally go on vacation. You won’t have to worry about missing important mail since you can have it sent to a virtual mailbox service, like Business Anywhere.
Our staff can promptly scan your mail and even forward parcels to wherever you are on the planet. You’ll have such a carefree time that you’ll never want to come home.
If you’re ready to see the world, then sign up for our virtual mailbox services today.
