Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
AUGUST 2009
www.MailingSystemsTechnology.com
systems technology
Strategic
Purchasing
p Market Trends for page 24
Direct Mail in 2009
page 30
p Targeting Mail
Center Efficiency
Gains
page 26
SOFTWARE IMb SOFTWARE IM
They’re Tak
Not to Fear… We’ve Got You Covered
Several free networking receptions and luncheons where you can Two free exhibit halls with solutions for mailing, shipping and
mingle with fellow mailing professionals. document processing.
www.MailingSystemsTechnology.com/c
Mb SOFTWARE IMb SOFTWARE
king Over…
nference, Chicago
24 Strategic Purchasing
Financing options help mail centers stay competitive in
a challenging economy
24 28
Making the Right Moves
A comprehensive approach to the challenge of undeliverable
as addressed mail
30 A Channel in Transformation
Vertical market trends in direct mail 2009
28 Departments
8 Real Life Management
Columns
6 Editor’s Note
Game Over?
10 Software Byte
35 Reality Check
12 Employing Technology Does the USPS Understand
14 Everything IMB Our Business?
30
18 Best Practices Innovation
Top Companies
38 BÖWE BELL + HOWELL 45 Melissa Data
32
39 Collins Ink 46 Mid-South Technologies
40 DHL Global Mail 47 National Presort, Inc. (NPI)
41 Endicia 48 Neopost
42 Hasler 49 Parascript
43 Kern 50 Satori Software
44 Kirk Rudy
[ PLUS ]
Make sure you sign up for our monthly e-Newsletter so we
can keep you posted with news alerts and updates!
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EDITOR
Dan O’Rourke, CMM
dan.o@rbpub.com
Unfortunately, the story didn’t end there. At this same gathering was an executive of
a major retail clothing firm with a nationwide in-store and online sales and distribution
function. He stated that they still used some direct mail marketing but they recently
had to abandon their mass distribution of catalogs due to postage costs. (We’re talking
many millions of pieces here.) The latest rounds of regulation changes and postage rate
increases for catalogs were just too much — they simply couldn’t justify the expense 2901 International Lane
Madison WI 53704-3128
vs. sales. His comments really hit home to me. Here was a real-life example of a major 608-241-8777 • Fax 608-241-8666
mailer saying “no more.” rbpub@rbpub.com
www.MailingSystemsTechnology.com
First Class Mail revenue is in real trouble. With transactional mail going away (bills and Volume 22, Issue 4
statements are products that do fit with “e” very well), the revenue “cash cow” of
Subscriptions are free to qualified recipients: $20 per year to
the U.S. Postal Service will no longer carry the load. It will fall to direct marketing and all others in the United States. Subscription rate for Canada
parcel products to do the job. Obviously, raising rates to collect more revenue will not or Mexico is $40 per year, and for elsewhere outside of
the United States is $45. Back issue rate is $5. Send sub-
work. Adding cataloger costs by adding more regulations will not work. It is up to the scriptions to: Mailing Systems Technology, PO Box 259098,
USPS — the entire USPS, labor as well as management — to find ways to cut costs. Madison WI 53725-9098; or call 608-241-8777; fax 608-241-
8666; e-mail rbpub@rbpub.com or subscribe online at www.
MailingSystemsTechnology.com.
I wish I could say, “Not to worry, everything’s going to be fine,” but I can’t. The key to For quality, customized reprints, please contact our exclu-
keeping print advertising viable is going to be cost containment. If the cost of direct sive reprint provider. FosteReprints • 866-879-9144 •
www.marketingreprints.com. All material in this maga-
marketing keeps rising, it will not matter what the recipient prefers, marketers will zine is copyrighted ©2009 by RB Publishing Inc. All rights
simply not be able to afford print marketing. Without innovative and significant cost reserved. Nothing may be reproduced in whole or in part
without written permission from the publisher. Any corre-
cuts, it’s “game over” for the USPS as we know it! spondence sent to Mailing Systems Technology, RB Publish-
ing Inc. or its staff becomes property of RB Publishing Inc.
As always, thanks for reading Mailing Systems Technology. The articles in this magazine represent the views of the
authors and not those of RB Publishing Inc. or Mailing
Systems Technology. RB Publishing Inc. and/or Mailing
Systems Technology expressly disclaim any liability for the
products or services sold or otherwise endorsed by adver-
tisers or authors included in this magazine.
Trying to improve our management capabilities is important to “E” stands for enthusiasm. Is apathy and cynicism contagious?
the success of our organizations. Many people in the human Yes! Is enthusiasm contagious? Yes! What makes for stronger and
resources field are telling us that the number-one challenge facing more productive teams? The answer is obvious. Here is the bot-
organizations in the years ahead is the ability to attract and retain tom line: If you hire ACEs for your team (and help existing employ-
talented employees. This is becoming more challenging due to the ees develop into ACEs) — your team will be successful!
aging demographics facing our nation.
Set Expectations: Define the Right Outcomes
So how do we become better managers? One tool we have is to The second key is to set expectations, which is to define the
learn and apply what research tells us. The Gallup organization has right outcomes. Great managers focus their people toward per-
been engaged in employee and management research for over 25 formance by defining the right outcomes. How do you define the
right outcomes? The 360-degree approach is one wise strategy.
Find out where your boss and the senior management want the
Studies Show: According to the research, organization to go, then determine how your team can help them
two important considerations of great managers are: get there. Coordinate with your peers, and find ways to partner.
Picking People: Select for Talent Solicit participation from your team members — their participation
leads to their buy-in and higher quality decisions. Once the right
Setting Expectations: Define the Right Outcomes
outcomes are defined, great managers then let each person find
his own route toward the outcomes, within specified parameters.
Great managers don’t micro-manage, but they do define steps to
years and has collected information from over one million employ-
ensure quality, safety and compliance with corporate policies and
ees and interviewed thousands of managers. Their studies have
applicable laws.
revealed to us what the world’s top performing managers do —
and it boils down to four major activities (best practices).
Great managers are aware of the concept of “stakeholder sym-
metry.” Stakeholder symmetry recognizes that an organization
Picking People: Select for Talent
has multiple stakeholders (e.g. investors, customers, employees,
The first key activity involves picking people well, focusing on
suppliers, community). The organization should try to add value
their talents. Talent has been defined as the “recurring pattern
to each stakeholder and maintain a reasonable balance between
of thought, feeling or behavior that can be productively applied.”
their competing interests.
Skills can be learned, knowledge can be gained, but talent is more
“hardwired” and tougher to teach.
