CCM AND THE FUTURE OF INKJET.
PAGE 8 A SUGGESTED TO-DO LIST FOR THE NEW PMG.
PAGE 10 WHY THE MAILBOX STILL MATTERS.
PAGE 18
Inbound Matters: Rethinking Package Management in the Modern Workplace
In the world of shipping, outbound operations often take center stage. But what about the thousands of packages coming into your organization each month? Whether it’s time-sensitive documents, IT equipment, or critical supplies, every inbound package represents a need, a risk, or a potential disruption.
Modern organizations are realizing that managing inbound logistics is just as important as outbound — especially in environments where time, space, and security are limited. Fortunately, new technologies like inbound package tracking and smart lockers from Pitney Bowes are transforming how inbound deliveries are managed, delivering real value in many ways.
Operational Efficiency: Streamlining the Process Manual inbound workflows are often slow and prone to errors. Packages are logged by hand, if at all, and sit in the mailroom awaiting pickup for hours or even days. This often leads to delivery delays, misplaced items, and extra labor.
With inbound package tracking software, every item is scanned, assigned, and logged upon arrival. Smart lockers allow secure, unattended pickup at the recipient’s convenience without tying up mailroom staff or cluttering up shared spaces.
The outcome? Packages reach recipients faster, allowing your team to focus on more critical tasks.
Risk Mitigation: Protecting what comes in Inbound packages often contain high-value or confidential materials. Without visibility, they can be lost, delayed, or mishandled.
With inbound package tracking and smart lockers, every hand-off is documented. Barcode scans, alerts, and digital signatures ensure accountability and even help support regulatory compliance.
The outcome? Greater visibility, fewer lost items, and stronger chain-of-custody protection.
Employee Experience: Frictionless Package Pickup
In hybrid work environments, expecting employees to wait for deliveries or chase down mailroom staff doesn’t work. Instead, smart lockers and mobile alerts create a self-service experience — packages are ready when employees are.
The outcome? Greater satisfaction and productivity, especially when work depends on timely deliveries.
Cost Management: Doing More with Less Space and Time Manual mailrooms can be costly. Staff spend hours tracking packages, following up on missed pickups, and managing overcrowded storage.
Inbound automation helps reduce labor, speed up package turnover, and optimize space. Plus, analytics offer insight into delivery patterns for better planning allowing for smarter scheduling and resource planning.
The outcome? Time and cost savings that can be redirected toward growth and innovation.
Bottom line: It’s time to rethink your inbound package management As organizations and workplace dynamics evolve, so must the systems that support them. Inbound package tracking and contactless delivery solutions like PitneyTrack® and ParcelPoint™ Smart Lockers are no longer “nice to have” — they’re essential for driving efficiency, savings, and employee satisfaction in the modern workplace.
When it comes to logistics, what comes in is just as important as what goes out. Pitney Bowes can help you modernize your operation.
Scan here to learn more or visit us at pitneybowes.com/ software to get in touch.
VOLUME 38, ISSUE 5
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Rachel Chapman rachel@rbpub.com
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LOOKING FORWARD TO A GREAT SHOW!
BY AMANDA ARMENDARIZ
This year’s PRINTING United show is going to be fantastic, and I love putting together show issues, like this one, even more than I enjoy putting together regular issues, because it’s such a treat to cultivate an issue that will be read and enjoyed by so many industry professionals in one place. It’s also a great opportunity to show what attendees can expect from this year’s Expo, so I hope the following pages give you a glimpse into the types of discussions that will be going on at PRINTING United, both in the educational sessions and on the show floor. As a reminder, if you haven’t already registered, you can do so at PRINTINGUnited.com.
Shows like this are so important because they are such a fantastic opportunity to network with fellow professionals and discuss pressing industry matters. Especially for those of us in the print/mail industry, it can be kind of depressing to constantly hear from the
general media and the public that mail is dead, volumes are declining, the USPS is unsustainable, and so forth. And while some of that is certainly true (volumes will never be what they used to be, and mailers are bemoaning multiple rate increases per year as the USPS fights to balance its budget), the fact remains that mail does work and it is a valuable communications piece. It’s so refreshing to spend time networking with people who understand the value of this medium, and that is possibly what I’m looking forward to most about this year’s show. I hope to see you there, and I’d love to discuss our wonderful, frustrating, creative industry happenings with you!
As always, thanks for reading Mailing Systems Technology.
LEADING BY CONNECTING: THE POWER OF RELATIONAL LEADERSHIP!
BY WES FRIESEN
In today’s fast-paced and ever-evolving world often filled with negativity and divisiveness, the concept of “leading by connecting” is very appealing. This modern leadership style emphasizes the importance of building genuine relationships with team members, fostering a sense of community, and creating an environment where everyone feels valued and heard. We universally crave connections with others with whom we work. Dr. Dean Ornish explains, “The need for connection and community is primal, as fundamental as the need for air, water, and food.”
There are proven benefits to leading by connecting, including:
Increased Employee Engagement and Motivation: Team members who feel connected to us as leaders are more likely to feel engaged and motivated. They will take the initiative, contribute their ideas, and be committed to the team’s goals.
Stronger Team Culture. Leading by connecting cultivates a sense of belonging and unity and supportive culture where people lift each other up. We create a positive environment and powerful sense of community.
Enhance Trust and Loyalty. When we take the time to connect with our team members on a personal level, it builds trust and loyalty. Our team members are more likely to go the extra mile when they feel we genuinely care about their well-being and their personal success and growth.
Improved Communication and Collaboration. By connecting with our team members, we create a safe place for ideas and feedback to flow freely. This supports collaboration and working together to pursue our common goals.
Positive Effects to the Bottom Line. Connection is proven to build engagement, and one study by Harvard’s Shawn Achor (referenced in The Happiness Advantage) found that engagement at work raises sales by 37%, productivity by 31%, and accuracy in tasks by 19%. Having connected and engaged teams benefits employees, customers, and the organization’s owners.
How To Lead by Connecting
1. Commit to connect and be a relational leader. The starting place for being an improved relational leader and leading well by connection is to make a conscious choice to do so. Do you really want to connect even better? If yes, the following principles will give ideas to consider.
2. Develop a genuine interest and care for others. We are all human and do not live in a vacuum. Atul Gawande wrote, “Human beings are social creatures. We are social not just in the trivial sense that we like company, and not just in the obvious sense that we depend on others. We are social in a more elemental way: simply to exist as a normal human being requires interaction with other people.” As we value our team members as fellow humans we can take the time to get to know them on a
personal level (within reasonable boundaries). We can ask about interests, hobbies, vacations, and aspirations. The idea is to show that we care about them as individuals, not just as employees.
3. Be approachable, accessible, and authentic. We can make ourselves available to our team. Encouraging people to schedule time to touch base and keeping margins in our schedules can help. In addition, having regular check-ins ensure we are keeping in touch and helps our team members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and concerns. We can also be vulnerable and authentic by sharing our experiences, admitting our mistakes, and being humble about our shortcomings. Authenticity humanizes us as leaders and encourages others to do the same.
4. Be a good listener. Rachel Naomi Remen advises that, “The most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen. Just listen. Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is our attention… A loving silence often has far more power to heal and to connect than the most well-intentioned words.” I like the practical advice from Dale Carnegie (author of the classic How to Win Friends and Influence People) who said, “You can make more friends in two weeks by becoming a good listener than you can in two years trying to get other people interested in you.” Practical tips to be a good listener include making eye contact, asking clarifying questions, repeating the key thoughts shared to make sure we understand, and embracing the next principle.
5. Be present and engaged. We can work at being present in our conversations (engaged, interested, paying attention, asking questions) keeping in mind the concept that “attention is the oxygen of relationships.” To do this, we need to avoid the distractions that try to get our attention (e.g., phones, screens, thinking about our next task to-do). We can strive to make people feel that when we are communicating with them they are the most important thing in the world at that moment. I sometimes struggle with this; how are you doing?
6. Connect regularly. Maintaining multiple work connections takes time and energy, but it’s worth it. We can connect with our team members via one-onones, both regularly scheduled and on an ad-hoc basis. We can get out of our
offices and practice the MBWA (Management by Walking Around) philosophy when working in physical work locations. And when working virtually, we need to intentionally have screen time with our team members. Having group meetings and gatherings offers added opportunities to connect with people.
