TABLE OF CONTENTSHow Does Same Day Mail Delivery Help In Urgent Business Communication?One thing that companies can’t buy despite their large size or immense capital is time. It is not surprising that time is also the primary reason businesses are reluctant to use direct mail communications. Unless you plan your direct mail communications ahead of time, you are likely to miss deadlines. ![]() Hence, it is not hard to see why same-day delivery services are a game-changer for companies that use direct mail for business to business communication. However, effectively using a same-day postal delivery service for business communication is not as easy. Using same-day postal delivery for all your communication and marketing needs will eat up a lot of your money. Even using it for urgent or time-sensitive communication needs proper planning unless you want to waste company revenue. Below, we discuss same-day delivery and how you can efficiently use it for your business. What is Same Day Delivery?Same-day mail delivery is a unique postal service that lets you send urgent or time-sensitive items within a single-day delivery time. Every major postal service provider, including the Royal Mail, offers same-day postal delivery services to its customers. Business organisations, including healthcare and insurance providers, banks, financial companies, and more often require same day mail delivery. You can use it to send important documents such as billing statements, collection letters, etc. Why Choose Royal Mail Same Day Mail Delivery For Your Business?More often than not, companies or business organisations prefer Royal Mail’s same-day delivery letter for their communications. Several factors make Royal Mail the clear choice for your business’s same-day postal delivery. To begin with, Royal Mail has an extensive network of post offices all across the UK, which is unmatched by any other postal service provider. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Another compelling reason business organisations choose Royal Mail for business communication is their affordable services. Specialised Services For Businesses Royal Mail extends specialised same-day delivery service for sending you business communications. Furthermore, you get access to the Royal Mail Sameday postal service, its fastest and most flexible direct mail delivery service. It is arguably the best way to send urgent goods to your customers that offer guaranteed same-day delivery. And if that’s not enough, Royal Mail offers three different service options for sending you critical documents or goods. The Same Day service options provided by Royal Mail are
Same Day Delivery Services From Royal MailAbove, we listed the three same-day delivery services offered by USPS. Now, let us take a deeper look at these three delivery services from Royal Mail and see how they can be helpful for your business communication. Same Day On-DemandSame Day On Demand service from Royal Mail is the postal service businesses turn to whenever they have a last-minute mail requirement. So, the next time you forget to send out a vital mailer like a collection letter, you can save the day with On Demand same-day delivery. The best part is that the service is available 7 days a week and throughout the year, day or night. So this type of same-day delivery service is the ultimate backup postal service that can save your business from a tight spot. Furthermore, this service comes with a £2,5008 compensation already included in it that covers for loss or damage of your mailpiece. That’s not all you get with the On-Demand same-day delivery service from Royal Mail. The additional features of this service include the following.
Same Day ScheduledSame Day Scheduled is the best postal service you can get when it comes to business communication. It is the perfect mail service for businesses that send regular and time-sensitive mailers to their customers. Generally, the direct mail communication of a company is well-planned. Hence, Scheduled delivery is the obvious choice for business organisations. For example, financial service providers can send important mailers like collection letters using Royal Mail’s Scheduled mail service. Here are some of the other benefits you can get from using the Scheduled same-day delivery service from Royal Mail.
Same Day Multi-DropThe Multi-Drop service from Royal Mail is unlike any other same-day delivery service offered by the Royal Mail. It involves collecting and delivering mailers from multiple locations. Multi-Drop same-day delivery saves you a lot of time and money for your business by collecting and delivering multiple items on a single journey. Such a mailing service can especially be helpful when your business is sending out bulk mail. It will help you minimise expenses and streamline your direct mail delivery. Here are some of the other benefits you can get from using the Multi-Drop same-day delivery service from Royal Mail.
How Direct Mail Automation Help You Get The Best Out Of Same Day Delivery ServiceAs far as direct mail services go, same-day delivery is as fast as possible. But merely using same-day delivery services does not guarantee your mailer will reach its destinations on time. There are several ways your direct mail process can go wrong. For example, printing the wrong address or even mixing up the portal code could mean delayed or returned delivery. The only way to foolproof your direct mail process is to use a fully automated direct mail solution like PostGrid. PostGrid’s advanced direct mail solution prints and delivers personalised business mailers without any manual process. As a result, you can ensure that your mailers are up to the standards specified by Royal Mail. It even standardised the address on your mailers so the sorting equipment can quickly process the mailers. ConclusionBusiness organisations often run into trouble with their direct mail communications because of their long delivery times. Using same day delivery services enables companies to deliver their urgent and time-sensitive mailpieces successfully. Royal Mail is often the most preferred choice for same-day postal deliveries because of the variety of services it offers. Furthermore, Royal Mail offers one of the best postage rates and flexible delivery services for urgent business communications. However, you need automation to optimise your direct mail communication and ensure no delays in same-day delivery services. PostGrid helps you streamline your direct mail communication by automatically printing personalised letters. Furthermore, PostGrid standardised the address and ensured quick sorting and processing of your mailers by the Royal Mail. Hence, every business organisation must consider using a fully automated direct mail system like PostGrid for their postal communications. Ready to Get Started?Start transforming and automating your offline communications with PostGrid The post Same Day Mail Delivery Service appeared first on PostGrid UK. source https://www.postgrid.co.uk/same-day-mail-delivery-service/ Via https://postgridunitedkingdom.tumblr.com/post/686615401466036224