None of us are perfect managers, but we can all get better! Good
luck as you continue on your path to being a better manager! a
One approach in looking for talented people for our teams is to
only hire “ACEs.” ACE is an acrostic where the “A” stands for Atti-
Wes Friesen, CMDSM, EMCM, MQC, ICP, CCM,CMA, CM, CFM,
tude. Look for people who have a positive attitude and who are
APP, PHR is the Manager of Revenue Collection & Community Of-
committed, teachable and care for people.
fices for Portland General Electric. Contact Wes.Friesen@pgn.com.
It’s no surprise that today we are awash in content and information like never before. Email, SMS, Internet, blogs, EDI, legacy
administrative systems, marketing content, direct mail, images, graphics and video. How do we store and manage all of this con-
tent, and how does it impact our daily operations? Not much? Think again; if the future of TransPromo holds any promise, it will be
one of rich media content delivered via our organizations’ operational processes.
The Postal Service launched the full-service Intelligent Mail bar- machines, but this process is certainly costlier and less reliable
code as expected on May 18. However, not all things went as than the IMBC process of validating those specific pieces that are
planned. For example, full-service ACS was not available (still isn’t kicked out of the automation path.
as this article is being written). There are other technical issues
outstanding as well, and PostalOne! has had its challenges keep- Yet another benefit of the IMBC to the USPS is the cost savings of
ing up with the demand from those early adopters that have processing mail. The savings start at the beginning, where today,
invested in being ready for full-service IMBC. the USPS employs folks to manually enter postage statements
into the system, which is very costly. With the IMBC, and espe-
So why doesn’t the Postal Service step back and come up with a cially with full-service, the e-documentation requirements elimi-
slower adoption curve so that all parties can better manage this nate the need for this manual typing.
Reminder: The overall IMBC program is massive in scale, and most of us anticipated that there
would be issues at the initial launch. Once the IMBC date was established by the Postal Service,
we’ve all been under pressure to comply. Even the Postal Service, as well as its contractors hired to
code PostalOne!, are working insane hours to meet the requirements.
program? I’m glad you asked! Actually, I’ll speculate, which is all To begin with and as noted above, the Postal Service views the
we can do, since they haven’t stated so directly. IMBC as a critical tool in meeting the Service Performance mea-
surement requirements of the PAEA as well as a critical tool in
Let’s begin with what the IMBC means to the Postal Service. reducing costs. Not much of a chance that the USPS will extend
First, you have the Service Performance Measurements that, the POSTNET life.
under the new postal law (PAEA) established in late 2006, require
the USPS to report on their service performance. The IMBC is the In addition, given that the USPS will have the IMBC and today has
tool that allows the USPS total visibility of the mail in the mail- the newly upgraded MERLIN system for validating Move Update
stream. There are arguments that they can use a hybrid system compliance, we certainly encourage mailers to ensure that they
of “planted mail” and the IMBC, but the best data can really only are being very diligent in meeting the requirements of the Move
come from use of the IMBC. Update compliance as well as good address hygiene in general.
Another benefit the IMBC has for the USPS is that it will act like The USPS has gotten very serious about this, and some mailers
its own report card on address quality for letters and flats. Today, are being visited by the postal inspectors verifying that Move
poorly addressed mail becomes part of the USPS’ Undeliver- Update compliance is taking place as claimed. It will be far better
able As Addressed (UAA) costs, which are paid for out of a gen- for all if mailers develop best practices in their address hygiene. In
eral operating cost of the USPS and not specifically by mailers the event of a visit by the postal inspectors, mailers should be able
(although we all pay for this in postage rates). However, with the to produce documentation outlining their workflow processes on
IMBC, the USPS will be able to determine the source of each compliance, and this could go a long way in preventing fees/penal-
piece of UAA mail. You may remember from previous articles that ties. To be clear, there are no guarantees, but a solid process, at
the Mailer ID that is contained in every IMBC will tell the USPS least, would be valuable if only to feel confident that mailers are
where that UAA mail came from. earning the best discounts and ensuring mail deliverability. a
If a mailer claimed postage discounts but the mail had to be manu- David Robinson has been active in the mailing industry for over
ally treated, the USPS will likely want to talk with that mailer, and eight years and is currently the Director of Address Quality for
one would guess that it’s a conversation that nobody wants to have. Pitney Bowes. Kevin Conti is Director of Mailing Solutions at Pit-
ney Bowes Software. He works in a consultative role with Group
It’s certainly true that there’s a means of the USPS checking for 1 Software customers to deploy software solutions that reduce
address quality (i.e., Move Update compliance) by using MERLIN mailing costs and improve customer communications.
Let me start out by saying: CAUTION CAUTION CAUTION. Apply- Ancillary Service Endorsement
ing an Ancillary Service Endorsement like RETURN SERVICE Mailers may use an ancillary service endorsement to
REQUESTED or ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED to the face of 1. request a hard-copy notification of the addressee’s new
your mailpiece may seem like an easy way to make your mailing address; and
Move Update-compliant. But it may also be the easy way for you 2. tell the Postal Service how to handle UAA mail.
to experience increased postage costs and expose your company
to what the USPS calls “Revenue Deficiency Assessments” and Mailers wishing to meet the Move Update standard while using
the rest of the industry refers to as postage penalties. an ancillary service endorsement must send at least one letter or
mailpiece to the address:
Murky Areas of Move Update 1. with an approved ancillary service endorsement at either
There are many in the mailing industry who believe all areas involv- a single-piece First-Class Mail price or via another class of
ing the entire issue of Move Update are murky at best. But, in my mail not subject to the Move Update standard and
opinion, the use of Ancillary Endorsements is most problematic 2. within 95 days prior to the use of the address in a discounted
because of its apparent simplicity. Mailers commonly believe that First-Class Mail or Standard Mail mailing.
if they print the endorsement on the mailpiece and pay the associ-
ated fees, if any are incurred, that they have met the Move Update Mailers must keep address-correction records for up to one year
standard. in case the Postal Service asks them for documentation showing
that they met the Move Update standard.