7. Create psychological safety. As aspiring relational leaders, we can embrace and model psychological safety. Amy Edmondson from Harvard University is considered the world’s leading expert on psychological safety. She describes psychology safety as a “climate in which people are comfortable expressing and being themselves. People feel comfortable sharing concerns and mistakes without fear of embarrassment or retribution. They are confident that they can speak up safely... they know they can ask questions when they are unsure about something. They tend to trust and respect their colleagues.”
8. Express appreciation and celebrate achievements. It means a lot to our team members when we take the time to recognize and celebrate individual and team achievements. This helps boost
morale and performance and reinforces the positive work environment we want. Leadership guru John Maxwell spoke to this when he wrote, “People feel better and do better when you give them attention, affirmation, and appreciation.”
9. Create memorable moments. Few things bond people like a shared memory. Recently my wife and I took our 10-yearold granddaughter on a three-day trip to Disneyland. We created memories that will last a lifetime! In the workplace, we can intentionally look for opportunities to create memorable experiences that people will remember and lead to greater cohesion on the team. Over the years, my teams and I enjoyed a range of special times together such as fun experiences (e.g., miniature golf, bowling, movie watching, play days), food (e.g., meals, treats like ice cream), and celebrations of individual and team accomplishments.
10. Add value to people and help others. We can give our time, knowledge, and resources to help and add value to people around us. Giving of ourselves is the ultimate win-win that helps both the receiver and the giver. Winston Churchill
said, “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” Anne Frank reminds us that, “No one has ever become poor by giving.” I like the analogy of being a river, not a reservoir (i.e., passing along what we have received and not hoarding for ourselves).
Concluding thoughts: I appreciate Brene Brown’s definition of connection: “I define connection as the energy that exits between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgement; and when they drive sustenance and strength from the relationship.” Ultimately, success is not built alone — it’s built together, one connection at a time.
Wes Friesen (MBA, EMCM, CMDSM, MCOM, MDC, OSPC, CCE, CBF, CBA, ICP, CMA, CFM, CM, APP, PHR, CTP) is a proven leader and developer of high-performing teams and has extensive experience in both the corporate and non-profit worlds. His book, Your Team Can Soar!, has 42 valuable lessons that will inspire you and give you practical pointers to help you — and your team — soar to new heights of performance. Wes can be contacted at wesmfriesen@gmail.com or at 971.806.0812.
CCM AND THE FUTURE OF INKJET: WHY IT MATTERS AND WHAT’S NEXT
BY KAREN KIMERER
n today’s landscape of instant gratification and personalized experiences, customer communications management (CCM) isn’t just about mailing a bill or statement; it’s a strategic function that defines the customer relationship. And while digital channels dominate the conversation, print, particularly inkjet, is proving to be a linchpin for effective, efficient, and engaging communication strategies.
As brands strive to deliver highimpact communications across multiple channels, inkjet technology is transforming from a production workhorse into a CCM differentiator. With new innovations on the horizon, inkjet’s evolution is only accelerating.
This article explores why inkjet technology should play a central role in any CCM strategy and highlights the key benefits it offers for customer communications, including the ability for large-scale personalization and improved sustainability. Additionally, we discuss the latest technologies that are emerging in the inkjet market, what to expect in the coming years, and why now is the perfect time to embrace inkjet technology as both a strategic asset and a competitive advantage.
The Role of Inkjet in a Modern CCM Strategy
CCM involves every touchpoint and channel that companies use to communicate with their customers, including transactional statements, personalized offers, service notifications, and compliance documents. Recent data from Keypoint Intelligence shows that these interactions are increasingly multi-channel.
As shown in the chart on the next page, email, direct mail, and mobile apps are the channels that organizations use most frequently for customer communications. This highlights the ongoing importance of print, especially in highly regulated industries such as financial services, healthcare, insurance, and government. Print offers a secure, compliant, and traceable communication channel, and these components are critical in industries where privacy, accuracy, and legal accountability matter. Still, not all print is effective. A CCM strategy that is focused on relevance requires excellent timing and efficiency, and inkjet technology offers unmatched advantages in this area. By using data, automation, and personalized messaging, CCM service providers can demonstrate how print enhances customer engagement, builds brand trust, and complements digital communication channels. This approach aligns perfectly with CCM strategies aimed at improving the customer experience and prompting action. Whether it’s a personalized financial statement with custom messaging or a healthcare document detailing tailored benefits, inkjet technology enables the generation of dynamic content without the need for manual pre-sorting or batching.
From Bottlenecks to Breakthroughs
Inkjet eliminates many of the prepress and post-processing bottlenecks of legacy systems. With advancements in inline finishing, auto color calibration, and intelligent job onboarding, today’s businesses can streamline workflows, reduce errors, and accelerate time to
mail. This is especially critical for timesensitive documents like regulatory notices or past-due statements.
Keypoint Intelligence forecasts a continued shift toward production inkjet due to these workflow advantages. In its US On Demand Printing and Publishing Forecast for 2025-2029, Keypoint Intelligence notes that large production environments are increasingly consolidating their print volumes to highspeed inkjet for operational simplicity and cost-effectiveness.
The Inkjet Technology Horizon: What’s Next?
While inkjet has already transformed how we think about transactional and transpromotional print, the next few years promise even greater opportunity and value for organizations that continue to leverage print in their CCM strategies. These advancements are not just enhancing production capabilities; they’re redefining business models and opening up new market opportunities. With major original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) poised to showcase these innovations at events like PRINTING United 2025, here’s a look at the breakthroughs you can expect.
More Intelligent, More Automated Workflows
Inkjet devices are rapidly evolving into intelligent production platforms. No longer just output engines, they’re becoming fully integrated systems embedded within broader workflow ecosystems. Advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are driving automation in job setup, media selection, color profiling, and even finishing. Print quality diagnostics and predictive maintenance are becoming automated, reducing operator intervention, minimizing errors, and freeing up labor.
Remote monitoring, load balancing across devices, and real-time performance analytics are also on the rise, enabling smarter decisions and lower operational costs. AI-powered RIPs and production management tools are enhancing everything from throughput to ink efficiency, helping operations scale more profitably.
Expansion of Media Versatility and Finishing Capabilities
One of the most exciting frontiers in inkjet is expanded media handling. New drying systems and ink formulations enable
Figure 1: Types of Communication Channels
inkjet presses to print on coated papers, heavier stocks, and even synthetic substrates without compromising speed or quality. This has significant implications for CCM applications like personalized brochures, customer booklets, and highend direct mail.
In addition, wider print widths increase productivity (more pages/impressions per pass) and allow for efficient use of larger paper sheets or rolls, which may reduce cost per print. In facilities where “two-up” printing is essential (i.e., printing two A4/letter sheets side by side), these wider platforms deliver labor and substrate savings.
We’re also seeing broader adoption of inline finishing systems, folding, perforating, booklet-making, and inserting executed in a single-pass production. This consolidation reduces handoffs, increases throughput, and lowers risk, particularly in high-integrity transactional environments.
Specialty applications are gaining traction as well. UV fluorescent and security inks are in development to create anti-counterfeit features in critical documents. All the while, OEMs are exploring new inks that visually and/or physically replicate texture materials for creative short-run applications.
Cut-Sheet Inkjet Reaches a New Maturity
The inkjet market, traditionally dominated by roll-fed systems, is experiencing a significant increase in advanced cutsheet platforms. These new presses are particularly well-suited for decentralized operations, short-run jobs, and environments where flexibility and quick turnaround times are essential.
This shift is driven by changing customer expectations for agility, customization, and sustainability. As a result, commercial printers, in-plants, and corporate entities are increasingly adopting cut-sheet solutions to complement their roll-fed production. The latest models offer faster print speeds, improved registration, and image quality comparable to offset printing, yet still maintain a compact size.
Energy Efficiency and Eco-Innovation
Sustainability is no longer optional when it comes to print; it’s imperative. Inkjet is leading the charge with lower energy consumption, water-based inks, and less waste compared to analog or toner technologies.
As we move into the future, expect to see announcements that include larger ink tanks and enhanced printhead protection to improve efficiency and reduce misuse that causes material waste over time. In addition to aligning with environmental goals, these improvements contribute to long-term cost savings.
Upgradable Platforms and FutureProof Investments
Another trend is that many of today’s inkjet platforms are being designed with future upgrades in mind. This approach offers better long-term return on investment (ROI) for buyers and allows for the scaling of production capabilities without the need to replace existing equipment. Vendors will likely introduce upgrade options that include speed enhancements, improved usability, and workflow automation that incorporates AI integration.