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TABLE OF CONTENTSVerify Your Postal Addresses Effectively With Royal Mail Address CheckerNearly 200,000 people move to the UK every year. Furthermore, 234,000 people left the UK to reside elsewhere in 2020. It proves that it is common for citizens to move and change their addresses often. But, what does that tell you? Well, it indicates that you need to update your database more often than you think. With hundreds of thousands of people shifting from one place to another, you would have a pile of outdated mailing addresses that can cause more harm than good. ![]() Not using an address checker before sending mail to your customers or clients can result in numerous mail returns. You may also face other issues, like lost items, misplacements, delays, etc. Hence, it is crucial to have a robust postal address checker that allows you to send your marketing and transactional items smoothly. In this blog, let’s discuss the meaning of an address checker tool and its functions! What Is The Royal Mail Address Checker?Like most postal organisations around the globe, Royal Mail also has its own address database that has all the updated delivery addresses. Whenever individuals and companies post address change requests, it records all the details in the Postal Address File (PAF). So, PAF is an authoritative database against which you can cross-confirm the accuracy of your addresses. Royal Mail’s address checker tool lets you determine if your mailing addresses are correct and valid using this file. If not, it also helps you get your hands on the verified version of these addresses to enable you to continue mailing. Royal Mail also offers Multiple Residence (MR) and Not-Yet-Built (NYB) files that allow you to improve your data quality even further. Using these datafiles, the postal address checker gives you information about the condos and apartments having multiple addresses—to solve confusion regarding similar properties. Plus, it also reveals details about all the under-construction projects in the UK. How Does the Royal Mail Postal Address Checker Work?The address checker performs a series of tasks to give you the final result—a list of valid, deliverable addresses. It completes all these steps simultaneously because they are interdependent. Let’s discuss these steps below to give you a better understanding of its working: Address AutocompleteAutocomplete refers to auto-filling an address as soon as the user starts typing. The tool identifies the address within just a few keystrokes and shows a list of suggestions to the user, making it speedy and efficient. But, it can do so only when you integrate an address checker API like PostGrid into your CRM or website. If you use this tool for bulk address verification, it helps you add all the missing details. ParsingAn automated address checker Royal Mail tool like PostGrid first disassembles your delivery addresses. It is a method of breaking down an address into several components, like the street name, city, state, country, postcode, etc. The reason for parsing is to identify the validity of every component and modify the same if it’s incorrect. For instance, if your address has a missing city name, the address checker can spot it in no time during this stage. StandardisationNext, the tool reformats the addresses according to Royal Mail’s rules and guidelines. Having a poorly-formatted address is as bad as an incorrect one. The postal equipment can read your delivery addresses only when you follow the prescribed format accurately. Here’s an example of the Royal Mail address format: Tom Pollard 5 Picton ST Montpelier BRISTOL BS6 5QA ValidationIt is the last and most crucial step of the process. The address checker takes the standardised addresses and matches them with the PAF. If it finds a match, the address is marked valid. Otherwise, it modifies the incorrect addresses to make them deliverable. Of course, you may not be able to find a matching address for every entry on your list because some of them are imaginary or non-existent. But, the address checker ensures that you get a validated list of addresses that you can confidently use for mailing items. Why Should You Use an Address CheckerIf you still don’t think you need a postal address checker, this section is for you. Below, we have compiled a list of why you should use it: Reduce Mail ReturnsAs said earlier, mail returns, lost pieces, etc., can pose several problems for your company. Along with creating waste, it also demands you to spend extra on reshipping. Hence, you must use an address checker tool to put an end to these issues and ship accurately. Save Time and EffortIf you decide to double-check your mailing addresses manually, it can take days and weeks of your time. Also, it requires a lot of effort at your end, from calling up customers to asking them for their correct addresses to maintaining excel files. These daunting jobs can hinder your staff’s productivity, making a postal address checker a must for your business. Better Customer RelationshipsUsing an online address checker like PostGrid, you can establish deep company-customer relationships. It helps you process orders on time and respond to their queries promptly. Also, you can use the address checker to verify your mailing lists and conduct effective mailing campaigns helpful in customer retention. Increase ROITalking of direct mail campaigns, the address checker Royal Mail allows you to conduct effective mailing with positive performance. It helps you send your marketing collateral, like postcards, letters, etc., to relevant prospects likely to respond to your offers. Without a proper address verification system at work, you would be too busy handling puzzling logistics to plan and execute a result-driving campaign. How Can PostGrid’s Address Checker Help You Access a Cleansed and Updated Database?PostGrid’s address validation API enables companies to verify any number of addresses conveniently. Also, it uses Royal Mail’s authoritative database to assure timely and precise deliveries. Here are some more features of our address checker tool: International Address ValidationOur international address verification capabilities allow you to cross-check mailing addresses of over 245 countries. Hence, you can maintain a database of your national and international prospects effortlessly. Also, it opens doors to new opportunities as you can mail your promotional items to your overseas customers without worrying about returns. Multiple Usage OptionsYou can use our address verification API or software to validate your mailing lists frequently. They both give the same results and verify your addresses using the same procedure. But, the address checker API helps you integrate into your CRM and start checking addresses directly from your own system. On the contrary, the software requires you to upload mailing lists that you need to verify. If you want to verify addresses at the point-of-entry, it is best to go with the address checker API. However, our software is ideal for bulk address verification, wherein you need to cleanse and update your already existing records. GeocodingUsing a person’s IP address to capture their accurate location is the best way of verifying addresses. Hence, PostGrid’s postal address checker employs geocoding to help you validate users’ addresses on the spot and prevent incorrect data from entering your system. Fuzzy MatchingFuzzy matching is one of the best characteristics of an address checker. It allows you to solve problems, like:
