MAILCOM Las Vegas. October 2-4, Session: Everything You Need to Know About Postage

Transcription

1 MAILCOM Las Vegas October 2-4, 2017 CRS#: PM413 Session: Everything You Need to Know About Postage Day/Date: Wednesday, October 4, 2017 Round/Time: Round Eleven: 1:30-2:30 PM Presented By: Christine Erna, Director of Postal Affairs Novitex Enterprise Solutions (Now Part of Exela Technologies) Mark Rheaume, Postal Solutions Architect Novitex Enterprise Solutions (Now Part of Exela Technologies) Please be courteous to others and turn all communication devices to silent mode

2 Ge#ng Started Agenda Classes and categories of mail How to qualify for discounted mail prices Resources to help you prepare your mail How to design a mail piece How to obtain an address list Choosing the best postage payment method

3 Types of Mail First- Class Mail Maximum of 13 ounces Bill or credit card Handwri?en le?er (max. 3.5 oz.) Invoice or statement of account Personal correspondence Presorted and automahon rates available USPS Service Standard 1-3 days

4 Types of Mail Marke;ng (Formerly Standard) Mail AdverHsement Catalogs or newsle?ers Circulars or flyers Small parcels Nonprofit rates available Presorted and automahon rates available USPS Service Standard 7 to 10 days Less than 16 ounces

5 What is Discounted Mail? Larger quanhhes of mail prepared for mailing at reduced postage prices/rates if prepared according to USPS guidelines Primarily consists of First- Class Mail and MarkeHng (Formerly Standard) Mail but is available for other classes of mail as well *Note: US Postal Service uses Discounted and Presorted interchangeably

6 Postage Discount Requirements Proper Mail Piece Design Address StandardizaHon & ValidaHon CASS (Coding Accuracy Support System) DPV (Delivery Point ValidaHon) LACS (Locatable Address CorrecHon System) Move Update Compliance Ancillary Service Endorsements Address Change Service (ACS) OneCode ACS NCOA Link (NaHonal Change of Address) FASTforward Barcode - Achieves deepest discounts IMb (Intelligent Mail Barcode) Presort

7 Is Discounted Mail Right For You? Discounted (Presorted) mail prices/rates Less than full single piece prices Offered to mailers who presort their mail Mailers who perform work normally done by U.S. Postal Service This is called work sharing BoOom line YOU SAVE MONEY!

8 US Postal Service Let them know who you are! Obtain Customer RegistraHon ID (CRID) Obtain Mailer ID (MID) Access the Business Customer Gateway and set up funchon management, Business Services Administrator (BSA), etc. **UHlize your local Mail piece Design Analyst for both Gateway help and mail piece, tray, and container barcode teshng

9 Evolu;on of the Intelligent Mail Barcode The IMb

10 Evolu;on of the Intelligent Mail Barcode WAS THIS NOW THIS

11 The Intelligent Barcode Elements Barcode ID 00 LeOers Mailer ID (MID) 9- digit Barcode ID (2N) Service Type ID (3N) Mailer ID (9N) Serial Number (6N) Routing Code ZIP Code (0, 5,9, or 11N) Service Type ID (STID) 300 First- Class Basic No Services Serial Number All Zeros Or Rou;ng Code Delivery Point

12 Where the IMb Data Comes From Must populate every field correctly! Barcode ID Service Type Mailer ID Serial Number Rou;ng Code Presort Software (Rarely used except by USPS) Mail Owner Mail Owner or Mail Preparer Mail Owner or Mail Preparer CASS / MASS / DPV / LACS Link software

13 How To Mail At Discounted Rates Pay postage with precanceled stamps, meter imprint or permit imprint Consider size, shape and weight Ensure accurate addresses Presort mail pieces (sort by ZIP Code and proper schemes) Mail at post office where you hold permit

14 Mailing Permit: Permission To Mail Mailing Permit AuthorizaHon to use a certain postage payment method for bulk and discounted mailings No applicahon fee to mail with precanceled stamps or meter $ applicahon fee for permit imprint $ annual presort mailing fee

15 Minimum Quan;;es for a Discounted Mailing 500 pieces for First- Class Mail 200 pieces (or 50 pounds of mail) for MarkeHng Mail 50 pieces for Parcel Post 300 pieces for Presorted or Carrier Route Bound Printed Ma?er 300 pieces for Presorted Library Mail 300 pieces for Presorted Media Mail