The Strategic Shift: From Print Service to Communication Partner
Perhaps the most critical development lies outside of technology and enhanced features. As organizations of all sizes invest in customer journey mapping and lifecycle communications, they’re seeking partners that can deliver measurable value, not just printed output. Inkjet enables print and mail providers to reposition themselves as CCM enablers. By leveraging data, automation, and personalized messaging, print service providers (PSPs) can demonstrate how print drives engagement, reinforces brand trust, and complements digital channels.
The Bottom Line:Today’s CCM Catalyst
In today’s world, customer expectations are higher, attention spans are shorter, and compliance demands are increasing. As a result, organizations can no longer rely on outdated communication processes. They need a platform that’s fast, flexible, intelligent, and designed for personalization at scale.
Inkjet is no longer a niche or emerging technology; it’s at the heart of customer communications transformation. The real question isn’t whether inkjet fits into your CCM strategy — it’s whether you’re ready to harness its full potential as the engine that drives meaningful, measurable customer connections.
Karen Kimerer of Keypoint Intelligence has experienced the many challenges of expanding current market opportunities and securing new business. She has developed a systematic approach to these opportunities, addressing the unique requirements of becoming a leader in our changing industry.
A SUGGESTED TO-DO LIST FOR THE NEW PMG
BY LEO RAYMOND
Shortly before David Steiner became Postmaster General, there was predictable speculation about what he will do and how he’ll make his mark on the Postal Service — for better or worse. As might be expected, there were a lot of suggestions being advanced; we at Mailers Hub offered these:
1. Pause the 10-Year Plan. What may have been a roadmap for necessary improvements became a dogma to be implemented zealously, without in-process evaluation or adjustment. Don’t be as antagonistically stubborn as Louis DeJoy.
2. Affirm that the purpose of the USPS is to provide a public service. Every other decision should be made accordingly. This is a case where you really can’t serve two masters.
3. Reject the notion that the USPS should — or can be — self-sustaining. Public institutions established to provide a public good are not businesses established to provide profits to investors. Restore a sensible balance between service and cost management.
4. Talk to Congress about the USO. In a time of less mail to be delivered to more places, the economics of the 1970s no longer work; the costs of the retail and delivery networks are no longer supportable by postage from a shrinking number of mail users.
5. Stop waiving the public service appropriation. It’s “only” $460 million, but that’s better than nothing when you’re as far in the red as the USPS.
6. Fix service. Set challenging service targets and meet them, don’t just lower them until you can. Consider whether the “efficiency” of the “new” network is actually slowing service.
7. Accept that providing quality service — value for the ratepayer’s money — isn’t always efficient. Demonstrate that the USPS puts service first, even if doing so isn’t as “efficient” as possible. It’s ratepayers’ postage that pays your bills, so don’t keep asking them for more money without showing your service is worth it.
8. Be honest about service performance. Be truthful and transparent about service; mail users can tell when
service is poor, and the Postal Service isn’t fooling anybody with all the service measurement machinations it’s adopted to produce prettier numbers. The calendar has no “day zero.”
9. Undo RTO. It’s the best example of efficiency overriding service. The impacted 47% of the US population (and 71% of ZIP Codes) shouldn’t be deprived of afternoon collections simply because where they live isn’t “efficient.” And those customers don’t care about your being “optimized.”
10. Rethink the network changes. The pre-DeJoy network may not have been as good as it could have been, but be sure that the replacement is really better. Restore air transportation (it’s more expensive but also a lot faster) and end the obsession with “full trucks.” Revalidate claims that investing billions will actually reduce costs and improve service.
11. Reread the PSRA’s requirement. The requirement is for an “integrated network for the delivery of market-dominant and competitive products.” It does not say that all mail has to be processed and transported together. Having Express Mail and direct mail ride together on the same “integrated” transportation (for the “efficiency” of “full trucks”) undermines service and product/price differentiation.
12. Return to an annual cycle of price changes. The major customers who generate the lion’s share of postage need predictability. Semi-annual changes don’t improve what the CPI and the “adders” yield, and only generate chaos for ratepayers, commercial mail producers, and postal and private software developers.
13. Recognize that the USPS exists to serve its customers, not the other way around. Customers are not the enemy. Listen to them, and work with those who produce and pay for mail; their experience can be enlightening. End the DeJoy era us-vs-them mentality that inhibited open, transparent, and mutually beneficial dialogue between USPS managers and the mailing industry.
14. Rethink personnel policies. In an era of declining volume, the USPS does not need to commit to more fixed-schedule employees when a more flexible workforce might be advisable. Reconsider locality pay scales; you get better workers and a more stable workforce when you pay as well as the competition.
15. Rework the functional management structure. DeJoy liked the internal tension caused by the management silos he established, but they cause finger-pointing, a lack of communication and cooperation, and undermine individual accountability. Implement cross-functional communication and shared goals.
Give managers clear guidance, appropriate authority, and hold them accountable. And in all things be transparent.
16. Be skeptical of advice. Headquarters and the Board have factions advancing their own interests, which won’t necessarily be yours. Louis DeJoy’s apostles remain and continue to promote his Plan. Seek advice from all quarters, especially from the field and from ratepayers. Search for candor and objectivity, and value those with the experience to know of what they speak.
Others in the industry presented their own selections of ideas, so what we proposed wasn’t unique. Regardless, the
common theme considered whether a new PMG means there will be new thinking and a departure from DeJoy’s Plan.
David Steiner came aboard in the midst of the Postal Service’s 250th anniversary celebrations, and he made good first impressions in social settings and when giving speeches. However, the jury is still out on what he’s going to do, and whether he’ll take our advice or anyone else’s — except from the DeJoy’s loyalists who are still in place.
Leo Raymond is Owner and Managing Director, Mailers Hub. He can be reached at lraymond@mailershub.com.
THE TRENCHES
BEYOND THE ADDRESS
BY MIKE PORTER
Throughout most of my career, whether acting as a print/mail service provider, in-plant operation, or working with such companies as clients, we called our primary data source an “address list”. The data was fittingly named because the files often included nothing more than postal addresses — sometimes with names. That was it.
Mail service providers should work with their clients to make sure that every piece they produce has a decent chance of creating the desired outcome by delivering the right pieces to the right people at the right time. Whether the aim is to sell a product, solicit a donation, raise awareness for an issue or a candidate, or meet a regulatory requirement, postal mail should be as personal and targeted as possible.
As you know, you can only do so much if all you have to work with is the “address list”. Standard methods of correcting and updating addresses only improve deliverability. They won’t help organizations make the customer connections they seek. To be most effective at creating high-performance mail, you need to know more about the mail recipients.
Data Append
When the client-supplied data is sparse, it’s an opportunity for mail service providers to start a data appending discussion. Show clients how you can help them fine-tune their campaigns and raise the ROI of their direct mail projects. Eliminate unlikely buyers from the list and use appended information like age, gender, marital status, income, and other factors to segment and personalize the mail pieces. Show your clients how you can improve the campaign to deliver rel-
evant messages and offers that will get their customers’ attention and encourage them to act.
Your clients may have demographic information on their customers and prospects already; they just haven’t included it in the data file they sent to you. In other cases, it may be up to you to help them access the extra information. Several companies will do the data appending work for you. You’ll need client permission, of course, before sending their files off to a data-appending firm.
Learn from the Mail
Data services don’t end when the mail leaves your facility. Clients can learn a great deal about their mail campaigns by analyzing what happens after the mail goes out. As postal professionals, your company can help them make sense of the data and recommend how to use it.
Accessing information gathered by the USPS Informed Visibility platform allows mail service providers to track the progress of mail as it travels through the delivery network. Data from the Postal Service allows you to show your clients exactly when their mail was delivered. This allows them to reinforce mailed communications with digital efforts, plan staffing levels to handle incoming orders, anticipate cash flow resulting from anticipated payments, and more.
Besides adding value to the direct mail campaign, scheduled meetings to present the mail tracking reports are excellent executive contact opportunities. Discussions at such meetings strengthen client loyalty and may even expose other work you can do for them.
Another way to talk about data is to ask clients for information from completed
campaigns. What approaches worked best? Which could you improve? What patterns can you see in the demographics of the buyers? Use this information to spark new ideas for future campaigns.
Digital Interaction
With nearly 73 million active users and a 58% average email open rate, Informed Delivery offers your clients extra marketing potential. Print/mail professionals can track campaign impressions, clickthrough rates, and engagement metrics to highlight the extended reach of physical mail in the digital space.