To ConcludeIt is very advantageous to use the Royal Mail address checker as it aids your daily operations and marketing plans. Having a high-quality and error-free database means you can make better decisions and increase profits. PostGrid’s address checker helps you verify mailing lists at affordable rates. We have many flexible pricing plans to meet your needs and budget. Also, our customer support team is available for you 24 x 7 if you have any questions or need assistance with our API integration. Request a demo now to learn how PostGrid’s address checker and help you fight against outdated and invalid addresses! Ready to Get Started?Start transforming and automating your offline communications with PostGrid The post Address Checker: Verify Postal Addresses appeared first on PostGrid UK. source https://www.postgrid.co.uk/address-checker/ Via https://postgridunitedkingdom.tumblr.com/post/685898179388080128 TABLE OF CONTENTSWhat Is PHI, And Why Is It Important For Your Healthcare Business?Health information is perhaps the most valuable kind of data in the world. It can reveal so much about an individual and is often the target of hackers and cybercriminals. Hence, it is no wonder that various rules and regulations protect healthcare data. ![]() Today, we will explain what Protected Health Information or PHI is. You will learn everything about PHI, its examples, the laws that protect PHI, and more as you read on. What is PHI or Protected Health Information?PHI or Protected Health Information is any healthcare data or information that can reveal a patient’s identity. It is sometimes referred to as personal health information or patient health information, and it can include information such as:
But that’s not all. Even the conversations between healthcare professionals about the treatment are protected as PHI. And yes, PHI Patient Health Information also includes any data processed for medical billing and health insurance. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) defined PHI. HIPAA oversees the use, access, and disclosure of PHI in the United States. It is similar to data protection laws we have here in the UK, such as General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. In general, you could say that the purpose of these laws is to protect the public’s privacy. However, this protection only applies to a niche when it comes to HIPAA. Because while GDPR deals with public data in general, PHI Protected Health Information focuses explicitly on healthcare data. ePHIDuring its inception, PHI health data was limited to hard copies because there were no digital alternatives available. But eventually, digitisation hit the healthcare industry just like every other industry. It became necessary to protect PHI in digital form. As you can guess, ePHI is short for Electronic Protected Health Information. Any PHI data you create, maintain, or process electronically can be termed ePHI. Remember the PHI data you keep and access securely on your desktop, mobile, website, or other electronic devices? Yes, all of that is also protected as ePHI, and it would be advisable for you to keep them safe and secure. Like the regular PHI, ePHI also receives all the data protection from HIPAA. Any breach could lead to a lot of legal problems and hefty fines. What Are Some Examples of Protected Health Information?Unlike you may think, not all information identifiers are classified as PHI. HIPAA provides a list of 18 identifiers that become PHI only when paired with health information. It is also possible some of these identifiers can be used to identify an individual even when they are not paired with health information. Here are some examples of PHI health data.
What Are The Uses of PHI Health Data, And Who Uses It?Have you ever wondered what happens when a new baby is born in a hospital? The PHI health data is also created almost simultaneously with the newborn baby. A health record is made for the baby where they record everything from its weight to temperature. So, now you have a comprehensive record of that baby’s health data from the moment the baby was born. PHI enables the tracking of an individual’s health data throughout their life. As a result, healthcare professionals can easily understand and assess a person’s health conditions. Clinical And Research ScientistsStudying health and healthcare trends is much easier with the help of PHI health data. Hence, clinical and research scientists benefit tremendously from PHI data. However, even researchers can’t access PHI data unless they are anonymised. What does that mean? The PHI data is stripped of any identifying features, and they are pooled together in a massive database. Such databases are perfect for population health management efforts and creating value-based care programs. Hacker And CybercriminalsAnother group of people interested in PHI are hackers and cybercriminals. One of the main reasons why PHI was created was this group of people. Many people and even some healthcare organisations don’t understand the actual value of PHI Patient Health Information. Hackers and cybercriminals may sell PHI data for a high price. And suppose your organisation is responsible for the leak of PHI data to these groups. In that case, the authorities may subject you to legal actions. Additionally, cybercriminals may also use PHI data that they hacked to get ransom from healthcare providers and other organisations. MarketersMarketers can also use PHI data for marketing products and services relevant to the patient. But, it only applies to cases where the patient expressly allows an organisation to use their PHI data. The HIPAA regulations strictly limit how an organisation can share PHI or use it for marketing purposes. What is a Covered Entity?HIPAA classifies a covered entity as any organisation or individual that handles PHI health data regularly. All covered entities must ensure they follow HIPAA’s privacy and security rules. Several organisations deal with PHI regularly. However, you can classify covered entities under HIPAA into three categories, and they are:
Healthcare ProviderHealthcare providers are perhaps the source of all PHI health data. And yes, healthcare providers are precisely the people and organisations you are thinking of right now. But, to make it clear, let us list out the healthcare providers for you.