The use of endorsements is an approved method; however, it
is likely the most expensive, cumbersome and, potentially, risky • To complete the Move Update process, mailers who used
choice you can make. It is: the ancillary service endorsement must make the address
• expensive because of the postage fees associated with their changes before mailing to the address again.
application
• cumbersome because of the multiple steps involved in the Ancillary service endorsement requirements differ for First-Class
process and Mail and Standard Mail, as follows:
• risky because the improper use of Ancillary Endorsements
could still leave you Non-Compliant. First-Class Mail
• Return Service Requested
Frequently Misunderstood • Temp-Return Service Requested (First-Class Mail only)
Simply printing one of the Ancillary Service Endorsements on your • Change Service Requested
mailpiece and paying the fees does not meet the Move Update • Address Service Requested
standard. There are many more steps you must complete before
you can be sure your mail is meeting the standard and your com- Standard Mail
pany is safe from the possible financial penalties of non-compliance. • Return Service Requested.
• Change Service Requested.
• Address Service Requested
Straight from the Source: *See Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service,
Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®) 507.1.5 for more information.
According to USPS Publication 363, http://
Effective November 2008, the Postal Service required all
addresses on mailings that receive discounts for First-Class Mail®
ribbs.usps.gov/move_update/documents/ or Standard Mail® service, whether presorted or automation (or
carrier route, for Standard Mail), to undergo address correction
within 95 days of the mailing.
tech_guides/PUB363.pdf
Try and think of using Ancillary Service Endorsements to meet Real-Life Solution:
Move Update standards like drawing a circle with a marker.
correspondence “white” mail Those thinking about using a digitized incoming mail solution
would consider the following: reduction of costs, increased effi-
24% Interoffice mail ciency and improved security.
What a way to officially kick off the lazy, hazy, mail-filled days of the the rebates, the Postal Service is required to provide the Commis-
season! We learned last month that even the Postal Regulatory sion with relevant revenue and cost data.
Commission agrees that our planned “Summer Sale” program is
a terrific idea, unanimously endorsing our decision to provide a There has been a lot of discussion and interest in the mailing
30% rebate to eligible mailers on Standard Mail letters and flats industry for this proposal, and we appreciate your support. Almost
volumes above a mailer-specific threshold. 200 mailers signed up within the first few weeks we announced
the program, all agreeing to their threshold number, while continu-
As you know, the program is open to larger mailers able to meet ing to wait for PRC review and action. Mailers have until August 1
a volume of at least one million Standard Mail letters and flats to register to take advantage of the savings.
between October 1, 2007 and March 31, 2008. These thresh-
olds are designed to limit administrative costs while incenting Although mail service providers are not eligible for the Sale, cus-
increased volume sufficient to cover those costs and make use of tomers who use Mail Service Providers may qualify with adequate
excess capacity in the mail system. documentation of mailed volumes.
Mailers will receive their discounts in the form of rebates follow- We will closely monitor the program and analyze the results, not
ing the conclusion of the sale period. Within 15 days after crediting only in volume increase but interest and participation from our
mapping the
new document life cycle.
VIEW IT ANYWHERE: digital magazine, e-newsletter, website
INFORMATION ORGANIZED into easy-to-follow sections
NEWS AND PRODUCT RELEASES: never fall behind
LEARN ABOUT EVERYTHING microsites
A GROWING MULTIMEDIA: this is only a sampling; more is soon to come!
partners in the mailing industry. I strongly encourage you to take I do want to be clear, though, that any standards announced prior to
advantage of this program and use the savings to consider target- the National Postal Forum on May 18 will be fully implemented. Our
ing new customers or reaching out to thank existing customers purpose in making this announcement is to take away any uncer-
for their business in tough economic times. tainty or concern about new mailing standards requirements that
we might otherwise propose during the coming months. The only
These are extraordinarily difficult times for all of us, and we at the other exceptions would be any requirements under the law or the
Postal Service are committed to doing everything we can to help relocation of facilities that would require new labeling lists. We will
your business grow with the help of mail. That is one of the most work closely with our stakeholders and partners to be as clear as
important reasons we’ve also placed a moratorium on developing possible when we know this is about to happen.
or considering any new mailing standards requirements through
the end of November. For us, it’s a matter of making sure we do not propose any new
mailing requirements that place a burden or cost on mailers through
We know mailers have a lot on their plates right now, and we also at least November 29, when Intelligent Mail pricing takes effect.a
need to focus on implementing Intelligent Mail services. Eliminat-
ing the need to learn and understand new regulations makes life Steve Kearney is Senior Vice President, Customer Relations, for
a little easier for all of us. the U.S. Postal Service.
Strategic Purchasing
By Jason Lund and Paul Ringuette
A
ccording to the U.S. Department of Commerce, program, companies can set a fixed, monthly cost for acquiring
American businesses, nonprofits and government new variable data printing equipment. In addition, while paying
agencies invest more than $1 trillion in capital goods monthly installments for the equipment, companies can be using
and software each year. More than 55% of this that equipment to make a profit. Many mailing companies receive
investment is financed through loans, leases and income from a mix of regularly scheduled jobs, steady reoccurring
other financial instruments, according to a study undertaken for revenue and less-frequent projects. The ability to space out pay-
the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA). ments for new equipment can help mailing companies better align
costs with profits, which can fluctuate dramatically.
In today’s challenging economic climate, commercial printers and
mail houses are facing tight capital equipment budgets and cash Partnering with the Equipment Manufacturer
constraints. As a result, these companies are seeking financing Financing variable data printers through the manufacturer or a
options like leasing programs to secure new variable data printing manufacturer’s preferred equipment leasing partner can offer
technologies for addressing and personalization applications. benefits such as a quick, simple approval process, compared with
bank loans that may be restricted in an economic downturn. Banks
Financing Maximizes Cash Flow are not lending very aggressively in today’s volatile economy, so
Competitive rates and flexible payment options can enable com- manufacturers may offer alternative sources of capital if bank
panies to utilize operating budgets for incremental monthly pay- loans are not available for new equipment purchases.
ments on new equipment when capital equipment funding is not
available. Equipment manufacturers may offer financing programs Equipment leasing companies that partner with manufacturers
that allow companies to obtain 100% financing for the purchase may also offer competitive rates and wider credit windows, which
amount of new equipment, helping them keep bank credit lines are critical in a challenging economic environment. These compa-
open for other business expenses and even realize potential tax nies may have capital available to even fund start-up businesses,
advantages. which may have a more difficult time securing funding than com-
panies with established credit. Plus, equipment leasing firms
Leasing programs enable mailing companies to preserve cash specialize in financing capital equipment purchases, so they may
or capital, especially for unforeseen expenses. Through a leasing have experts available who can offer insight into the appropriate
1. The mail house or commercial printer expresses interest in financing options and fills out a credit application.
2. The financing company performs a credit check.
3. Once the credit check is approved, the financing company provides the financing package and payment
schedule to the mail house or printer.
