Three ways mail operators win with right-sized Mail Inserting Systems

These enterprises are challenged to retain the agility and responsiveness of a smaller mail operation while also processing higher volumes of mail for progressively larger campaigns. A bigger company may have the technology and resources to support projects of that size. However, for a mid-sized operation on a budget, investments in mail centre technology need to be economical and cost-efficient.

At this level, mailers need solutions that can increase production volume without adding excessive operational expenses. They need systems that serve variable functions, so that they can process a wide variety of jobs with a single machine. They also need equipment that can support their business growth, so that they can scale production as needs change over time.

Those requirements apply across the board. Things get even more complex when you look at each function of the mail centre. For example, inserting solutions need to easily process multiple jobs within a shift or day in order to keep up with production benchmarks. Equally important, they must also enable high standards of accuracy to satisfy compliance regulations.

With flexible inserting solutions from Pitney Bowes, mid-sized mail operations can check off all of these boxes with an economical, scalable system. Here are the three major benefits mid-size mail operations gain when they introduce a right-sized mail inserting system into their mail centre:

01.   Flexibility

Enterprise-level inserting systems are built to process high-volume projects. While a growing mid-sized mail operation may occasionally need to process larger campaigns, the bulk of their time is spent on smaller, short-run jobs – roughly 1,000 pieces of mail or less. Relying on an expensive inserting system to process a smaller job inflates your cost per piece. That’s why you need a flexible system that is uniquely tailored to your job requirements.

A multi-format inserting solution from Pitney Bowes can support jobs of various sizes, from processing standard #10 envelopes to pocket envelopes. That allows you to do more with a single system, complete short-run jobs at a better cost per piece and scale up for larger initiatives when the time comes.

Automation takes these benefits a step further by allowing you to save time and money on new and recurring short-run or manual jobs, whether for individual operators or entire work cells. Additionally, flexible scanning capabilities allow you to process jobs “as-is”, saving time on upfront work. A simple programming interface also makes a difference by shortening the learning curve and lowering the required investment in training. As a result, your mail operation staff don’t have to waste time struggling to program a complicated system.

The end result: You’re ready for anything, with a flexible platform uniquely capable of processing a wide range of jobs regardless of format or size.  

02.   Compliance

If a sensitive piece of mail, like a financial statement or government-issued personal identification, ends up in the wrong recipient’s envelope, not only do you risk losing a customer’s trust, but your business may also violate a serious privacy or security regulation. These types of errors can occur when you prioritise speed above accuracy, or when your inserting system lacks advanced capabilities to cut down on bad outcomes.

That’s why it’s not enough to implement a high-speed inserting system. You also need a solution that can reliably produce accurate results to maintain industry compliance in line with the scale of your production volume.

The key is a proven control system and integrity scanning that allows you to process high value jobs without slowing down. Additionally, automation plays an important role in reducing errors with precise, repeatable setup. That way, you can ensure the right piece of mail reaches the correct recipient without sacrificing efficiency or production volume to do so.

The end result: You can reliably produce accurate results required for processing high value transactional mail of any job size.

03.   Profitability

Inserting is only one piece of the puzzle – mid-size mailers need to rely on multiple systems that work in concert to create cohesive communications campaigns. A highly optimised mail centre leverages cross-function benefits – from printing to inserting to mail finishing – to create higher value, revenue-earning communications.

Think about the transactional mail that your organisation sends, which could include customer statements or invoices. This highly visible mail offers an opportunity to increase revenue from an engaged audience (i.e. your existing customers). Research shows that personalised colour transactional mail earns higher response rates compared to other types of communications. 

With a flexible and cost-effective printing and finishing system that fits your business, you can create colourful, personalised customer communications at an affordable cost. Then, with a right-sized inserting system that offers accurate, flexible inserting, you can account for the next step in the process to ensure that each transactional mail campaign is processed at maximum efficiency.

The end result: The ability to process a wider range of jobs at an affordable price, which leads to higher profits.

A solution tailor-made for your business

You don’t have to overspend on enterprise-level systems or make do with lesser solutions to stay competitive. Instead, you can find inserting systems, printers and mail finishing solutions that suit your unique needs for world-class operational excellence and industry compliance while driving more revenue with high value customer communications.

Whether you run an in-house enterprise mail operation or a third-party service provider business, there’s a right-size mail inserting system for your needs. Read about how Pulse inserting system from Pitney Bowes can help your business win.