Are you or your organisation on the list above? If yes, you are a covered entity under HIPAA. However, we are just getting started, and there are still two more categories of covered entities for us to cover. Health PlansThe next category of covered entities is health plans. It includes government programs that pay for health care, such as Medicare and Medicaid. In addition to that, military and veterans’ health care programs are also considered health plans. Health Insurance ProvidersHealth insurance providers are also subject to HIPAA regulations because they often deal with sensitive Protected Health Information. Even the monthly billing statements they send out must be HIPAA compliant. HMOs or Health Maintenance OrganisationsA Health Maintenance Organisation or HMO is similar to a healthcare insurance provider. However, unlike regular insurance providers, it limits the coverage to care from doctors in a contractual relationship with the HMO. Company/Organisation Health PlansYou should also note that employers and schools that deal with PHI Patient Health Information are also classified as health plans. In the above case, the employer or school uses PHI to enrol new members. The data they collect must be secured as per HIPAA standards. Healthcare ClearinghousesHealthcare clearinghouses include organisations which process nonstandard health information to a standard one or vice versa. It usually uses standard electronic format or data content. In other words, a healthcare clearinghouse takes PHI from an entity, standardises it, and then provides the output to another entity or organisation. Even this standardisation process requires the entity to be HIPAA compliant. What is a Business Associate?Covered entities are not the only individuals or organisations that use PHI Patient Health Information. Think about it, who prints and delivers documents like patient statements for healthcare organisations? The chances are that healthcare organisations use a Managed Print Service like PostGrid for printing and sending PHI documents. However, having access to PHI does not make direct mail services like PostGrid a covered entity. By definition, a business associate is an entity that can access, use, or disclose PHI on behalf of a covered entity. You could also say that they are subcontractors or vendors of a covered entity with access to PHI data. What Does a Business Associate Do With PHI Health Data?Covered entities use business associates to perform a function or activity that involves using PHI health data. Let’s retake the example of PostGrid. Covered entities like hospitals do not have a specialised printing system. However, they can use a HIPAA compliant direct mail provider like PostGrid for printing and mailing PHI documents like patient billing statements. Similarly, healthcare insurance providers can use PostGrid for sending their monthly billing statements. But remember, PostGrid is just one example of a business associate. Healthcare organisations can use vendors for streamlining all kinds of operations like:
Listed above are just some of the ways business associates deal with PHI health data. A healthcare organisation can use numerous types of vendors to streamline its business operations. SubcontractorsSometimes the vendor or business associate may delegate its covered function to someone else. These entities to which the vendor delegates its responsibilities are considered subcontractors. Do HIPAA Regulations Apply To Business Associates?Yes, every business associate that deals with PHI Patient Health Information need to comply with HIPAA regulations. It is not uncommon for HIPAA compliant service providers to still avoid the use of PHI data because they are concerned about data security. Let’s say that a covered entity sends its PHI to a vendor, and the vendor stores the data in its servers. As soon as the vendor receives the PHI data, they automatically come under the definition of a business associate. It also means that the vendor is now subject to HIPAA security rules. PostGrid is a perfect example of a HIPAA compliant business associate. It offers a fully automated direct mail solution that helps covered entities like hospitals and health insurance providers. PostGrid even provides specialised direct mail services for the healthcare and insurance industries. HIPAA Privacy Rule And PHI Health DataWe can not talk about PHI Patient Health Information without discussing HIPAA because both go hand-in-hand with each other. HIPAA privacy rule clearly defines or specifies how healthcare providers access, use, and process PHI data, including hospitals and clinics. Another way of looking at HIPAA is that it provides federal protection to PHI data. Apart from this protection to the PHI data, it also gives the patient a specific set of rights regarding their PHI data. For instance, the patient can allow some marketers to use the PHI to suggest relevant health products and services. When Can Organisations Sell PHI Health Data?The strict nature of the HIPAA privacy rule might give you the impression that selling PHI health data is impossible. However, that is not the case. Even though HIPAA strongly regulates the use of PHI data, it does not isolate it completely. Following are the circumstances where your organisation is allowed to sell PHI data.
In addition to this, HIPAA also gives individuals the right to amend their personal PHI maintained by a covered entity. For making such a change to their PHI health data, the patient or individual must give a written request. HIPAA AuditsPartners of healthcare providers and insurers that use, access, or process PHI data are required to sign a HIPAA business associate agreement. Upon signing this agreement, the service provider becomes legally bound to handle PHI Patient Health Information as HIPAA rules. You were already aware or at least guessed about the agreement part. But, what you might not know is that both covered entities and business associates are subject to HIPAA audits. The audits are conducted by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR). HIPAA violations are a serious matter, and they are dealt with the same seriousness. A PHI health data leak can lead to hefty fines, especially if you are a repeat offender. It can ruin your business reputation. We don’t have to tell you how crucial importance is in the healthcare industry. HIPAA Privacy Rule And Access To Patient’s PHIAs we mentioned before, HIPAA regulations were originally for paper records. Initially, covered entities could take up to 30 days to respond to a PHI data access request from a patient. However, since the passage of the HITECH Act, the old paper records got replaced with EHRs. Today, HIPAA deals primarily with electronically stored patient data or ePHI. However, HIPAA regulations apply to regular PHI on paper and ePHI equally. But, with healthcare organisations that use health IT technology, the patient may be able to access their PHI health data faster. It is also worth remembering that the disposal method of electronic and paper PHI is also different. With the paper form, you can shred it or make it unreadable in any other way. Whereas ePHI needs to be purged from the system and made sure no trace of it is left. HIPAA Compliance and SecurityWe know that the covered entities have to safeguard themselves against threats to the PHI data. These safeguards can protect your healthcare or insurance organisation against credible threats to the PHI health data. As per HIPAA guidelines, three safeguards can protect the PHI data of a covered entity, and they are: Technical Safeguards: Firewalls, encryption, etc. Physical Safeguards: Lockers for physical records and electronic devices containing PHI. Administrative Safeguards: People-based approaches to security, policies limiting PHI access, safety training, etc. HIPAA vs GDPRAs we briefly mentioned before, HIPAA and GDPR are both privacy laws that protect the personal data of