Why the mailbox is becoming the most trusted channel in the digital age

Here’s something you don’t hear often in 2025: people are choosing to receive more post.

Not because they’re anti-tech, but because, somewhere between the app alerts, inbox overload and endless “You’ve missed a delivery!” messages, consumers have realised that physical mail offers something digital channels increasingly struggle to provide — clarity.

In fact, according to our recent survey, 59% of UK consumers say they struggle to distinguish important messages from the digital noise. And that’s a problem for any organisation relying on speed and scale alone to connect with the people they serve.

As someone who spends their days helping organisations navigate the complexities of modern communication, I see this shift everywhere. Not as a rejection of digital but as a recognition that when something really matters, people want a format they instinctively trust.

For mail and print professionals, this creates a genuine opportunity to rethink how physical mail fits into a modern, multichannel communication strategy that aligns with how audiences actually consume and process information today.

When everything pings, nothing stands out

Digital communication has transformed how organisations connect with the public. It’s fast, efficient, immediate — and absolutely essential. But the very speed that makes digital powerful also makes it overwhelming.

Consumers now operate in a constant blur of notifications. Emails are scanned, not read. Important updates sit wedged between promotional offers and security warnings. Even the most genuine message has to fight its way through an inbox that looks busier than Paddington Station at rush hour.

It’s not that people don’t want to engage. They’re simply unsure what deserves their attention.

That’s why something interesting is happening: when you give people the choice, many choose paper for communications involving their health, finances, benefits, policies or personal data. Not because they dislike online tools but because physical mail arrives in a quieter space. It’s tangible, it feels more secure, and it signals that the message is worth paying attention to. And right now, that matters.

Mail is no longer the “old” channel — it’s the trusted channel

In the UK, trust has become a defining factor in how people want to communicate with organisations. Whether it’s a hospital sending an appointment update, a council sharing information with residents, or a bank making a correction, the stakes are too high for messages to go unnoticed or misunderstood from certain institutions.

Physical mail helps to cut through the uncertainty. It provides a moment of pause. The kind that makes people stop, look twice, and absorb the information in front of them.

That doesn’t mean digital is inadequate. In fact, digital plays an essential role in orchestrating and supporting the customer experience. But the resurgence of mail is a reminder that communication is about choosing the right channel for the situation.

What organisations are getting right (and wrong) about mail

If mail is going to strengthen your communication strategy, it has to be done well. Consumers don’t distinguish between front-end and back-end systems. A letter that arrives late, contains errors, or goes to the wrong address could be perceived as unhelpful, unprofessional or even a breach of trust, rather than just an operational glitch.

Where organisations see the biggest gains is when they treat physical mail as an integrated part of the customer journey rather than an isolated process.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

1. Making channel preferences meaningful

When customers choose how they’d like to receive information — post, email, portal, SMS — they’re expressing something deeper than convenience. They’re expressing control. Organisations that build preference into automated workflows honour that choice consistently and at scale, helping you stay aligned with the customer’s expectations without increasing the complexity behind the scenes.

2. Using mail to underscore what matters

Corrections, confirmations, updates, and anything requiring a clear action benefit from physical delivery. Mail helps highlight significance without shouting. It quietly communicates: This is important. Take a moment with it.

By aligning your communications strategy with these high-stakes moments, you can identify where mail brings clarity and highlights the information that matters most to your customers.

3. Treating operational accuracy as part of the brand

Behind every letter is a chain of data, production and delivery. Address validation, print confirmation, and tracking are the foundation of customer confidence. When the process is reliable, customers sense it.

4. Orchestrating digital and physical together

The strongest communication strategies make channels work in harmony, rather than pitting them against each other.

An email can give a heads-up that a letter is coming. A letter can include a QR code direct customers to a digital portal. A form completed online can automatically trigger a printed confirmation. This is where modern mail automation adds real value by connecting digital channels instead of replacing them altogether.

Trust is becoming the most valuable channel

Despite popular belief, the rise in physical mail is taking a step forwards towards balance. Customers want the speed of digital, yes — but also the certainty of something tangible when the message carries real weight.

What I see across sectors is that the organisations embracing this aren’t “going back”. They’re moving forward with a more human, more thoughtful approach to communication. One that respects attention, choice, and trust.

Because in the moments that matter, the mailbox still matters too.