4. The mail house or printer agrees to the financing package.
5. The financing company issues a purchase order to the variable data printer manufacturer.
6. The equipment manufacturer contacts the mail house or printer to schedule installation.
options enable companies to decide whether to continue using elor’s degree in business administration from Drake University in
the equipment or to upgrade to new equipment when the lease Des Moines, Iowa, and a master’s degree from the Darden School
ends, helping printers and mailers remain flexible with the printing of Business Administration, University of Virginia, in Charlottes-
equipment they have available to meet customers’ demands. Over ville, Virginia.
time, there are improvements to equipment technology, engineer-
ing and features. Leasing can enable mailing companies to con- Paul Ringuette is vice president of sales for Direct Capital Corpora-
tinuously upgrade equipment as lease terms end, enabling them tion, Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He is responsible for vision
to offer their customers the latest capabilities possible. Regularly and management of national strategic customer initiatives for a
upgrading technology can also be an advantage in an increasingly wide variety of finance programs. He has a degree in business
competitive marketplace. management from Salem State College in Salem, Massachusetts.
By Nick Kepf
IN
today’s difficult economic times, it is more See the Big Picture
important than ever to implement actions that What you measure and how you attribute value to that measure-
can improve productivity and efficiency. This is ment must be balanced. An emphasis on efficiency should not
especially true if there is little cost involved in come at the expense of quality. An emphasis on internal finances
implementation and there is a significant return should not come at the expense of on-time performance to the
on investment. If these actions can be done at little or no cost, customer.
then there should be no hesitation to put them into effect.
Creating a balanced scorecard is an effective tool to monitor the
Here are some no- to low-cost practices that can drive signifi- needs of all organizational stakeholders. A sample balanced score-
cant improvements in your mailing operation. If you outsource card might look like the following chart, which depicts which met-
your operations, check to see if your provider has put these into rics are important to each stakeholder:
effect. If not, there may be room for operational improvements
and lower costs. Customer Financial
Commit to Measuring External quality Unit cost/cost per piece
Measurement is an essential element of process improvement. On-time performance Machine utilization
You must measure your baseline to understand where improve-
ment is needed and to know if improvement efforts have worked Internal Associate
once attempted. Production management software or machine Labor productivity
reports can be used to measure system efficiency, operational
Turnover
Internal quality
efficiency and attainment to schedule. Quality errors should also Employee competency
be tracked and monitored for trends. Operational efficiency
Define what you want to measure. If your organization is to be This scorecard can be displayed in a common area of your opera-
driven by metrics, the metrics used must reflect the leadership’s tions so that it becomes a continuous reminder of how and why
vision and priorities — and ideally this, in turn, should reflect the your metrics should be balanced so as not to sacrifice one area
best outcome for your customer. Too often, organizations can get of value for another area. This provides a quick visual queue for
derailed by internally focused concentration. everyone to understand what the goals are for the organization.
Where to Standardize? Here are some quick ways to begin a visual management program:
For example, check the speed settings on your inserters. Chances • Mark staging areas at each machine.
are that the same or like jobs are run at different speeds by differ- • Establish an operational status board.
ent operators. Without standard speed settings, it is difficult to • Use lights or flags to denote machine status or attainment to
predict performance because the output from different machines goal at the machines.
running the same work will vary due to differences in machine • Use visual signals to replenish inventory kept on the produc-
cycle speeds selected or preferred by operators. tion floor.
Also, shift turnover procedures often lack standardization. Are all These practices will lead to efficiency gains now and can set a
of the necessary critical tasks being completed by each operator cultural tone to drive more improvements in the future. They can
every time? And if so, is the amount of idle time per machine at be implemented with little or no cost but need the drive and focus
each turnover consistent and within a set standard? of the leadership to be sustained and to be effective. Experience
shows the results attained are well worth the effort. a
Really See It
Lean Manufacturing is an approach to processing that systemati- Nick Kepf is the Director of Customer Productivity Solutions at
cally eliminates or minimizes waste. A facility incorporating Lean BÖWE BELL + HOWELL.
PUZZLE
Mailing
systems technology
By Jeff Stangle
IN
part one of this two-part series, we’ll uncover the
problem of Undeliverable As Addressed Mail, what the
United States Postal Service is doing about it and how
mailers can significantly reduce the costs associated with it.
Wrong! In fact, both the size and scope of the UAA mail problem
is increasing, and its related costs are also heading upward.
A Growing Problem
On average, each piece of return mail costs the mailer $3.00 in
operational expenses, including printing, postage, inbound han-
dling, analysis and re-mailing costs. It doesn’t include the cost of
missed marketing opportunities, uncollected receivables and lost
USPS discounts. Also, unless the mailer pays extra for a special
endorsement, undeliverable Standard Mail is destroyed by the
USPS. Finally, every mailpiece we print and mail has an environ-
mental impact, from the forests that supply the paper to the fossil
fuel used to deliver it. This creates even more costly waste from
UAA mail.
Since the USPS doesn’t typically return Standard Mail that is unde-
liverable, companies have no visibility into how much of this mail
is destroyed. The reality is that 6.4% of all USPS Standard Mail is
destroyed because it is undeliverable. Marketers frequently use
USPS Standard Mail to try out new lists. Since mail using bad
For both classes of mail, Move Update processing is now required up-to-date. To implement these best practices, mailers need to
more frequently — every 95 days instead of every 185 days as look beyond addressing products and examine the processes for
previously mandated. The USPS started enforcing these regula- address capture and maintenance they have in place.
tions in May of this year, and compliance is necessary to receive
postage discounts… so what should a mailer do? Addressing is a complicated process. Consider the many ways an
address becomes bad: data entry errors, customer and prospect
Going Beyond Addressing Tools moves, new data restrictions... Many mailers today are finding that
There are plenty of high-quality products and services that can they need an addressing expert to examine the process. Speak
help verify, cleanse and update addresses. Many mailers already with the USPS or a qualified postal consultant whose broad expe-
use addressing tools to clean addresses and meet postal regula- rience can be leveraged to determine the specific areas where
tions. Often, though, addressing tools are not used properly. Most a mailer’s operation needs help. Postal consulting experts have
mailers purchase address cleansing products to obtain postage access to many of the USPS-certified tools that can fix addresses,
discounts without understanding the difference between obtain- and their range of experience helps them optimize each tool to get
ing discounts on postage and correcting addresses. This explains the best fit.
