So, I, like, mailed a check to a vendor? But he, like, didn’t get it? And other checks, y’know, that were mailed after this, he did get? So I had to, like, stop payment on the one check and pay a fee? Then I had to, like, print a new check? Do you think I should, y’know, mail it?

Does the mail leave you mystified, too?

After fooling around with this true story for about a week, I finally figured out how to deposit a check directly into my vendor’s account. I used my cell phone to take a picture of the deposit slip, texted it to him from the parking lot, and he used his phone to go online and immediately verify the funds were in his account. Presto! Technology saves the day!

Hmmm. Makes me wonder why I messed with the mail in the first place.

Your postman does not report back to you. “Ms. Jones received your postcard at 3:47 pm. She read the front but didn’t read the back, tossing it in the trash can on her way into the house. Ms. Smith received the postcard on her lunch break. She read it and posted it on her refrigerator. Ms. Porter didn’t get your postcard at all.”

When you send your message electronically, you can receive detailed reports of how many people received your message, what they did with it, and if they want to hear from you again. You can also determine exactly which campaigns work and which flop. You can determine the time of day and day of the week that get the best results. You can reach out to Ms. Jones instantly and achieve an immediate reaction.

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night may stay these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds, but that’s only the half of mail delivery. You need to know what Ms. Jones does with your message once it arrives.