Every business seeks efficiency in its operations. Efficiency leads to lower costs along with other benefits. How does that work in the print and mail world? Perry Fernandes, VP of Operations of PCI Group, provided examples of how PCI Group allows in-plant customers to be more efficient in this episode of Ask the Experts.
The first part is to create and offer solutions. Perry explained several strategies we use. “A few years ago, the postal service made a change that an envelope up to 3.5 ounces could mail at the same rate as a 1 ounce. We have two approaches to take advantage of this.”
The first strategy is householding. “We can go through customer history and advise that the data shows that you mail an individual 5 to 6 times over the month. If we hold that information going to the customer for two weeks or 10 days, we may be able to get 2 to 3 documents into a single envelope and avoid the other two,” Perry described.
We’re still printing the same number of pages, but you get the 1-ounce rate for heavier mail. It can save a company considerably on postage.
If householding isn’t an option, then batching or bundling may be. “The other option is to combine print trails, which are smaller, but software allows us to bundle and batch. A print trail is a file that has certain business rules or requirements. It’s a standalone print job that may also come from different sources. We can pick through and find opportunities,” Perry added.
With householding or batching, the entire process is more efficient for all parties. It reduces costs and streamlines workflows. These benefits are undeniable for in-plant clients, and they soon see that outsourcing makes more business sense for them.