why some mailers have three percent of their mail returned, while
others have less than 0.25% returned using the same address In part two of this series, we’ll learn about the three-step pro-
cleansing products. cess for solving the UAA mail problem and look at two real-world
examples of companies who got it right. a
Cleansing and maintaining addresses requires an addressing
process. A quality managed address services vendor who has Jeff Stangle, CMDSM, MQC, Six Sigma Black Belt, is Direc-
extensive experience in understanding this process and in-depth tor of Solutions Development, Mailstream Consulting, Pitney
knowledge of postal regulations can help. Bowes Management Services.
c a l m arket
Verti t
n d s i n direc
tre
009
mail 2 ulies
arg
a than M
By Jon
“Before, everyone knew how to read the market conditions. Now there’s no visibility
— it’s like we’re fighting through a fog. I don’t know if there is an end to this, or if
there are rocks out there that we still have yet to hit… That lack of visibility is our
biggest challenge.” — Zain Raj, Chief Executive Officer, Euro RSCG Discovery
The year 2008, in short, presented an extraordinary set of chal- Direct mail has seen its influence as a high-volume, mass-oriented
lenges to the practitioners and suppliers of direct mail marketing. response driver all but vanish. Skyrocketing costs have critically
wounded industries (including the catalog, credit card and not-for-
Unprecedented economic, political and even social forces con- profit sectors) that long depended on the mail as a source of new
verged to rewrite — at times radically — long-established rules revenue. And a supply chain whose fortunes were tied to mail’s con-
governing how customers are cultivated and profits are earned. tinuing primacy in the marketing mix has been greatly undermined,
Likewise, certain business models dependent on the mail for a with an assembly of newly shuttered production facilities standing
flow of prospects were dispatched as obsolete, often the victims as testament to the impact of that rapid upheaval.
of financial concerns far removed from the everyday issues of pack-
age design, postage rates and even return on investment. But while direct mail’s transformation has been grim for some, it
has also brought with it pockets of real (and, apparently, reason-
To mailer and supplier alike, the influences of the last 18 months able) growth opportunity. The demise of mass mailing, for example,
have brought about nothing short of complete transformation to a has opened the door for new approaches leveraging data for bet-
medium that had grown crisply and consistently for over a decade. ter targeting and additional dimensions of personalization. And the
Seeks Innovative “Start with structure and strategy. I look at it as a supply chain,”
Approach to USPS
he says. “If we are going to generate revenue, we must have a
demand chain to complement the supply chain.”
Marketing The Postal Service’s supply chain has various aspects, including
a geographic portion, a systems part and the functional parts
of the Postal Service, including retail, processing and delivery,
Bernstock explains. He has set up the departments under his
responsibility in the private-sector model, creating business
Will it work in this climate? units in Ground Shipping, Expedited, Marketing, Transaction and
Remittance, Special Services and International.
By Kate Muth
“The big change is that someone takes ownership of these,”
W
he says.
hat prompts a person to leave a success-
ful career in the private sector to head up Each unit has profit-and-loss responsibility, which feeds the own-
product development and marketing for the ership notion because people working in those units have a direct
U.S. Postal Service — the same USPS that stake in the success of their operations, he says. From this start-
is staring down a potential decline in mail ing point, he has begun to manage the channels, which include
volume of 22 billion pieces and a net loss of $6.5 billion this a reworking of the usps.com website and reorganization of the
year? sales force and the call centers. The idea is that all three channels
— usps.com, sales force and call centers — speak to each other.
For Robert “Bob” Bernstock, the Postal Service’s president of
mailing and shipping services, the answer seems to be that he Bernstock has set goals for the department that include launch-
enjoys a challenge. While there are plenty of challenges in the ing at least five new initiatives in the marketplace each year,
private sector these days, there really is no challenge quite like with a revenue target of $1 billion growth from new initiatives.
the USPS. With its odd mandate — operate like a business and He and his group have come up with a list of 16 significant
be self-supporting, yet provide a public service known as the revenue-generation initiatives, eight of which would require no
universal service obligation — it is unlike any business in a com- change in the current law, and the other eight would need some
petitive market. The current business model is broken, and it is minor modifications to the Postal Accountability and Enhance-
doubtful that postal volumes will ever return to their past glory. ment Act, he shares. The current framework of the USPS makes
But, should postal brass seek opportunities in areas beyond the it different from the private sector, providing limitations in some
USPS’ core business, they run up against the constraints of the ways but opportunities as well, Bernstock says.
current postal law.
Another way the Postal Service can be like the private sector,
What’s an aggressive and innovative marketer to do? Bern- Bernstock continues, is to tap its valuable partnership network,
stock, who has held leadership positions with Campbell Soup which includes mail service providers and other suppliers that
Co., Scott’s Miracle-Gro and Vlasic Foods, among others, has are out-selling mailing services every day. This partnership gives
Many in the service provider industry are encouraged by this Bernstock’s Chief of Staff Sha-
vision, although they warn that Bernstock needs to understand ron Daniel is well-known to the
that the Postal Service cannot regulate and operate in the same mailing industry, having served
space. Still, given the sometimes indifferent approach the as manager of mailing stan-
Postal Service has had to its partners in the past, the industry dards for two and a half years
welcomes a cooperative approach. before moving to her new posi-
tion. As the former chief rules-
“We are encouraged about the direction the Postal Service is writer for the Postal Service,
headed,” says John Campo, vice president of US postal relations Daniel knows the Domestic
for Pitney Bowes. “Pitney Bowes seeks to engage the Postal Ser- Mail Manual well, and she has
vice in partnership opportunities. By leveraging our rapid innova- heard complaints about its size
tion, we can work together to boost the entire mailing industry.” and scope. She says the USPS will never get the DMM
on an index card, and she makes no apologies for that.
While Bernstock is a seasoned veteran of business, the Postal
Service is a different beast in many ways. Outsiders who come “Consumers like things simple. Commercial mail-
to the Postal Service are often eyed with suspicion, both inter- ers like things complex so they can optimize,” Daniel
nally and externally. Longtime postal employees sometimes shares. “A thick DMM is not necessarily a bad thing.
cling to traditional ways of doing things or aren’t always sold Commercial mailers want options, and this means dif-
on a reorganization strategy. And in some cases, it’s with good ferent regulations.”
reason. Never far from postal minds are the early moves of an
outsider postmaster general, Marvin Runyon, whose immedi- The Postal Service, however, wants to know where
ate personnel “housecleaning” ended up costing the Postal rules or regulations get in customers’ way. This is where
Service dearly on the service side. change should occur, she says.
