HOW DO YOU MEASURE UP?
These first-class practices can put your mail center ahead of the pack.
D
uring most of our customer engagements, we usually hear variants of the same question:
“What do the best operations do?” “How do our competitors compare to these standards? “How do we compare to other operations?” In the last 15 years, we’ve worked with over 50 companies in different industries — government, higher education, finance, healthcare, telecommunications and utilities. Some have mail operations with five people focusing on inbound and interoffice mail, while others have 100 people producing a million pieces of First-Class Mail a day, seven days a week. Regardless of size or function, the best shops have a lot in common. We define a “First Class Operation” as one that through consistent actions and
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JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2016 | www.MailingSystemsTechnology.com
reporting, demonstrates that the operation is staffed and managed by well-trained professionals who add value to the company and use the right tools to deliver: the correct piece with the correct address in the correct envelope or workflow folder at the correct time at the correct cost These operations achieve those goals by focusing on the following principles: Value their employees — through communication, education, and recognition Value their customers — through communication, and being a solution provider Well-designed, clean work environment Track internal and external work — accountability and metrics Well documented procedures — that are used daily Aggressive address management Meaningful metrics transformed into actionable information
Selecting and exploiting the right technology Aggressive address management Quality Control is procedural and cultural Knowing cost-per-piece and understanding value Employees are the keystone of every successful outfit. Good managers don’t just say their staff are important, they act on that principle every day. Regular communication through daily huddles, staff meetings and one-on-one reviews are the standard. Time, funding and resources are dedicated to internal training, external training and cross-training. When the team does a good job, their efforts are recognized. Regardless of the industry, the product or the price, there is one simple thing all customers want — good service. For in-plant operations, the “customer” is everyone else in your company. Establish regular communication with all customers through newsletters, email blasts and recurring