Once again, after the campaign, data provides an opportunity to meet with mail services clients to review results and remind them about the value of postal mail. Mail service providers can show how mail is a critical component of multi-channel marketing and interacts with the digital channels their clients are using.
USPS representatives are happy to help you learn how to create Informed Delivery campaigns for your clients. If you prefer, several firms offer the administration and reporting of Informed Delivery campaigns as a service.
A Win-Win
Augmenting address list data represents a strategic opportunity for print and mail service providers to deepen their engagements with clients and enhance the impact of every mailing campaign. By enriching customer records with demographic and behavioral facts, you empower clients to refine their targeting, personalize messaging, and drive better results through the direct mail campaigns you execute for them.
Extra efforts like these add value to client relationships and position you as an essential partner in your clients’ multi-channel marketing strategies. The exchange of data and campaign results promotes stronger integration, ongoing innovation, and increased loyalty. As a mailing professional, you ensure that every piece of mail delivered contributes to the client’s goals and objectives.
Mike Porter at Print/Mail Consultants and PMC Content Services creates content that helps attract and retain customers for companies in the mailing and document industry and he assists companies as they integrate new technology. Learn more about his services at www.pmccontentservices.com. Follow @PMCmike on X, or send him a connection request on LinkedIn.
BY PAULA PHIPPS
OPERATIONAL SHIFTS AND STRATEGIC WINS FOR MAILING PROFESSIONALS IN 2025
If you’re in the business of executing high-performance mail, now is the time to evolve.
According to the 2025 Direct Mail Benchmark Report from Franklin Madison Direct, 67% of marketers say their direct mail performance has improved over the past year, surpassing all other direct marketing channels.
Here’s what the data says and what it means for your operation.
The Shift from Batch to Agile Mailings
The standard of quarterly mail drops is no more. Today’s marketers are embracing smaller, more frequent, and highly targeted campaigns, particularly for winback and lead remarketing efforts. The report shows that 57% of marketers are now mailing to these audiences monthly, a significant jump from just 38% in 2024.
This change is both strategic and tactical. To compete with the immediate impact of digital marketing, direct mail campaigns must rely on ongoing testing, fast iteration, and speed to market. Instead of mailing to one million names four times a year, marketers can now send 50,000 pieces to segmented lists every month, with each drop optimized for message, creative, and timing. And that’s exactly what consumers expect.
Operational Impact:
Workflows must support more frequent job tickets with shorter lead times.
Mailing systems and processes need to accommodate rolling campaigns vs. fixed batch cycles.
Coordination between data teams, design, and production must be tighter than ever.
Automation and Technology Are Table Stakes
Almost half of mailers now rely on automation platforms or online software to run direct mail campaigns. B2B brands in particular
prefer in-house execution tools that integrate well with CRM systems, while high-revenue organizations tend to work with agencies to manage their mail programs.
For print and mail operations, this involves adapting to new file formats, APIs, and integrated workflows. You’re no longer just receiving static creative files; you’re getting live data feeds, personalized variable content, and real-time production schedules driven by marketing automation tools.
Operational Impact:
Print and mailing teams need software fluency, from PURLs and QR codes to data processing and tracking tools.
Integration with customer data platforms (CDPs) and CRM systems is becoming the norm.
Systems must be flexible and connected enough to handle dynamic inputs and rapid deployment.
Testing and Personalization Are Mandatory
If you’re noticing an increase in test cells and versioning requests, it’s not a coincidence. The report indicates that:
95% of marketers test creative at least quarterly.
55% test their data sources at least once per quarter.
And 39% cite personalization as the #1 advantage of direct mail, up six spots from the previous year.
The growing use of personalized elements, such as variable images and offers to recipient-level landing pages, is pressuring print and mail teams to streamline versioning without compromising speed or quality.
Operational Impact:
You need reliable variable data printing (VDP) capabilities with quality control safeguards.
Systems should be optimized for multi-version print runs while protecting costs and timelines.
Mail centers and service providers should expect a surge in A/B testing requests and micro-segmentation.
Print Is Now a Digital Bridge
Direct mail’s role in omnichannel program performance continues to grow. Marketers are regularly using a physical mail piece as a springboard to digital action. This year, 97% of marketers say integrating direct mail with digital channels like email, SMS, and display advertising improves results, a 7% jump from 2024 results. Among those integrating channels:
83% use personalized URLs (PURLs).
77% include campaign-specific landing pages.
59% embed QR codes for mobile engagement.
Operational Impact:
Ensure creative and technical teams are aligned to match print and digital elements.
Barcode, QR code, and variable text accuracy are non-negotiable — any break kills conversion.
You may need to help clients or internal partners with tracking setup, campaign tagging, or landing page logic.
Costs Remain Competitive — If You’re Efficient
Despite USPS rate increases and inflation, direct mail remains cost-efficient. The report shows that 54% of marketers report a cost per acquisition (CPA) between $100 and $249 for direct mail. That CPA is lower than the average across all other direct marketing tactics.
This efficiency is due in large part to better audience targeting, less waste, and more relevant creative. For mailing professionals, it’s a clear signal: help your clients or internal teams cut waste, reduce duplication, and tighten execution to maintain profitability.
Operational Impact:
Maintain tight data hygiene and suppression rules to avoid costly mis-mailings.
Ensure postal optimization (presort, NCOA, CASS) is part of every production cycle.
Embrace automation and software tools to lower labor costs and boost throughput.
Looking Ahead: Smart Mail Drives Smart Growth
Marketers are feeling mail’s value. The report found:
87% plan to maintain or grow their mail budgets over the next 12 months.
44% of consumers say it takes 2–3 mail touches before they take action, proving consistent mailings drive conversions.
Integrated campaigns with coordinated digital/print messaging continue to produce measurable lift in engagement and ROI.
In short, direct mail is no longer just about production; it’s about performance. The professionals who embrace automation, creative testing, digital fluency, and agile operations will thrive in this new acquisition-focused era of mail.
Paula Phipps is the Director of Production at Franklin Madison Direct, a leading direct response marketing agency. With over 30 years of experience in direct mail marketing and production, Paula is skilled in emerging print technologies that streamline workflow and maximize ROI. As a trusted resource for clients navigating complex print logistics, Paula blends her technical precision with strategic insight to manage hundreds of programs from concept to completion, on time and on budget.
BY ERNIE CRAWFORD
FORTIFYING TRUST: A NEW APPROACH TO DOCUMENT AND DATA SECURITY
We all have seen the headlines. The fallout from a data breach — both financial and reputational — is staggering. The 2025 “Ponemon Institute Cost of a Data Breach Report” found the global average cost of a breach is $4.44 million. In the United States, that figure soars to an alarming $10.22 million. For communication providers, this risk is amplified by the sheer volume of customer data and complex document workflows, which create fertile ground for costly errors that erode the trust customers place in you.
From financial records to vital healthcare information, safeguarding Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and Personal Health Information (PHI) remains a core business imperative. Therefore, a strategic, data-centric framework is crucial to secure these vital communications.
Navigating a New Era of Cyber Threats
Recent industry reports reveal a solid cybersecurity environment that is more complex than ever. The 2025 “Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report” (DBIR) confirms that ransomware is not only a persistent threat but is growing in prevalence, appearing in 44% of all confirmed breaches.
And it’s not just external attacks — organizations must also contend with risks from within. According to the 2025 “Ponemon Institute Cost of Insider Risks Global Report,” negligent or mistaken insiders — employees — caused 55% of all insider security incidents. Whether through a simple mistake or not following security protocols, the human element continues to be a factor in roughly 60% of all breaches.
Add to this the growing exposure from your supply chain: Breaches involving a third party have doubled, now accounting for 30% of all confirmed breaches. This trend underscores the crucial need for organizations to ensure their entire supply chain operates within a unified and secure framework.
To put it in perspective, a Varonis study in 2023 shows that one in four organizations will suffer a data breach each year. This agrees with data from the Ponemon Institute. And the data is clear: It’s no longer a question of if you will suffer a data breach; it’s a matter of when.
Safeguarding Trust
For businesses handling sensitive customer data, protecting PII and PHI isn’t just about meeting regulatory requirements, it’s about safeguarding the trust that underpins every customer relationship.
For high-volume communication providers, this is no small task.
At the heart of the matter is that each print file contains thousands of PII/PHI instances, so one file can be a gold mine for a bad actor. What is needed is a method of encrypting the print files and processing the encrypted files in each workflow step without decrypting them.
This challenge is compounded by the hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of document workflows in place. These create countless opportunities for exposure and inconsistencies. Layer on industry-wide labor shortages and constant retraining, and maintaining consistent security practices becomes nearly impossible, leaving providers dangerously exposed to costly breaches.