Commercial customers also can be skeptical of outsiders, “The DMM is a living document. We can change it when
given the large learning curve on postal issues and the oddi- rules no longer make sense, and we can change the
ties around the Postal Service’s unique mandate. Further, many rules to reflect new technology as well,” she shares.
stakeholders have seen the bureaucratic tendencies of a large
government organization wear down even the most energetic
and dynamic officer. the Postal Service make greater inroads in understanding their
businesses. This would help the USPS shape strategy and pur-
Bernstock’s decidedly private-sector approach — complete sue the most valuable ideas in a timely manner, industry lead-
with the management buzzwords of the day — at first can be ers say.
a bit off-putting, some customers and employees say. But mail-
ers and suppliers that have worked closely with Bernstock are As Franckowiak notes, “By understanding the mailer’s business
impressed with his vision. And more than a few postal employ- and potential needs better, the USPS would maximize oppor-
ees have said he brings a fresh approach and a well-needed kick tunities to move more quickly with initiatives while diminish-
in the pants to the organization. ing many of the misunderstandings around proposed changes,
whether technical or procedural.”
“I like the fresh perspective Bob brings to the Postal Service,”
says Joy Franckowiak, director of postal affairs and distribution On the idea of moving quickly, Bernstock would no doubt agree.
for ValPak. “While the Postal Accountability and Enhancement He wants an aggressive approach, and he makes no apologies
Act allows the Postal Service to be more innovative and cre- for that. “If we do nothing, we will be like the US auto industry,”
ative, it seems as though Bob has brought it to the forefront of Bernstock says. “We are moving with great urgency to prevent
the organization.” that from happening and to seize growth opportunities where
we can.” a
Still, results will speak loudest, and those appear to be some
ways off. The Postal Service has bled volume over the past Kate Muth is President of Muth Communications, a writing, edit-
year, and efforts to revive the patient are not easy in a tough ing and consulting firm. She has written on postal topics for the
economy. As for future ideas, the industry would like to see past 14 years. You can reach her at katemuth@comcast.net.
“Walk a mile in my shoes / Just out of the gate to realize a 90% readability rate or incur additional
walk a mile in my shoes / Before costs — big costs.
you abuse, criticize and accuse / Neither industry nor the USPS could describe our business as a
Then walk a mile in my shoes” “walk in the park” or a “cake walk” — especially not this past
year. According to Global Insight’s February 10th U.S. Economy
Report, they are starting to see some positive movement. It all
These lyrics are by Joe Smith; the performance by Elvis Presley
depends on how optimistic you are. “We see the various stimu-
was released June 23, 1970. These lyrics apply even today when
lus efforts flattening out GDP in the third quarter and promoting
I hear people say, “The United States Postal Service just doesn’t
modest growth in the fourth, with consumer spending picking up”
understand our business.” I heard that sentiment many times dur-
and a “combination of fiscal stimulus and the Fed’s and Treasury’s
ing the months of April, May and June at industry meetings and
efforts should revive the financial sector enough to at least stabi-
the National Postal Forum. I have felt the same way when trying
lize the economy in the second half of 2009 and promote some
to explain the impact just one “small” regulation or policy change
recovery during 2010.”
makes in costs to my clients, my company and our industry —
costs that have a huge impact in today’s business world.
We are all making very difficult decisions. Can those decisions
have less of a negative impact on both the USPS and the industry
I wonder if my May “Reality Check” had some impact resulting
if we each walk in the other’s shoes? Consider…
in the moratorium announced at the NPF calling for: no mailing
standard regulation changes the rest of this year (clarified that any
standard that USPS has already announced and has an upcoming “If I could be you, If you could
effective date before the end of November will take effect ). Back
to what I wrote in May — even the moratorium (that received be me / For just one hour, we
resounding applause) was confusing! could / Find a way. To get into
However, now that we have a status quo for requirements (at each other’s mind.” a
least as we head to print!), is the USPS listening, hearing and try-
ing to learn our business? The moratorium was a start. But some Wanda Senne is the National Director of Postal Development for
areas of the USPS are obviously not listening. I read a DMM Advi- World Marketing. She primarily focuses on establishing and main-
sory just this morning calling for a specific tolerance for barcode taining ongoing communications between the USPS and World
readability for the Intelligent Mail barcode imaged on mailpieces. Marketing and provides postal training programs for World Mar-
Similar to ramp-up experience with POSTNET barcode, many mail- keting and its clients. Contact Wanda by calling 770-431-2591 or
ers do not have history with the IM barcode. Yet they will be asked email wsenne@worldmarkinc.com.
A Mutual understanding?
Does the industry understand the USPS? Many of us think so. We attend
meetings, participate in workgroups discussing technical impacts and visit USPS
facilities. When was the last time a USPS employee actually spent time at
your business trying to understand what it is that you do and how you do it? I don’t
mean just walking through your operations areas. I mean actually sit down with you
and find out what it is you have to do to get a piece of mail to them. The shoes we
wear are not fuzzy pink slippers. They are combat boots!
I spent a couple of days at the National Postal Forum in mid-May as and development (see Cost Segment 17 of the Cost and Revenue
correspondent for this esteemed publication, and I was reminded Analysis). Compare that with Pitney Bowes, which spent just
of the buoyancy of this industry. I say “buoyancy” because it sug- more than $200 million on R&D in 2008 to “support technologies
gests both resilience and enthusiasm. Attendance was small at that enhance the customer experience,” the company told me.
this Forum, but despite the tough economy and the woeful postal
finances, most people I talked to expressed a determination to So, suppliers to the Postal Service act as its R&D force, which
help the Postal Service work its way back to profitability. spurs innovation and boosts the overall mailing industry. It’s an
industry, by the way, that employs close to nine million people.
Nowhere is this enthusiasm more evident than on the floor of I fully appreciate that the Postal Service’s worksharing program
the exhibit hall. About 130 exhibitors touted their wares at the has helped to spawn an industry of suppliers/providers/vendors.