individuals. However, they are not the same, and it doesn’t take a close examination to see that they are different either. Perhaps, the main difference between the two is that the GDPR applies to all personal data of individuals within its scope. The scope is much more narrow when it comes to HIPAA, and it only applies to PHI Patient Health Information. Below we discuss the significant differences between HIPAA and GDPR. Protected dataThe protected data under HIPAA is the PHI. Or in other words, any healthcare data such as their health status, care, or payment collected by a covered entity. At the same time, GDPR applies to any data that can reveal an individual’s identity. ScopeHIPAA compliance only applies to covered entities and their business associates. In contrast, the compliance standards of GDPR apply to all entities within its scope. ConsentHIPAA allows the use and disclosure of some PHI health data for treatment purposes without the individual’s consent. When it comes to GDPR, you need the individual’s explicit consent for processing personal health data. However, there are certain exceptions in GDPR where you can process the data without permission. Right To Delete DataHIPAA does not allow individuals to delete their PHI Patient Health Information. However, individuals can amend PHI data with a written request. In GDPR, individuals have the right to delete their data upon request. Why Is It Important To Use HIPAA And GDPR Compliant Tools For Your Business?As you can see, HIPAA and GDPR are two significant privacy laws every healthcare and insurance provider must follow. Healthcare is already a global industry. It is high time to set up your healthcare business for a worldwide audience. To ensure streamlined communication with your patients inside and outside the UK, you need advanced solutions like PostGrid. Solutions like PostGrid come equipped with HIPAA and GDPR compliances. It enables you to communicate with your national and international audience seamlessly. PostGrid fully automated direct mail system ensures the security of your PHI Protected Health Information at all times. It is compliant with HIPAA and GDPR, and you need not waste money on two different solutions. And as a result, your direct mail communication becomes a whole lot easier. ConclusionHealthcare organisations and insurance providers deal with a significant amount of PHI health data. Yet many of them are not fully aware of how crucial these data are or the stringent regulations surrounding them. Misusing PHI data could have serious consequences, including hefty fines. Hence, healthcare organisations and insurance providers must use HIPAA and GDPR compliant solutions like PostGrid. Using tools like PostGrid enables you to ensure that your patient’s sensitive information remains secure at all times. By doing so, you are also able to ensure that your business remains compliant with the complex rules and regulations. More importantly, it protects your organisation’s reputation, which is the crux of everything in the healthcare industry. Ready to Get Started?Start transforming and automating your offline communications with PostGrid The post What is PHI (Protected Health Information)? appeared first on PostGrid UK. source https://www.postgrid.co.uk/what-is-phi-protected-health-information/ Via https://postgridunitedkingdom.tumblr.com/post/685433884229468160 TABLE OF CONTENTSHow Can Hospitals Benefit From Outsourcing Patient Statement PrintingDo you print and mail patient statements in-house? It is not a new concept because hospitals have been doing that for several decades. Perhaps, they had a mailroom where employees would print these statements, stuff them into envelopes, and label each one of them. ![]() Though it was a reasonable way of sending statements to patients at that time, things have become more complex today. Now, having a mailroom and recruiting several employees for just one specific job may seem senseless. So, what is the ideal solution for you at the moment? Thankfully, you can outsource these time-intensive tasks to patient statement printing companies like PostGrid. It can help you escape the manual effort and hefty investment while reaping the benefits of automation. Keep reading ahead to know the function of patient statements and why you must outsource medical statement printing. Let’s begin! What Are Patient Statements?A patient statement refers to the summary of the services availed by a patient and their outstanding dues. It consists of all the patient details such as their name, doctor’s name, treatment details, etc. Usually, a statement acts like a bill sent to patients for reference—enabling them to make the payment on time. You can either send e-statements or printed statements, depending on your policies, requirements, and budget. However, offline patient statement printing helps you grab your patients’ attention and persuade them to pay their dues. On the contrary, they might ignore your online correspondence and delay the payment for as long as possible. Things to Take Care of While Printing and Mailing Patient StatementsThe healthcare industry is highly regulated, and you need to protect your patient data. Thus, patient statement mailing is complicated compared to sending marketing mail items. Also, medical services are costly, and you cannot afford not to get paid by your patients for a long time. Therefore, you must adopt a proactive approach and send out patient statements promptly. Here are some more things you should keep in mind regarding patient statement printing: Send Concise StatementsTry sending statements that are easy to understand and clear. Use an easy-flowing layout that segments all the information and offers a consolidated view. Your patients must have all the details at their fingertips, and you must do your best to offer them this level of convenience. If you miss including some information, it can create confusion and affect your revenue cycle considerably. Efficient patient statement printing helps you explain the changes in the bill to your patients and reduce the number of queries. Use CustomisationAlong with facilitating payments, your statements should also leave a positive impression on patients. So, ditch plain, lousy statements with customised ones that can help you increase brand recognition. Customisation ensures that your patients remember you and recommend you to their family and friends. Automated patient statement printing and mailing services like PostGrid can help you add your brand logo and send out visually appealing, full-colour statements. Include Return EnvelopesThe best way to motivate your patients to make instant payments is by sending business reply envelopes with your invoices or statements. These prepaid envelopes allow patients to insert a cheque inside and mail it back. These envelopes already carry the return address and other details. Offering multiple payment options is the essence of systematic patient statement printing. You should make the process convenient for your patients and motivate them to respond. Also, try adding short pURLs and QR codes to allow patients to complete the payment online. Ensure Data SecurityThe entire responsibility of protecting your patients’ data is on you if you conduct patient statement printing and mailing in-house. However, running a healthcare centre and juggling mailing activities on the side can pose some challenges. At some point, your employees might make a mistake. Though it does not sound like a big deal, you can face some serious consequences if there is a data breach. Thus, you must employ all the necessary data protection and security measures to ensure smooth statement mailing. By outsourcing the activities to patient statement services like PostGrid, you can rest assured that your patients receive error-free statements. Advantages of Outsourcing Patient Statement PrintingThere are many benefits of outsourcing your statement printing tasks instead