Securing the Document Lifecycle
Given the growing sophistication of cyber threats, the most compelling action is to ensure that when a breach happens, sensitive data is sheltered from the perpetrators. This requires a robust security posture that protects the entire document lifecycle — from creation to delivery across all channels. Data must be protected at every stage using powerful security measures, from encrypting data in transit and at rest, to implementing strict access
controls. Beyond that, robust monitoring and auditing tools are essential to track all document activities to identify and stop threats from both outside sources and negligent insiders.
Leveraging Automation and AI for a Resilient Defense
AI and automation have become essential for a strong security strategy. The 2025 “Ponemon Institute Cost of a Data Breach Report” revealed that companies using AI and automation saved an average of $1.9 million on breach costs and shortened the breach lifecycle by 80 days.
AI and automation significantly enhance a company’s security by:
Reducing human error: Automating workflows eliminates manual and costly mistake-prone steps
Proactive threat detection: AI analyzes document access patterns in realtime, identifying and stopping potential breaches before they escalate
Enhancing compliance: Automation enforces compliance checks, ensuring that documents adhere to regulations and flagging any non-compliance issues
Building a Proactive Security Framework
To navigate this complex landscape, a proactive security framework, anchored by powerful technology, is needed. This is where the combination of dynamic file encryption/decryption and intelligent workflow consolidation provides a complete solution.
Pillar One: Dynamic file encryption/decryption. By encrypting files both in transit and at rest, with pagelevel encryption, you can ensure that data remains secure from its creation through to its final destination. The key is to ensure that files are always fully encrypted at all points in the workflow and keys are managed safely.
Pillar Two: Intelligent workflow consolidation. AI and automation can be used to consolidate the multitude of disparate document processing workflows into a single, automated workflow, ensuring a consistent, secure, and compliant process for all customer communications. Intelligent workflow consolidation makes it easier to ensure that all files containing PII and PHI will be protected all of the time.
Your Blueprint for Secure Workflows
Building a resilient defense against today’s threats requires adopting the following key practices:
End-to-end data encryption
Workflow consolidation and automation
Unified credentials and access control
Continuous employee training
As data breaches and cyber threats evolve, elevating the security of critical communications is more essential than ever. A successful strategy combines the benefits of intelligent workflow consolidation with powerful encryption/ decryption technology. By implementing this multi-layered security architecture, you can build a resilient defense, safeguard customer trust and ensure long-term operational integrity.
A digital document industry pioneer, Ernie Crawford is President/CEO and founder of Crawford Technologies. One of only a small number of people worldwide with M-EDP (Master Electronic Document Professional) designation, Ernie has more than 30 years of senior marketing and management experience in the high-volume digital printing market.
WHY THE MAILBOX
STILL MATTERS
In a world flooded with app notifications, spam emails, and digital noise, an unexpected shift is unfolding:
Americans are rediscovering the mailbox. Almost two-thirds of US consumers say they’re more likely to act on urgent physical mail than on digital outreach. Many cite inbox spam, scams, and digital overload as reasons they now prefer paper for important communications.
That’s not a small shift. It’s a signal that people are tuning into what cuts through the noise. Where digital overload brings fatigue, mail creates pause. It arrives in a quieter context, and it carries a sense of intent that helps the message register.
Renewed interest in mail reflects a broader customer mindset, i.e., people want communication they can trust. For mail and print professionals, this is an opportunity to rethink how mail fits into a modern strategy, one that aligns with how audiences consume and process information today.
Oversaturation Is Reshaping How People Respond to Communication
Digital tools delivered speed and scale. They also introduced an overwhelming stream of communication.
Most of us now receive dozens or even hundreds of emails a day. As alerts, updates, offers, and requests blur together, it’s no surprise that nearly seven in 10 consumers worry they’ll miss something important
in the mix. But in a world where phishing attempts and scammers riddle our inboxes, people don’t have the time or energy to vet what’s real and what isn’t. Even thoughtful messages end up lost in the noise.
This trend is emerging across trust-critical industries — like healthcare, insurance, and finance — where credibility is paramount. When a benefits update or billing correction gets buried in someone’s inbox, the damage isn’t just operational, it’s personal. A missed message in these moments erodes confidence. And once trust disappears, it takes more than a follow-up email to regain it.
So many consumers are opting to receive physical mail from brands. Not as a fallback or a formality — but as a deliberate choice for messages that carry weight.
When given the option, people often select paper delivery for communications tied to policies, statements, or sensitive verifications. Physical mail brings qualities that digital channels struggle to provide. It’s tangible, it feels more secure, and it signals that the message is worth paying attention to.
How to Make Mail a High-Performing Part of Your Company’s CX Stack
Physical mail earns its place in the CX stack by doing what crowded digital channels can’t: It signals that the message matters. It arrives with weight, in a quieter context, and it makes space for the customer
to pause, read, and act. When mail is built into the broader communication strategy with the right systems behind it, it delivers depth and substance to your message.
1. Turn preferences into a working part of your delivery system
Your customers expect the ability to choose how they receive important information, and they expect that choice to stick. Channel preference signals more than convenience; it reflects how much control they feel they have in the relationship.
When you integrate preference into your systems, it becomes part of the workflow. A customer’s selection — whether it’s a paper letter, a secure online portal for document access, or a direct digital notification like email — is honored automatically through document generation, production, and delivery. This alignment reduces manual steps and ensures that each message reflects how your customer wants to be reached.
Building around preference supports trust and responsiveness at scale. It helps you stay aligned with the customer’s expectations without increasing complexity behind the scenes.
2. Use physical mail to underscore critical communications
Certain touchpoints carry more gravity than others. When a customer is facing a decision, a correction, or a change in coverage or billing, the delivery method you
choose can telegraph the significance of the message.
Mail commands attention. It breaks through the daily digital noise and delivers a sense of importance and permanence that customers value. That impact is reflected in real behavior — nearly eight in 10 consumers sent physical mail in the past year. 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.
Format also becomes part of the message. When you send mail with intention, you help customers understand the importance of what they’re receiving and what they should do next.
3. Treat the operational mail workflow as part of the customer journey
Every communication reflects the systems behind it. When physical mail is done well — when production runs cleanly, data is verified, and delivery is consistent — customers perceive your organization as reliable. They don’t have to wonder where something went or whether it was sent.
Your infrastructure can play a direct role in reinforcing trust. With the right tools,
your teams can trace each step from document creation to final delivery.
Address verification, print confirmation, and delivery auditing all contribute to a seamless flow. These workflows support compliance and efficiency while also reducing confusion and increasing transparency for the people receiving your messages.
4. Coordinate multichannel communication to support clarity and continuity Customers expect communication to feel consistent, regardless of where it reaches them. Channel coordination plays a key role in shaping that experience. When the message is well-timed, clearly linked across formats, and delivered with purpose, it demonstrates your commitment to organization and attention to detail.
One effective approach is to design each channel to complement the others. A quick email can let a customer know a letter is on its way. A printed piece might include a QR code, a short link, or instructions to follow up through a digital portal. These connections help clarify the next step and reduce the effort required to take it.
Improved results often emerge when these connections are automated. For exam-
ple, submitting a form online can initiate a follow-up letter. After a support call, your system might generate a printed confirmation with next steps. When your processes are well-structured, the result is communication that feels deliberate, dependable, and easy for your customers to act on.
Today, Confidence Comes from the Mailbox, not the Inbox
Physical mail is gaining traction for a reason. It creates space for attention, signals importance, and delivers clarity when other channels are crowded or uncertain.
The leaders I work with are treating it as a strategic element within a broader communication ecosystem. They’re investing in it thoughtfully and aligning format to function, building intelligent workflows, and elevating the experience across design, production, and delivery.
That level of care speaks volumes. In high-stakes moments, the way you communicate reflects how well you understand your customers’ needs.
And when the message carries weight, the way it’s delivered should too.
Alain Fairise is Chief Solutions Officer, Mail, Quadient.
How Every Organization Can Save Money on Postage
By Adam Lewenberg
Postage makes up over 60% of the cost of any mailing, yet it often gets the least focus and visibility. It is looked at as a sunk cost, with little that can be done to control it. The goal of this article is to dispel this belief and to show what can be done to save money. This is more important than ever because costs are going up at the highest amounts in the history of the Postal Service. Prices have increased 35-74% over the last four years (see Figure 1), with an anticipated two rate increases per year in the future.
