In the age of advanced technology, automation has become a critical component for achieving efficiency and accuracy. Adopting automation in transactional print and mail is prevalent, but not all providers have the same parameters or capabilities. So, what automated mail services are essential in these communications?
Find out how automated mail services have evolved the transactional mail workflow.
What Are Automated Mail Services in Transactional Communications?
In this context, automated mail services describe anything that technology enables without manual intervention. The volume of transactional print and mail for providers is considerable, and automation lessens the strain on human labor while supporting accuracy, quality, and security.
The Top Automated Mail Services to Seek in a Transactional Partner
There are opportunities to automate many areas of the mailing workflow. It’s not plausible for every step, but when it is applicable, it has many advantages.
What’s crucial is that the organization uses a strategically architected mail process that leverages automation, ensuring data integrity and quality mail delivery.
Let’s review the areas of automation that drive the best results.
Automated Mail Services Workflow for File Processing
Transactional print and mail jobs start with data transfer. Data transmission from customers to providers can be seamless and trackable with automatic confirmation reports. It’s an automated process that eliminates manual work.
File receipt from a customer goes through a file processing hub. Immediately after secure file transmission, the automated workflow process begins.
Automation in the workflow directly connects to consistency in the process. PCI Group does this by applying Lean Manufacturing principles that create standard works to ensure standardization across all shifts, locations, and operators.
Dynamic Printing Automation
Another area of automation is the ability to print dynamically on each letter. It’s achievable through the White Paper Factory (WPF) framework. It marries fully digitally composed files with in-line print production and intelligent insertion.
The result is ultra-secure, highly accurate, variable data-generated documents. It allows you to insert customized messaging to each recipient to highlight other products for upselling or disclose pertinent information.
Printing uses an entire ream of white paper rolls and eliminates the need for pre-printed templates, changeouts, or inserts.
Intelligent Insertion
Accuracy in transactional print and mail is non-negotiable. One mis-mailing can lead to reputational harm and possible compliance violations. Intelligent insertion, driven by automation rules, enhances accuracy.
It involves specialized insert equipment and barcode scanning of each document to verify what goes inside each envelope. These cameras scan the 2D barcode on each document to ensure the inserter folds the correct pages in each envelope. Another camera captures an image of the inserted envelope to validate the process.
Automated Mail Services: Presorting and Postage Optimization
After the data and printing are complete, communications hit the mail stream, where more automation occurs. All mail goes through high-volume presorting, and commingling and sorting via the IMb.
With this automation, letter routing is optimal. It ensures that you get the best discount on postage, too.
It also applies to special mailings like certified mail. Automation for these jobs involves automatically preparing each envelope with a proof of mailing manifest, in-route tracking, and final electronic return receipt (ERR).
Address Hygiene Automation Reduces Waste
Mailers incur lots of costs if they send communications to the wrong address. With address hygiene automation, your lists get a “scrub” using proprietary technology and the USPS Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMb).
The review occurs when you submit your data files instantly. It can significantly reduce undeliverable mail, which saves you time and money.
Automated Reporting in Real-Time
Reporting on transactional print and mail can deliver insights on various metrics. If this is manual, you’ll spend too much time just trying to create them. Automation solves this problem.
With a web-based business document management system, you’ll have access to real-time data to create standard or custom reports in a few clicks. The information syncs with where jobs are, starting at file transmission through delivery.
You’ll never have to wonder about the status of your jobs because all the information is available on a secure platform.
The Benefits of Automated Mail Services
With all these automated mail services options, you gain considerable advantages, including:
- Reduce costs by decreasing undeliverable mail, eliminating manual processes, and receiving the best postage rates.
- Enhance accuracy with automation controls that drive consistency, which enables us to achieve an industry-leading accuracy rate of 99.9999%.
- Boost quality with Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma automation attributes without compromise
- Ensure easy data transmission with advanced technology and processes. With automatic review of files and confirmation reports, you’ll always receive notification
- Get insights from real-time reports across the entire life cycle for true visibility into every job.
With Automated Mail Services You Accelerate Your Transactional Mail with PCI Group
We have a proven, tested, and continuously improved automated mailing services ecosystem. It’s an intelligent and flexible environment that’s routinely checked and audited. With it, you gain all the advantages of automation without compromising quality, accuracy, security, or compliance.
Learn more about how we make transactional print and mail easy. Contact our team today.