of struggling to do it efficiently in-house: Increase Patient SatisfactionIf you send statements that need several edits, it can tarnish your brand image and frustrate your patients. On the other hand, sending accurate, clear, and informative statements helps improve your patients’ billing experience. But, it is hard to do so when you handle everything yourselves. Plus, there is not enough time to achieve such perfection. Thus, outsourcing patient statement printing is your best bet if you want to keep your patients happy. Cut Overhead ExpensesSending statements to patients is not a one-time job that you can get over effortlessly. It is an ongoing chore that needs you to spend on printing equipment, paper, ink, and other perishables. Also, imagine if your staff sends out some statements to incorrect mailing addresses. It can lead to mail returns, misplacements, and delays. Again, your team would have to reship these statements—wasting more money. Thus, you need patient statement printing and mailing services to ensure that you spend the least while also getting the work done. Speed Up PaymentsSome of your patients might need a little push from your side now and then to pay their outstanding bills. Take care that you send your statements on time to encourage speedier payments. For instance, you can plan to complete your patient statement printing tasks by the middle of the month. This way, your patients will get their bills by the end of the month or the start of the upcoming month—when most people receive their bills. Thus, there are higher chances of your mail getting noticed when you send it at the right time. But, having such an efficient patient statement mailing system needs a lot of effort and investment on your side. The good news is that you can outsource this job and create an efficient payment channel for your patients. PostGrid’s direct mail services also offer triggered mailing, which means you can preset the dates when you want to mail your statements. Hence, you don’t need to instruct your staff to clear their schedule and spend their precious time worrying about logistics. Get Repeat PatientsMany patients switch their healthcare providers if they don’t find their payment methods convenient. Using outsourced patient statement services, you can guarantee that there are no such problems between you and your patients. Focus On Core OperationsMost physicians have a lot to deal with, resulting in burn-outs. They might have a small team to help them out, but things might get messed up when their staff is also working at capacity. Outsourcing patient statement printing helps you concentrate on your core duties, which are:
Why Should You Choose PostGrid’s Patient Statement Printing and Mailing Services?Below, we have enlisted all the prime reasons you must outsource your patient statement printing to PostGrid:
To ConcludeOutsourcing patient statement printing is the need of the hour as hospitals need to focus more on patient retention. They also have the responsibility to offer the best quality healthcare to every patient. Using automated statement print and mail solutions like PostGrid, healthcare institutions can save money, time, and effort. Also, they can improve brand reputation and increase visibility. With faster payments and fewer outstanding bills, hospitals can expand their marketing budget and acquire more patients. Hence, outsourcing patient statement printing is beneficial to you in every way, and PostGrid can further help double these advantages. Request a demo now to see how our API and dashboard for patient statement printing can help you send accurate statements and accelerate payments! Ready to Get Started?Start transforming and automating your offline communications with PostGrid The post Patient Statement Services in UK appeared first on PostGrid UK. source https://www.postgrid.co.uk/patient-statement-automated-printing-mailing/ Via https://postgridunitedkingdom.tumblr.com/post/685260207100657665 TABLE OF CONTENTSHow To Ensure The Accuracy Of Your Business’s International Address Validation?Are you stopping yourself from sending international mailers for your business? Is the non-deliverability of your mailers the reason you still avoid international mailers? If yes, then we have got the answer to your little problem, and you are going to love it! ![]() Use international address validation to your advantage and ensure the deliverability of your marketing mailer. It is an effective way for businesses to save a significant sum of money on international return mail. But most companies do not know how to execute address validation for their international customers. Here, we explain international address validation and how you can ensure its accuracy. In addition to that, we will explain how using the right tools can help you streamline your address validation and enhance your marketing campaigns. What is International Address Validation?International Address Validation compares a foreign or non-UK address against an authoritative address database of a specific country. Usually, the address database used for this comparison is from the official postal service provider of a country. Imagine, you want to check the deliverability of a US address. In that case, the best option is to compare it against the USPS address database. The official postal service providers of a country, such as USPS and Canada Post, have the most extensive address database you can find. Suppose the international address validation system finds a match for your address in the database. In that case, it means that your address is accurate and deliverable. And if no match is located in the official address database, it implies that the address is not deliverable by the postal service provider. International Address Validation ComponentsMost business organisations are already familiar with the address validation process for domestic mailers. However, international address verification is not the same as domestic address verification. There are some noticeable differences in the global and domestic address validation processes. Difference In TerminologiesTo start with the basics, look at the difference in the language we use for addresses across the world. For example, what we call postcodes in the UK are called ZIP codes in the US. Similarly, while the country is divided into states in the US, it is divided into provinces in Canada. You see where we are going with this, don’t you? Even the terms we use for direct mail are different. So then, how can the international address validation be the same as domestic address verification? And this is just one of the distinguishing factors between international and domestic addresses. Language IssuesAnother thing about international mailers that you may or may not have noticed is the use of Latin characters. Several countries use Latin characters or even roman numbers in their addresses. However, that is not the case for most businesses. Although it may not seem like much, these language issues can cause unnecessary problems for your international address verification. Advanced address verification tools like PostGrid can help you navigate these difficult situations. An advanced address verification solution lets you specify the output characters, and you can get the output data in the desired format. So, it shouldn’t be hard to understand how vital a good address verification solution can be for streamlining your business communication. Specify The Destination CountryThe ability to input the destination country for your business mailers is an underrated feature in international address validation. You can not validate international addresses, especially in bulk, if you can’t specify the destination country of your mailers. Usually, you can specify the country for your international mailers either by the country’s full name or an ISO classification. When it comes to ISO classification, three formats are widely accepted.