Forum, including vendors of all shapes and sizes serving the full This is a good thing, too. The USPS’ worksharing program is the
spectrum of postal needs. I saw big automation equipment com- light years ahead of postal administrations in other countries.
panies with familiar names, but I also saw smaller companies or The worksharing program is a real form of market liberalization.
niche providers named after the company founder or the town But the mailing industry is hurt to some degree by the USPS’
the business got started in. No doubt the exhibitors would have lack of investment in research and development. For one thing,
preferred a much bigger crowd at NPF, but not one with whom I the Postal Service tends to seek solutions to operating hurdles
spoke complained. Instead, they put a positive spin on the smaller through regulatory means rather than technology ones. I’m think-
attendance, telling me it gave them time to talk to “decision-mak- ing specifically of the rule changes to digest-sized letter pieces
ers” rather than spending lots of time and energy on tire-kickers. (also known as slim jims) that are forcing mailers to make sig-
nificant changes to their operations and businesses. The USPS
I find a walk through the exhibit floor of the NPF to be uplifting, discovered that these types of mailpieces do not run well on the
and it’s not just because vendors can find the silver lining in any lettermail equipment, so it has changed the mail preparation rules.
cloud. It’s because the activity on that exhibit hall serves as a shin- A number of mailers have asked why the USPS didn’t more vigor-
ing example of the old entrepreneurial spirit that built this country. ously pursue technology solutions, especially since postal officials
Ask a Windowbook or a Walz Certified Mail Solutions or an ecoEn- encouraged slim jims after the huge increase in Standard Flats
velopes why they got in this business, and they’ll tell you that they prices two years ago.
found a better way to do something. Or spend some time at the
booths of industry giants such as Pitney Bowes, BÖWE BELL + Another problem is that the Postal Service doesn’t always seem
HOWELL, Siemens or Northrop Grumman, and you’ll hear discus- to appreciate the value of this partnership with its industry suppli-
sions about improving a customer’s process or making it more ers. One senses an underlying tension at times, where the Postal
efficient or less costly. Service sees suppliers and vendors as competitors, not partners.
Or, worse, the Postal Service sees them as a good place to fob
The companies that serve this industry are always looking for a off its own costs, despite the fact that cost shifts trickle down to
way to do something better, smarter, faster, cheaper. In many the customer anyway and ultimately result in less mail volume. a
ways, they serve as the research and development (R&D) arm
of the Postal Service. And that is a good thing. For a $70 billion Kate Muth is President of Muth Communications, a writing, edit-
organization, the Postal Service spends a tiny amount of money ing and consulting firm. She has written on postal topics for the
on R&D. In FY 2008, the USPS spent just $18 million on research past 14 years. You can reach her at katemuth@comcast.net.
The Solution:
The answer is for everyone to work together
because the ultimate goal is the same: a healthy, thriving
postal system. Finding ways to do something better, smarter or faster benefits “shared” customers (the
mailer). Let’s keep in mind, however, that it is often the supplier community spending the money to test or
launch a bold new idea. They need to experience rewards or there will be no reason to pursue innovation.
postal and sorting systems, scanners and software, backed by an award-winning service organization, has earned BÖWE BELL
+ HOWELL a reputation for innovation, reliability and quality.
Corporate
BBH corporate headquarters is located in Wheeling, Illinois, with field operations headquartered in Durham, North Carolina.
Manufacturing facilities are located in Durham; Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; and Wheeling, Illinois. Business Continuity and Prod-
uct Reconditioning Services are also housed in Bethlehem.
BBH Solutions
..
Inserting & Finishing
BÖWE BELL + HOWELL offers a complete line of inserting systems in all performance classes to guarantee the production of
printed documents safely, quickly and efficiently.
The modular design of our system components provides the flexibility to enable any size mailer to process multiple applications,
add functionality when needed and optimize their return on investment. BBH inserting systems range from simple to sophisti-
cated based on the degree of automation and intelligence required.
Sorting
BÖWE BELL + HOWELL letter and flats sorting platforms, including the new Criterion APEX, are widely used in the US and
in Europe to meet the application needs of presorters, private posts and government posts. Our sorting platforms are used to
process more than 30 million mailpieces every day.
Production Software
The BÖWE One software suite enables production mail companies to lower costs, increase the traceability and relevance of
customer communications, improve productivity and monitor and analyze the quality and integrity of production operations.
Vision Technologies
JETVision is a powerful solution that is among the world’s leading vision systems. JETVision is designed to lower costs, improve
productivity, satisfy postal requirements, collect data and monitor the quality and integrity of production operations. JETVision
is available in several different hardware configurations with a wide range of software offerings. The hardware configurations
are designed for easy integration with a production system, process or work area, and the software offerings are packaged to
address unique quality, integrity and productivity requirements.
BBH Services
BBH Services has set itself apart with unmatched knowledge, reach, reliability and infrastructure. Our comprehensive suite of
maintenance, training and support options accelerates ROI by integrating lead-edge technologies, robust performance analytics
and proven methodologies. We believe a highly integrated, strategic service partnership with continuous operational improve-
ment is the best foundation for achieving business success. By becoming an extension of your business dedicated to delivering
the highest levels of performance and value, we enable you to focus your resources on what matters most — moving your
business forward.
..
BÖWE BELL + HOWELL
3791 S. Alston Avenue
Durham, NC 27713
Phone: 800-220-3030
Web: www.bowebellhowell.com
Email: marketing@bowebellhowell.com
An authorized HP distribution partner for over three years, Collins Ink is one of a few ink companies being furnished new
45A cartridges, into which Collins’ brand inks are filled. In addition to supplying a variety of black inks to suit most application
parameters, Collins has developed many specialty inks for the direct mail market. Collins Ink provides spot color matching
capability in both Kodak Versamark and HP type inks. New bulk systems (Bulk Supply Stations) are available for providing HP
inks for large users at lower costs.
Collins has also established significant business supplying water-based, oil-based and solvent-based inks to printers utilizing
Xaar and Spectra drop on demand printheads. In addition, solvent-based inkjet inks are supplied to customers utilizing Domino
and Videojet CIJ technology.
In April 2009, Collins acquired Hexion Specialty Chemical’s UV Curable Inkjet and Optical disc coating business. Collins plans
to become the leader in UV inkjet technology and will improve, expand and aggressively promote the platforms in the graphic
arts and industrial market.
Collins has combined its research and development skills with very efficient manufacturing. This has allowed Collins to gain
market penetration through providing high-quality inks with value pricing and outstanding service.
Endicia’s PC and Mac service plans allow users to print postage and shipping labels for
all domestic and International mail classes that can be purchased at the Post Office retail
counter. Endicia’s functionality includes discounted Delivery Confirmation™ service, and
Signature Confirmation service, discounted Parcel Insurance, Stealth Postage, Internet
address verification and pre-filled customs forms. The service also allows you to check
and track the status of packages with Endicia from your computer or via your account on
the web. Endicia is integrated into over 60 third-party applications, helping to streamline
the process even further.