16 Methods of Postage Payment Precanceled Stamps Special stamps available in specific denominahons for Presorted First- Class Mail and MarkeHng (Formerly Standard) Mail *Note: Only one (1) pre- canceled stamp may be affixed to each mail piece

17 Methods of Postage Payment Postage Meter Prints postage directly on mail piece (or meter tape) Meter size varies by need

18 Methods of Postage Payment Permit Imprint Most popular and convenient way to pay postage Postage informahon printed in upper right corner of mail piece Postage block = "indicia"

19 Methods of Postage Payment Permit Imprint Set up postage account at Post Office Postage deducted from account

20 Mail piece Characteris;cs Size and Shape The Postal Service separates mail into four shape/size categories: Cards LeOers Large envelopes or "flats" Parcels Different rates and preparahon standards for each QuesHons directed to Business Mail Entry staff or a Mail Piece Design Analyst (MDA)

21 Classifica;on Categories of Mail Machinable Nonmachinable AutomaHon

22 Address Accuracy

23 Address Accuracy Why bother checking the accuracy of your address list? Here is the math: 17% of Americans move annually 43 Million people move yearly 1 out of every 6 families move yearly Address lists bought/rented must be checked to ensure they are correct or the math tells you that your money is wasted

24 Address Accuracy For Presorted MarkeHng (Formerly Standard) Mail and First- Class Mail rates, NCOA processing must be performed within the last 6 months For Presorted MarkeHng (Formerly Standard) Mail and First- Class Mail rates, CASS processing must be performed within the last 3 months When you complete and sign a postage statement you cerhfy your mailing qualifies for the rates claimed Move Update mandate must be sahsfied for all discounted mailings There are many ways to sahsfy this requirement (NCOA is one of them) but you must be able to prove that you have used one of them within 95 days of the mailing date.

25 Address Accuracy Address Quality Choices NCOALink NaHonal Change of Address Updates addresses with change- of- address informahon filed with the Post Office

26 Mail Prepara;on Prepping Your Mail Supplies PresorHng your le?er mail Prepare containers (trays/sacks) Prepare postage statement Drop off your business mail

27 Mail Prepara;on Presor;ng Your LeOer Mail Containers of LeOer Mail Grouping by ZIP Code For assistance, contact presort bureau and/or le?er shop Trays must be sleeved and strapped Affix correct label to each tray Secure each tray with a single strap around it s length

28 Mail Prepara;on Postage Statement Documents the number of pieces in your mailing and the postage you are paying Includes spaces for your company name and permit number All unshaded sechons must be completed by mailer Electronic formats available and required for Full Service mailers

29 Mail Prepara;on Where to Drop Your Business Mail Local Post Office - h?ps://tools.usps.com/go/polocatorachon.achon Business Mail Entry Unit (BMEU) Locate a BMEU - h?ps://ribbs.usps.gov/locators/find- bme.cfm *Note: You MUST NOT give presorted or permit imprint mail to a le?er carrier or deposit in a collechon box

30 Mail Prepara;on What to Take to the Post Office Signed and dated postage statement(s) SupporHng documentahon Check or cash to cover addihonal postage A check for your annual mailing fee *Note: A meter strip may be affixed to postage statement to pay for the addihonal postage

31 Mail Acceptance (Not EX- CEPTANCE) What Happens at the Post Office Eligibility of contents Markings and endorsements SortaHon Postage payment

32 Checklist Decide on a class of mail Create your mail piece Obtain an address list Check the accuracy of your address list Address your mail Choose a postage payment method Obtain a mailing permit Pay an annual mailing fee Pick up supplies Sort your mail

33 Authorized Meter Providers NEOPOST INC 478 WHEELERS FARMS RD MILFORD CT DATA- PAC MAILING SYSTEMS CORP 1217 BAY RD WEBSTER NY pac.com PITNEY BOWES INC 1 ELMCROFT RD STAMFORD CT FRANCOTYP- POSTALIA INC 140 N MITCHELL CT STE 200 ADDISON IL HASLER INC 478 WHEELERS FARMS RD MILFORD CT

34 QuesHons and Answers? Thank you! Chris/ne J. Erna, Six Sigma Greenbelt Director, Postal Affairs Novitex Enterprise Solu5ons Mark Rheaume Postal Solu/ons Architect Novitex Enterprise Solu5ons