When choosing an international address verification tool, make sure that one of these ISO options is included with the address. Because if you don’t, the system may fail to validate your mailer even if the address is present in the database. Accuracy Issues In International Address VerificationThe purpose of international address verification is essential to ensure the accurate addresses for your direct mail communications. However, your business can use it in any number of ways. For instance, you can use address verification to check for deliverability. In contrast, someone else may use it to check whether the street address is valid. It is also worth noting that Royal Mail already has a very complex postal system. It deals with postal mail delivery in multiple nations and still delivers all your postal mailers efficiently. Any address verification system that can easily navigate through the Royal Mail postal system can do the same for other postal services worldwide. International Address Validation for US AddressesThe US also has a complex postal system that has over 150 million delivery points across the nation. It is one of the few countries globally that have delivery point data available. When dealing with such precise data, you need an international address verification solution that is truly robust. PostGrid is one of the few address validation tools that efficiently navigate you through USPS’s postal system. Furthermore, PostGrid comes with CASS certification, implying that you can get reliable address data directly from the USPS. Due to the highly complicated nature of address data maintained by the USPS, it is essential to use a tool with the same level of accuracy. International Address Validation For Canadian AddressesCanada is yet another country that offers accurate delivery point data, just like in the case of the US. Make sure the international address validation tool you choose is SERP certified. The SERP or Software Evaluation and Recognition Program is the Canadian equivalent of the CASS certification discussed above. Varying Level of Address Data AccuracyOne of the significant challenges involved in international address validation is the varying level of address data accuracy. Different countries have different degrees of address data accuracy. Only 12 countries, including the US and Canada, offer delivery point address data. Sixty-eight countries have addressed data accurately down to the property level and 37 of them down to street level. And finally, 126 countries have addressed data down to a community or neighbourhood level. PostGrid ensures accurate address verification for over 240 countries. It includes international address verification of addresses down to the delivery point level. As a result, you can ensure the accuracy of international addresses regardless of where it is located. Format For Foreign AddressesIf you have ever tried Googling “foreign address format”, you would know there is no universal foreign address format. And it is not so hard to understand why if you think about it for a second. Most countries in the world don’t even use English as a communication medium. If so, how can we expect to have a universal address format for the mailer? The fact is that every country defines its address format. What does this mean? There are more than 240 possible address formats, and you need to search for one based on your mailer’s destination. Will Getting A Sample Address Help?Getting a sample address for the country you want to send the mailer to can help you. But, the address format available online is not always reliable. Your business would still need an advanced international address validation tool by the end of the day. Why? Because a proper address format as defined by the country’s postal authority outlines finer details. The appropriate address format includes abbreviations, casing, apartment numbers, and more information. It is practically impossible to manage all this and get it right for your bulk mail campaigns. Get an all-in-one guide for your bulk mail campaign here. Using an advanced international address validation tool lets you bypass all this trouble. The system takes care of your address format and ensures everything is in order. Why Should You Use PostGrid’s International Address Validation Tool?Ensuring the validity of your international addresses is not a walk in the park unless you have a tool like PostGrid. As discussed, the address format varies for different countries, and you can manually track all of them. PostGrid offers an international address validation web service that lets you validate addresses from more than 240 countries. The address validation process of PostGrid also includes the standardisation of your postal addresses. CASS And SERP CertificationsPostGrid comes with CASS and SERP certification, which lets you validate addresses in the US and Canada. Both countries offer address data accurate up to the delivery point. Only a tool like PostGrid can ensure the accuracy of your addresses on such a level. Geocoding CapabilityPostGrid’s international address verification tool comes equipped with several advanced tools. But the one feature that offers significant potential is geocoding. It lets you find the physical location of customers based on their address. You can use geocoding to map out prospective customers and target specific neighbourhoods. It is ideal for you to identify patterns in geographical areas or localities. Such a feature can benefit an international address validation tool and help you market your business more effectively. ConclusionWithout the right set of tools, international address validation can bring many unnecessary problems for your business. Most business organisations often fail to consider all the components involved in their international address validation. Even a slight mistake in your international postal mail communication can significantly lose money for your business. It is also worth remembering that the cost of sending international mailers is high. So, even a minor mistake in your bulk mail campaigns can have devastating results. PostGrid’s international address validation tool enables you to bypass the challenges of sending international mail. With access to more than 240 address databases, PostGrid lets you verify all your addresses. Writer’s Note: PostGrid’s address verification tools come with CASS and SERP certifications. Despite having delivery point data, it allows you to verify international addresses for two significant countries. Ready to Get Started?Start transforming and automating your offline communications with PostGrid The post International Address Validation appeared first on PostGrid UK. source