Email (and other media) to mail gateway

This describes a service that behaves like an email to classical mail gateway. In the beginning the service will be email to mail only but after that this can be extend with the following features: toll-free phone to mail, web to mail.

The service can be useful in the following situations and will work as described:

- New generation people sending letters to their old style parents and grand parents;
- Companies wanted to speed up the letter writing and packaging process;
- Advertisement companies;
- Other scenarios.


The service will have a website where users will create secure accounts;

Users can upload fonds (money) in these accounts;

The site will contain a sections were users will be able to define mail addresses for themselves and their contacts. One of the personal addresses should be made default.

For each defined address the users will need to define a nickname;

Sending an email to nickname@webtomail.com (putting in subject like a security token that will identify the sender), will have as effect sending a letter from the default address to the one identified by the nickname.

To send letters users may use the following mechanisms as well: phone calls to a 1-800 number or direct web site access;

For increased productivity a Word plug-in (or better a printer driver) should be developed. Simply printing at that printer (or using the plugin) will have as effect sending a classical mail letter.

The service may have additional features for corporate users such as the ability to specify including of a certain flyer with each mail that goes out.

The service should be exposed as web services also to facilitate integration with enterprise applications (eg. applications that send bills).

The service should allow choosing the paper type (may be paper or a greeting card) on which the printing is made.

The service will be interfaced with USPS, UPS, FEDEX, etc. for mail delivery.

Later on additional services may be added, such as: on the fly translation to other language by a certified translator (this may be achieved through integration with a specialized third party service).

Other later on service may be the ability to attach digital data to a letter: the sender uploads the data to a certain location and then the service will take that data, write it on a CD and enclose the CD in the envelope.

By having different print and mail facilities across the world the service may be cheaper and faster than regular mail. Opening a new facility can be done on franchise model.

By making a partnership with an advertisement distribution company it will be possible to send free letters. Each free letter will contain inside a flyer with advertisements from the sponsor.

Reference:

http://www.l-mail.com/ (looks like a similar service)