We are managing the postage spends for the largest organizations in the US and have found that there is only one process that works to save money in postage.
Gain detailed visibility to your mail spends.
Have a resource that has expertise in the savings available and how to implement changes.
Continually measure and monitor the volumes for the future.
Most Important Step – Gain Visibility
To be able to optimize postage spends, you need to get visibility into what you are
mailing today. These are the main places to collect information:
Permits - The largest mailings will be funded by a USPS Permit Imprint Account (typically Marketing Mail or First-Class Mail). You can gain access to the details of these accounts by setting up a login on the USPS Customer Gateway and linking the unique customer account numbers (CRIDs). This will give you visibility to the accounts and the unique transactions that were processed.
Postage Meters – If the postage is being printed by a postage meter that is inter-
nal to your organization, you should be able to get visibility to the meter usage. This is done by creating access to the meter vendor’s website and linking the account and serial numbers to the login.
Presort Services – If you are using a service to pick up your mail and commingle with other customers, you will need to know the rate the mail is being metered at as well and the details of the fees they are charging on their invoices.
Outsource Print and Mail Services
– This is where most of the mail is produced in the US. You will need access to their invoices, backup detail spread-
sheets, and potentially the vendor portals to be able to access the data.
Primary Postage Savings Methods
We are going to list out the most common postage savings methods, from the most basic to advanced. This can hopefully be used as a resource to drive future cost reductions (see Figure 2).
Use Postage Meters or Online Postage – Low volume single piece letters save $.05 per piece. Priority Mail and Ground Advantage save 15-80% by using online postage.
Use Presort Services – If you send at least 500 pieces per day or have 1,000piece one-time projects, these services pick up and commingle your envelopes with other mailers to submit deeper into the Postal Service network. Large mailers will find additional postage savings with the following:
o Negotiate your presort rates to maximize your discounts. This includes understanding the details of all the fees being charged (sort, reject, NCOA, pickup, or other miscellaneous fees) and if there are other presort services in your area in which to leverage.
o Identify the high-volume mail not going through presort – This could be work done inhouse or through third parties. Make sure flats are included. If you have multiple facilities or outsource print providers, make sure all spending is reviewed.
o Compare the presort rates with the mail done at different internal and external locations. You may see large differences.
Automate Mailings – Large volume mail should be run through a mail automation software to get the full discounts without needing to share with a presort service. Most of the users of this software will be the outsourced print and mail services, or large in-house produc-
tion facilities. This software does the following:
o CASS – Validates that the address is correct and matches the USPS database.
o NCOA – Validates that the recipient is still at this address.
o PAVE – Ensures that the piece is presorted to proper postal sequence.
o USPS Submission – Submit mail at discounted rates with the proper documentation.
Move Marketing Mail to USPS Sectional Centers – Marketing Mail has extra discounts if you can move mail closer to its final destination. Although the discounts were reduced in July 2025, it is still one of the best ways to reduce costs. Letters save $.017, Flats save $.038 (<4 Ounce) and $.312 (>4 Ounce). Since this work is typically outsourced, measure how much of your mail is receiving these discounts.
Additional USPS Automation Discounts:
o Full Service Intelligent Mail - $.005
o Seamless Acceptance - $.002
o SCF Pallet Discount - $.003-.018
USPS Incentives and Promotions
– The USPS offers different ways for mailers to reduce costs if they can tie to the Post Office’s objectives to grow mail. These typically link to connecting a physical mail piece to an online experience or utilizing new USPS technology. The current incentives are the following:
o Growth Incentive – 30% credit for qualifying volume (must exceed established threshold).
o Marriage Mail Incentive – Combines advertisements from multiple businesses into a single mail piece.
o Integrated Technology Promotion – 3% Discount
o Reply Mail IMbA Promotion – 3 or 6% Discount
3
Weight Assumptions: Paper = .16 Ounces, Flat= .6 Ounces, 6x9 Envelope= .3 Ounces
o First Class Mail Advertising Promotion – 3% Discount
o Continuous Contact Promotion – 3% Discount
o Catalog Insights Promotion – 10% Discount
o Informed Delivery Add-On – 1-1.5% Discount
o Sustainability Add-On – 1% Discount
Optimizing Mail Classes – Some of the largest savings come from changing the way we submit mailings so they can qualify for lower prices. Here are some of the best examples:
o Folding Flats – These are 9x12 or 10x13 mail pieces that have increased by up to 74% over the last four years. If these items can be folded into 6x9.5 envelopes (half fold), the cost can go down by as much as 73% (see Figure 3). This same holds true for Marketing mailings that are moved to the maximum letter size of 6.125”x11.5”. You want to check on how many sheets your in-house or outsource provider can get into a half fold envelope to qualify for the letter rates. Also, ask if the Marketing Mail pieces can be redesigned to meet these size or piece requirements.
Certified Mail with Electronic Return Receipt – Moving from the retail Return Receipt (green card) to the electronic version saves $1.58 per item. It also gives you an electronic view of every item submitted and access to the electronic signature files.
Reduced USPS Priority Mail and Ground Advantage Rates – There are additional negotiated service agreement rates available using specific online platforms that can save 25-80% off the retail rates.
Business Reply Mail – There are different rate structures based on the amount
of mail that is being returned. By optimizing accounts, you can save over $1 per returned item. The issue is that this is often put on autopilot without any visibility to return volumes.
Moving mail from First Class to Marketing Mail – As you can see from the chart at the start of the article, Marketing Mail is significantly less expensive. If mail does not have personal information (with the exception of the delivery address), and you can plan your projects around a slower delivery time, it may qualify for Marketing Mail.
If you listen to the media, you will think mail is dying, but we are spending $80 billion on postage to process 112 billion pieces per year, and the largest production volumes are going down at very low levels.
Moving UPS and FedEx to USPS –Most organizations have an agreement with one of the private carriers. This may still make sense for most of their items, but the USPS will be less expensive for lightweight items (<10LBs) going to residences because they do not charge for the following items:
o Residential Fees
o Delivery Area Surcharges
o Fuel Surcharges
o Saturday Delivery
o Address Corrections
o Dimensional Rates for items under a cubic foot
Continual Measurement
Now that you have visibility to the data, and have started to implement some of the savings methods above, you need a way to monitor future volumes, document the savings, and look for future change opportunities. We recommend having your own repository for your data, so you can pull the information from the portals and invoices we discussed in the visibility stage above. This is important because without future access, additional savings will be missed. Our firm is pulling this data monthly to maintain access and see changes over time. This can be done on your own with a structured approach and a central owner of the data. There are continual changes in postage rates, USPS promotions, and your own internal mail volumes, and if it is not continually monitored, savings will be missed.
Conclusion
If you listen to the media, you will think mail is dying, but we are spending $80 billion on postage to process 112 billion pieces per year, and the largest production volumes are going down at very low levels. Postage costs just increased seven to 12% in July 2025, and you can expect another large increase in January and the following July. It is more important than ever for businesses to gain visibility to the mail they are sending and developing strategies to reduce their costs using any and all savings methods available.
Adam Lewenberg, CMDSS, MDC, President/ CEO of Postal Advocate Inc., runs the largest Mail Audit and Recovery firm in the United States and Canada. They manage the biggest mail equipment, postage and mail related services portfolio in the world. Their mission is to help organizations with multi-locations and mail streams reduce expenses, recover lost postage funds, and simplify visibility and oversight. Since 2011, they have helped their clients save an average of 74% and over $103 million on equipment, postage, shipping and outsourced mail service fees. He can be reached at 617.372.6853 or adam.lewenberg@postaladvocate.com.
Figure
6 BOOTHS TO
STOP & SEE
Visit Anchor Software at Booth 4888 for information on our newest mailing, data quality, and print
Our software is known for blazing speed, timely postal updates, and amazing technical support, so take a few minutes and stop by Booth 4888 to see if we can help with your biggest mailing, data quality, and print concerns. Not in the market for software right now? No problem. Connect with us to see if we can help with any future needs or enjoy our in-booth events and grab some cool Anchor swag. See you there!
The Picture Perfect Match System is your solution for retrofitting your existing inserter for mail matching, barcode verification, end of machine verification, and Read and Print using one to four cameras. See our demo inserter with the Picture Perfect Match System reading numbers and barcodes. Bring samples of your material and we can test it on site.
https://clearimagetechnologies.com
Visit Booth #4191 at PRINTING United to see the Kern 3200 inserter with fully automatic changeover in action. Built to keep production running smoothly and without interruptions, the K3200 is designed to help you work faster, cut downtime, and stay flexible as your needs grow. While you’re there, meet our sales team and learn how Kern machines can simplify your operations, whether you’re focused on mail or card solutions. We’ll also share how Kern Service delivers dependable, personalized support wherever you are so you always have a partner you can count on!
