3 Real-World Examples of Intelligent Mail
September 9, 2009 By Ethan Boldt, Editor-in-chief, Inside Direct Mail
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New postal regulations and prices are headed your way. Are you set and ultra-efficient with your mailing practices? If not, it's a sound idea to understand how to prepare for these new USPS rules regarding Intelligent Mail (both "Basic" and "Full-Service") and POSTNET barcodes.
On Aug. 18, Inside Direct Mail offered a webinar, Increase Your Mailing Efficiency and Reduce Your Costs—the Intelligent Mail Update.
Three pre-eminent experts on Intelligent Mail—Dave Lewis, director of strategic planning for TrackMyMail.com; Charles Howard, vice president of postology for Harte-Hanks; and Ty Taylor, manager of postal affairs for J.C. Penney—presented tested strategies for lowering your mailing costs and gathering rich data through IM implementation.
Here's a look at some real-world examples of what IM can do:
1. Big Drop for Clothing Retailer
A clothing retailer was set to mail an 800,000-piece campaign with a tight delivery window—prospects had to receive the mailing before the sales weekend. In order to make the window, the retailer was going to send the entire campaign First Class. Its mail vendor, however, suggested mailing as Standard mail in SCF drops—and the tracking component of IM proved it out.
2. The Mail Truck Crash!
A USPS truck crashed near Boston. Several thousand mail pieces out of the full load, many of them invoices, were destroyed. Thanks to mail tracking via the IM system, the marketer knew which pieces got delivered so it could reprint the others.
3. J.C. Penney Goes Full-Service IM
J.C. Penney wanted to update all of its internal tracking systems, so it set direction to achieve Full-Service IM status. Working with internal departments and external vendors (Harte-Hanks and the USPS), it trained its staff on the new technology.
Now, while an event is occurring, J.C. Penney enjoys almost real-time tracking. It can view campaign data by postal movement, and the information allows the retailer to shift marketing focus, if needed.
Other benefits include: Each mail piece now is unique for individual tracking; real estate on the mail piece is freed up because the new barcode takes up so little space; marketing now can be made aware of any early/late delivery issues that may impact sales; J.C. Penney now can plan around delivery issues; and it's in position to receive the Full-Service IM discount come Nov. 30, the USPS' start date for Full-Service IM rates.
On Aug. 18, Inside Direct Mail offered a webinar, Increase Your Mailing Efficiency and Reduce Your Costs—the Intelligent Mail Update.
Three pre-eminent experts on Intelligent Mail—Dave Lewis, director of strategic planning for TrackMyMail.com; Charles Howard, vice president of postology for Harte-Hanks; and Ty Taylor, manager of postal affairs for J.C. Penney—presented tested strategies for lowering your mailing costs and gathering rich data through IM implementation.
Here's a look at some real-world examples of what IM can do:
1. Big Drop for Clothing Retailer
A clothing retailer was set to mail an 800,000-piece campaign with a tight delivery window—prospects had to receive the mailing before the sales weekend. In order to make the window, the retailer was going to send the entire campaign First Class. Its mail vendor, however, suggested mailing as Standard mail in SCF drops—and the tracking component of IM proved it out.
2. The Mail Truck Crash!
A USPS truck crashed near Boston. Several thousand mail pieces out of the full load, many of them invoices, were destroyed. Thanks to mail tracking via the IM system, the marketer knew which pieces got delivered so it could reprint the others.
3. J.C. Penney Goes Full-Service IM
J.C. Penney wanted to update all of its internal tracking systems, so it set direction to achieve Full-Service IM status. Working with internal departments and external vendors (Harte-Hanks and the USPS), it trained its staff on the new technology.
Now, while an event is occurring, J.C. Penney enjoys almost real-time tracking. It can view campaign data by postal movement, and the information allows the retailer to shift marketing focus, if needed.
Other benefits include: Each mail piece now is unique for individual tracking; real estate on the mail piece is freed up because the new barcode takes up so little space; marketing now can be made aware of any early/late delivery issues that may impact sales; J.C. Penney now can plan around delivery issues; and it's in position to receive the Full-Service IM discount come Nov. 30, the USPS' start date for Full-Service IM rates.
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