Endicia Amine
247 High Street Khechfe
Palo Alto CA 94301 General
Phone: 650-321-2640 x140
Web: www.endicia.com/vmst Manager
The Neopost Group continues to strive for mail process innovation, with more than 300
people working on future generations of systems, software, infrastructures and networks
linked to mail management. This combination of new product development, value-added
services and a nationwide network of dealers and direct sales team confirms Neopost’s
commitment to providing real mailing solutions and the highest level of customer service
in the industry.
Hasler
478 Wheelers Farms Road
Milford CT 06461
Phone: 800-995-2035 dennis
Web: www.haslerinc.com lestrange
President
& CEO
Today, Kern enjoys a global presence with a direct worldwide distribution through 15 sub-
sidiaries and over 60 distribution partners. Every Kern system is backed by our customer
success guarantee to deliver 10 years of production grade output when maintained under
a Kern full-service maintenance agreement. From premier high speed inserting systems
to complete Automated Document Factory Systems, Kern is a global leader in production
mail and document management solutions that is truly committed to helping customers
succeed.
Kern
3940 Gantz Road, Suite A
Grove City OH 43123
Phone: 614-317-2600 Dr. Thomas
Web: www.kerncan.com
Email: info@kerninc.com Brock
President
& CEO
KiRK-RUDY
Since 1967, Kirk-Rudy has innovated solutions for addressing and paper handling for the direct mail, printing, newspaper
and card industries. Because we engineer and manufacture our systems from end to end in our state-of-the-art Georgia
facility, we can control costs while delivering outstanding quality and performance. That means outstanding value for our
customers worldwide.
Kirk-Rudy offers cost-effective solutions that are exceptionally well-built, flexible and easy to operate and maintain. Our
global network of dealers offers a full range of modular Kirk-Rudy components, allowing you to create a custom system
that meets your needs precisely.
With thousands of systems installed worldwide, Kirk Rudy offers InkJet Addressing Systems that utilize the latest in Piezo
technology from Spectra as well as Thermal InkJet technology from HP.
Kirk Rudy’s wide selection of water-based, solvent, oil-based and UV Inks enables you to print on almost any substrate.
Hardware and software is developed in-house by our own team of engineers — this allows for exceptional support and
product enhancement capabilities.
Our Graphical User Interface is intuitive and easy to learn, reducing training costs.
Need spare parts? Because we machine everything in-house, Kirk Rudy is able to maintain a spare parts inventory on every
product ever sold.
Let Kirk Rudy design a custom solution that’s right for you!
KiRK-RUDY
125 Lorraine Parkway
Woodstock GA 30188
Phone: 770-427-4203
Web: www.kirkrudy.com
Melissa Data
22382 Avenida Empresa
Rancho Santa Margarita CA 92688
Phone: 800-MELISSA Raymond
Web: www.MelissaData.com melissa
Email: info@melissadata.com
Founder &
President
With new and refurbished machines and parts, supporting your business through expansion and change is easy. Adding
innovative products designed specifically for existing transport machines extends the life and functionality of your assets.
With outstanding customer service and a portfolio of cost-effective solutions, MidSouth enables mail processors to:
• Reduce operational costs and capital requirements
• Increase productivity and profitability
• Improve asset utilization
UPGRADES:
• Argosy Post Platinum OCR Software • Stacker Extensions
• Inkjet Printers • Wear Strip
• Barcode Reader
With MidSouth Technologies, you can customize, streamline and maintain your operations, giving you a competitive advan-
tage by adding innovative products designed specifically for existing machines.
MidSouth Technologies
1400 Virgil Anderson Drive
Drumright OK 74030
Phone: 918-352-8300
Web: www.midsouthtek.com
Email: sales@midsouthtek.com
NPI
3901 La Reunion Pkwy
Dallas TX 75212
Phone: 888-821-SORT
Web: www.npisorters.com
Email: sales@npisorters.com
The Neopost Group continues to strive for mail process innovation, with more than 300
people working on future generations of systems, software, infrastructures and networks
linked to mail management. This combination of new product development, value-added
services and a nationwide network of dealers and direct sales team confirms Neopost’s
commitment to providing real mailing solutions and the highest level of customer service
in the industry.
Neopost
478 Wheelers Farms Road
Milford CT 06461
Phone: 800-995-2035
dennis
Web: www.neopost.com lestrange
President
& CEO
Parascript
6899 Winchester Circle, Suite 200
Boulder CO 80301
Phone: 303-381-3100
Web: www.parascript.com
John Buck
Vice president
12 years of experience
in the mailing industry.
In his current role of
Vice President Research
and Product Strategy for
Satori Software, Inc.,
Randy is responsible
for ensuring that Satori
Software products meet
the needs of our current
and future customers.
In his former position of
vice president of research
and development, Randy
Satori Software led the development of
the company’s address
Satori Software produces industry-leading address management solutions for organiza- management solutions,
tions that collect, maintain and mail to contact lists. In fulfilling our mission to deliver an
including its bestselling
exceptional user experience, our CASS and PAVE-certified products set new standards
for ease-of-use and functionality. Our software removes the aggravation of deciphering Bulk Mailer series of
complex postal regulations, so customers increase overall address quality, increase deliv- products. Through his
erability and achieve the best possible postage rates. commitment to address
quality and extensive
Bulk Mailer: Desktop Mailing Preparation Software. Bulk Mailer features address cor-
knowledge of USPS rules,
rection and validation, postal presorting, de-duplication and Intelligent Mail barcode sup-
port. Timesaving innovations include our intuitive graphical interface, reusable templates regulations and offerings,
and Job Builder for automating repetitive tasks. Any organization that handles volume Satori Software delivers
mailings — publishers, mailing houses, print shops, educational institutions — benefits products that help mailers
from using Bulk Mailer. and direct marketers
achieve better results
MailRoom ToolKit: Integrated Address Management Solutions. MailRoom ToolKit
from mailing programs
products integrate address correction and presorting into databases, websites and other
workflow applications. Point-of-entry address verification, batch address correction and and initiatives. Randy has
regular change-of-address processing save time and maintain database integrity. Mail- a Bachelor of Science in
Room ToolKit products also include postal presorts. Based on .NET and COM technol- Computer Science from
ogy, MailRoom ToolKit products deliver more than address quality; they deliver tools that Western Washington
improve productivity, profitability and help create tighter customer relationships.
University.
Built-in Move Update Service. Satori Software products feature our real-time* Move
Update service. Once activated, customers may process address lists against the
48-month NCOALink dataset via a secure Internet connection anytime. There’s no waiting,
no manual import/export and no messy data merge.