GMS-VanSco has been delivering innovative adhesive dispensing solutions to the print finishing, folding carton, and converting industries since 1961. Backed by Valco Melton’s global technical support, our microglue line offers high-quality dispensing at competitive prices. Visit us at Booth 5090 to see live demonstrations of how our solutions can elevate your manufacturing process and meet your specific dispensing needs.
Pitney Bowes Presort Services is the USPS’s largest workshare partner and a national provider of mail sortation services. We help clients qualify large volumes of First-Class Mail, Marketing Mail, Marketing Mail Flats, and Bound Printed Matter for postal discounts. In 2024, we processed over 15 billion pieces through our U.S. operating centers. Using proprietary technology, we provide end-to-end solutions for faster delivery and optimal postage savings. Stop by our booth to discuss how we can streamline your mail operations — and enjoy a cold brew while you chat!
PB.com
Quadient will be showing two exciting color printing products in booth 5436 at PRINTING United in Orlando. The MACH 7 is a full color tabletop inkjet printing system designed to run envelopes, mailers, flats, and more with vibrant 1200 DPI print quality and pigmented HP inks that provide over 11 inches of print width, bleed capability, extra contrast, and durability for greater impact, deliverability, and lower operating costs. Our new in-line MACH 9DS solution will be shown running with our popular DS-700iQ inserter to produce dynamically matched and vibrant full color envelopes in a single intelligent process. mail.quadient.com
BY MARK RHEAUME
LEVERAGING CUSTOMER COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT
BEST PRACTICES FOR BETTER MAIL PIECE PERFORMANCE
Customer Communication Management (CCM) is a strategy for managing and improving the way a business interacts with its customers. CCM is essential, yet in 2024, the USPS alone processed 4,314,700,000 pieces of undeliverable mail across all classes.
When I received this opportunity to write a piece for Mailing Systems Technology, I immediately thought of address hygiene as the best practice to increase the deliverability of every mail piece (to the extent possible). Mail is important, and I also believe that a compliant and accurate mailing address is the foundation for finding and maintaining email addresses and phone numbers.
Face it: There are not that many effective ways to reach people. Organizations are focused on finding and “selling to” customers. They often overlook the fundamentals associated with staying in touch with them. It seems simple, but we all know it is not. American adults move an average of 11 or 12 times in their lifetime.
CCM helps businesses deliver personalized communications to their customers across multiple channels. By delivering consistent and relevant information, customer loyalty increases. CCM increases customer loyalty by making customers feel valued. CCM solutions can automate the creation and delivery of messages through these channels:
Mail: CCM uses deliverable mail across all mail classes to deepen relationships and trust
Email: CCM uses email to send marketing messages, reminders/
time-based offers, and renewal notifications
SMS: CCM can be expanded to include SMS to notify customers
Web pages: CCM uses web pages to share deeper information with customers
Social media: CCM utilizes social media to communicate with customers
Live chat: CCM can incorporate live chat to engage with customers
This quote from Kurt Vonnegut describes the industry’s conundrum perfectly. He said: “Another flaw in the human character is that everybody wants to build and nobody wants to do maintenance.” It makes so much sense yet seems almost self-fulfilling. Businesses are interested in selling their goods and services to foster growth. They should not stop those pursuits. I do believe there is a perception in most organizations that they understand the value of “building” far better than the value of “maintenance.”
Why Build It to Let It Die?
Businesses should focus on maintaining their databases so that all resulting communications can be as deliverable as possible. Getting these communications delivered is the goal. An old adage states that it is far less expensive to keep an existing customer than to acquire a new one. Yet, many businesses forge this wisdom. “Maintenance” such as strong address hygiene practices can result in great growth (which is far more profitable) that is too often overlooked. It is acknowledged that implementing address hygiene requires upfront investment and effort. However, there are substantial long-term cost savings and revenue generation opportunities that result from improved deliverability and reduced wasted resources.
Why?
Address hygiene services should interest any organization. Organizations lack the knowledge and internal resources to manage their databases well. Their resources are engaged managing their “core” functions, which usually do not include address hygiene or mail-related functions. Most organizations do not have the feedback structure internally (or through a third-party managed print and mail services vendor) to properly capture and update their database records to comply with the USPS’s Move Update mandate.
Compliance Aspects
The USPS requires mailers using certain discounted postage rates to regularly update their mailing lists to reflect changes of address. Failure to do so can result in higher postage costs and lower deliverability. This is known (albeit simplified) as the Move Update mandate. This is what every mailer taking these “discounted rates” agrees to.
There are a number of people running CASS and NCOA on mailing files across the industry. Often overlooked is that mailers must “demonstrate that they have updated their mailing list….” It is interesting how many mailers know of the CASS and NCOA databases and associated processes but have no idea which of their addresses are outdated/bad. They get no reporting and often lack the skills to understand what the reports these services generate.
Why We Remain “Sick”
Ignoring bad data is like ignoring a heart condition – it may seem manageable at first, but the consequences can be devastating overall, affecting your bottom line. In some very real ways, this is what is happening in organizations that do not take the time to work with service providers who can explain the reports and
provide actionable options on how to remediate the issues they find in these databases; in short, how and when to update their bad data.
Then it snowballs as their other communications are “poisoned” by the bad address data. Emails, SMS messages, social media, and live chat communications go unanswered (because they do not reach the intended recipient). Marketing response rates and sales rates are artificially “suppressed” because of the same bad data being used to send undeliverable communications. A failed communication is one where the mail piece (or other) does not reach its intended recipient in a timely manner. The effects to a business of undelivered mail (and other communications) go well beyond just “inconvenience.” Studies show that improved address accuracy can increase marketing response rates by 6.33% and save the mailing organization an average of $3.00 – $10.00/undelivered piece.
More Maintenance (Not Cowbell)!
The data does not take long to deteriorate, either. According to the US Census, more than 27 million US residents moved in 2023. Only about 40% of movers tell the USPS that they have moved by filing a change of address form (PS Form 3575). These movers are our customers. We need to engage with strong address hygiene service providers who can provide the actionable insights we need. It is not easy, nor is it a “destination” organizations will reach and never need to deal with again.
Get Started
Address hygiene is a lifestyle for any organization. Businesses should engage appropriate internal or external resources. These resources must have industry experience and skills to counsel organizations to make the best choices from the options provided. Common monthly services offered include:
Data Deduplication: Removing duplicate records
CASS services: Ensuring addresses conform to USPS standardization requirements
NCOA services: Providers offer both 48-month and 18-month services
PCOA services: Accesses address data from non-USPS databases to find movers who do not tell the USPS of their move
IMb creation and data analytics: Through data feeds from the USPS’s ACS and Secure Destruction programs
Mail tracking and reporting: Tracking outbound mail through USPS network to monitor timely delivery
Regular data cleansing and updating: Ongoing cadence of the processes/services is essential. None of this is just a onetime fix
Reporting and analytics: Possibly the cornerstone and of most value as your provider can do a deep dive into the data and explain how each issue is affecting deliverability
No Time Like the Present – DO NOT WAIT
It is important to be able to provide great insight when compliance, risk, and dollars are involved. These service providers (internal or external) become integral to any organization’s CCM strategy and effectiveness. The conversations will involve and “touch” all parts of an organization. When done correctly, address hygiene becomes the cornerstone of any effective CCM practices and program. The first step is the most important! Set your organization on the right path today.
Mark Rheaume is Advisory Engineer, Ricoh.
FIND OUT WHO THE NEW HOT MAILING SOLUTION COMPANIES ARE!
A SNEAK PEEK: WHAT TO EXPECT AT THIS YEAR’S SHOW?
PRINTING United’s 2025 Expo promises to be their best yet, and if you’ve been to previous Expos, you know that’s a high bar! I recently attended a sneak peek webinar with some of the PRINTING United staff, and there was so much excitement around this year’s show that I had to share some of it with our readers! As a reminder, the show will be October 22-24 in Orlando, so if you haven’t registered yet, now’s the time to do so! As a professional in the print/mail industry, this is truly one of the best ways you can stay educated about industry happenings, network with other professionals, and take back actionable items to optimize your operation.
The PRINTING AI PAVILLION is one I’m certainly going to make time for during my three days in Orlando. This pavilion will showcase how AI is transforming the printing and packaging industry and will showcase real-world AI applications, talks from industry experts right on the show floor, and highlight the latest offerings from pioneering exhibitors. I’m looking forward
By Amanda Armendariz
to seeing what new technologies are out there in this space!
As anyone who has been to trade shows can attest, networking and idea-sharing are some of the top reasons people take the time to attend. This year, there will be a new SPILL THE INK drop-in discussion zone, where attendees can have real-time chats with their peers, industry thought leaders, and others about pressing industry matters. As the Expo staff said, there will be “No stage. No mic. Just a circle of seats, great topics, and people who get what you do.” I’m excited to see all the brainstorming and great ideas that come out of this new offering!
Of course, there will also be educational sessions that shouldn’t be missed. I know it can be hard to take time away from the exhibit floor, especially when there are so many great new products to be seen and vendors to chat with, but your experience at the Expo isn’t truly complete unless you attend some of these sessions. And this year, PRINTING United has some great ones lined up for those of us in the
print/mail industry. I’ll be running a panel on Wednesday, October 22nd on “Mail’s Place in an Ever-Changing World.” We’ll discuss why mail is such a powerful communication method even in this digital age, how we can integrate hard-copy mail with digital offerings for even better ROI, and more. We’d love to see you there, so I thought I’d do a brief Q&A with my panelists here about what they are most excited about at the show.
1. The panel you are part of is titled: Mail’s Place in an Ever-Changing World. What are the main takeaways you’d like people to take away from this panel, and how do you feel that PRINTING United as a whole helps mailers understand mail’s place in this digital world?
Paul Bobnak, Content Creator for the Printing and Marketing Industries: PRINTING United Expo is proof positive that mail doesn’t stand still — marketing and printing technologies continue to evolve to meet customers’ needs. In our panel, we’ll talk about how mail both drives
and is driven by technology to be more relevant and personal than ever before, especially for the diverse audiences of today’s brands and marketers.
Morgan DiGiorgio, Chief Revenue Officer, DirectMail2.0: My core message is that the only thing constant is change. Long gone are the days of proverbial tug of war between direct mail and digital. Marketing effectiveness in the current marketing ecosystem calls for a hybrid execution of multiple channels where mail plays a core and integral role. Mail is a performance channel that, when powered by personalization, integrated with digital, and proven with measurement, delivers the results that marketers are looking for.
German Sacristan, Principal Analyst, Production, Keypoint Intelligence: Identify where direct mail/print fits; it does not fit in every occasion. What are the strengths and value of print/direct mail? If you are a print service provider, how do you present/promote print to print buyers, and if you are a print buyer/ marketer/brand how do you integrate it in your marketing strategy?
2. Why are shows like PRINTING United so important to keeping mail relevant?
Bobnak: PRINTING United Expo reminds us all that mail is a vital part of the overall printing ecosystem, accounting for 7.9 million jobs and $1.9 trillion in sales revenue, according to the Envelope Manufacturers Association. And for many companies, mail is and can continue to be
an important part of the mix of print and omnichannel solutions that we offer.
DiGiorgio: Confidence lives on the show floor. In a cost-pressured world, mail stays relevant because we keep proving its value. I can hold a sample with new embellishments, see inline finishing at speed, then turn around and demo attribution dashboards that tie the piece back to incremental revenue. That side-by-side reality presents print with today’s endless possibilities shaping the industry.
Sacristan: Because of the traffic of print service providers, which promote and sell mail to their customers. Any relevant info that they can take will be helpful to grow their mail business.
3. What new technologies are you most looking forward to seeing on the exhibit hall floor?
Bobnak: I love embellishments and how they add value to printed pieces, especially mail, of course. I’ll be checking out what vendors will be promoting for finishing and postpress in general.
DiGiorgio: AI is finally moving from hype to hardware at PRINTING United, and you can watch it touch every link of the mail value chain — planning, production, and proof. I’m looking for AI creative intelligence that mines historical mail and predicts lift, identity modeling, and predicted in-home delivery that choreographs digital around the mailbox instead of after it.
Sacristan: Inkjet and AI related tools that drive better efficiencies, effectiveness, and automation.
4. What are some of your suggestions for attendees to get the most out of the show?
Bobnak: If it’s your first time at this show, be prepared to be overwhelmed. One million square feet, 800 or so exhibitors, workshops, events, people, and so much more equal sensory overload. Use the planner wisely, take advantage of the opportunities to network in person, and pace yourself! Have fun, make some new friends, and let’s all work together to be successful.
DiGiorgio: It is a HUGE floor with a lot to offer. Come with a game plan and pre-set who you want to see and why. Map your route ahead of time, wear comfortable shoes, and be open-minded and ready to explore other areas of interest that pique your attention. Most importantly, actively work the peer side: join meetups, trade playbook pages, grab coffees/dinner, and pick an accountability buddy. Each day leave with a 90-day mini-plan, then debrief within a week and launch one pilot per goal.
Sacristan: Identify the must-go places and people to talk to beforehand, then plan it so you will have a productive visit.
OUR 2025 WAGE & OPERATIONS SURVEY, PART ONE
A look at wages, staffing, and more in our industry: How does your organization compare?
By Amanda Armendariz
Iwant to start out by extending a huge “thank you” to everyone who completed this survey. We know it’s a lot of data to compile, and we very much appreciate you taking the time to look up the information and share it with us. We would not be able to put together this industry benchmark year after year without you.
I was encouraged by the fact that wages were up significantly for mail center managers and supervisors, as well as some non-managerial staff positions. However, some wages (such as for inserter operators) were pretty stagnant. The number of people holding certifications decreased, as well, which is not what we want to see.
Take a look at these results and see how your mail center compares. Thanks again to everyone who participated, and we hope even more of you will be able to take the survey in 2026!
Mail Center Managers
Male vs. Female
In this year’s survey, there was a 60/40 split among mail center managers in terms of gender, which is identical to last year’s.
Average Salary and Time in Industry
The average salary for a mail center manager in this year’s survey is $74,964, which is $10,000 more than last year’s average. Nineteen years in the industry is average for this survey’s mail center manager, which is also an increase from last year.
Number of Full-Time Employees
As is usual in our surveys, the vast majority of mail center managers manage zero to five full-time employees. This year’s 63%, however, is much higher than last year’s 48%, and the number of managers responsible for 6-10 employees went down drastically.
These numbers are roughly the same as last year’s survey, although the number of mail center managers who hold the EMCM certification is three percentage points higher; always a good sign!
19 Years $74,964
Continuing Education
What types of training did managers have access to in the last 12 months?
“schools”
PRINTING United
National industry or association-specific mailing conference (MSFA, NACUMS, Non-profit, DMA)
Local PCC conferences/meetings
Vendor’s user conference
Other non-mailing national conferences (i.e., management training courses)
Other non-mailing local conferences
Online continuing education classes
On-site continuing education classes
The Economy and Managers
Sixty percent of managers reporting that the economy has had no effect on their positions is an increase from last year, when only 50% said the same. The number of managers taking on additional responsibilities was almost exactly the same (23 vs 24%) as in 2024, but the number of managers who reported being responsible for different departments or functions went down from 69% last year to 62% this year.
None, due to budget cutbacks
None, didn’t find the time to attend
None, training is not allowed for mail center managers
None, no training needed this year
Supervisors
Impact of the Economy
Last year, 80% said the economy had had no impact on supervisors; this year, the number dropped to 64%. Last year, no respondent reported that supervisors had to take on additional responsibilities, so this year’s 36% is quite the increase.
The Lowdown:
} More mail centers reported having supervisors (57%) than not (43%). The gender breakdown was very similar to mail center managers: 61% male, 39% female.
} In terms of certifications, 21% of supervisors in this year’s survey hold the EMCM, 11% hold the CMSDM, and 11% hold the CMM. These are all significant decreases compared to last year’s numbers.
} The majority (57%) supervise between zero and five employees, while 29% supervise between 11 and 15.
} The average salary is $65,212, and the average time spent in the industry is just under 13 years.
} Fifty-four percent of supervisors manage other departments or functions.
The Lowdown:
} In terms of the gender breakdown, 33% of nonmanagerial staff are female, while 67% are male.
} The average time spent in the industry was just over 10 years.
} Only 13%
and only 29% have
Impact of the Economy on Non-Managerial Staff
It’s encouraging to see that the number of salary freezes are relatively low, but the number of layoffs is concerning. Hopefully next year’s survey shows a different trend.