https://www.postgrid.co.uk/international-address-verification/ Via https://postgridunitedkingdom.tumblr.com/post/685165840442818560 TABLE OF CONTENTSHow To Speed Your Direct Mail Communications With Programmatic Mail And Its BenefitsSending and receiving postcards on holidays is one of the exciting things we do. But sending postal mailers, including postcards, is not much fun when you send it in bulk. In fact, businesses often have a hard time sending many postal mailers to their target audience. ![]() However, the recipients of such mailers and postcards enjoy it so much that it has a higher response rate than most digital marketing strategies. So, the only question here is how businesses can send direct mail, including postcards, without the headache of manual processing. And, we believe the ideal answer to this question is programmatic mail. Here, we will make a case for advanced direct mail automation software for optimising offline communication for business organisations. Read on to find out what is programmed mailing and how it can benefit your business. What is Programmatic Direct Mail?Programmatic direct mail lets you use an advanced direct mail system to print and deliver a piece of printed direct mail automatically. It usually involves using variable images and text content to provide customers with relevant marketing messages. Advanced programmatic mail allows you to send customised mailers based on a schedule you choose automatically. Similarly, you can also use a direct mail system to set up triggers based on particular actions. For example, you can automatically send thank you cards to your customers every time they purchase from your business. In other words, once you set up a direct mail automation system sending direct mail becomes as easy as sending emails for your business. How Does Programmatic Mail Work For Your Business?The working of programmatic mail is much more straightforward than you might think. Using an example, it is easier to understand the working of automated mail. So let’s say that you own a retail and eCommerce store. Let us also assume that you want to send a thank you card whenever a new customer registers on your eCommerce website. Here, you can set the triggering action as a website or membership registration. So, every time a new customer signs up as a member on your eCommerce website, the direct mail system sends them a thank you postcard. Another thing you need to know about programmatic mail is that you can connect it with your CRM for easy customisation. The system uses a thank you postcard template that you set up and personalise with CRM data. Hence there is no scope for error, and the thank you postcards get delivered uninterrupted. Why Should You Use Programmatic Mail For Your Business?There are several ways a business organisation can use an automated direct mail system. The applicational use of programmatic mail includes everything from cultivating brand loyalty among customers to marketing your products and services. Let us go back to the scenario where you have an eCommerce website. One of the most nerve-racking experiences an eCommerce business can have is shoppers abandoning their cart before checking out. Sending an email as an abandoned cart reminder is one option, but they often don’t even get opened. On the other hand, sending an abandoned cart reminder via postal mail is more likely to catch the customer’s attention. Because, unlike emails which you can leave unread forever, direct mail is almost always opened by the recipients. Benefits Of Programmatic MailEmploying a programmatic direct mail tool or software gives you various advantages. Using these advantages efficiently will help you get ahead of your competitors. Here are some of the significant benefits of automated direct mail for your business. Ensure The Fastest Direct Mail DeliveryProgrammatic mail is the best way for your business to quickly speed up its direct mail process. Using a direct mail automation tool like PostGrid lets you eliminate all slow manual processes. As a result, you can ensure that the mailer reaches the recipient in the shortest time possible. Learn our guide on how you can speed up the direct mail operations of your business. Get Higher ROI For Your Direct Mail CampaignsThe minimum return rates of your mailer and the resources you save through an optimal direct mail process help you achieve maximum ROI. Grow Your Relationships With Existing CustomersAs we discussed, direct mailers, especially thank you postcards, birthday cards, etc., create an emotional impact on the recipients. Hence, you can use programmatic mail to nurture existing relationships and convert them into loyal customers and brand advocates. Pitch Relevant and Personalised Marketing MessageWith a direct mail system such as PostGrid, you can connect it with your CRM. It allows you to access crucial data, such as the product the customer is likely interested in and use it in your marketing mailers. Execute Data-Driven Direct Mail CampaignsAdvanced programmatic direct mail tools like PostGrid let you build and test data models. As a result, your business can identify the customer’s online behaviour and use them as programmatic triggers. For example, one such trigger could be when the customer dwells time on specific pages or the frequency of visits. ConclusionEmploying programmatic direct mail can be a gamechanger for your business. It can optimise direct mail operations and ensure timely offline communication with your target audience. However, you need a fully automated direct mail solution to get the full potential of using software for your direct mail. For example, advanced direct mail solutions like PostGrid enable you to print personalised direct mail for your business. PostGrid even gives you access to its very own template gallery and design tools that let you design and print your mailers. With such an advanced programmatic mail tool, you can conveniently send your marketing materials. Furthermore, you can also use PostGrid’s address verification tool to maximise the reach and deliverability of your direct mail campaigns. Ready to Get Started?Start transforming and automating your offline communications with PostGrid The post Programmatic Direct Mail appeared first on PostGrid UK. source https://www.postgrid.co.uk/programmatic-direct-mail/ Via https://postgridunitedkingdom.tumblr.com/post/684079707474542592 TABLE OF CONTENTSWhy is Letterbox Marketing Important and How Can You Ensure Its Success?There are two things that marketers in all industry verticals always find challenging. One is finding new potential customers for their business, and the other is engaging with a cold lead. What if we told you that both these problems have a simple solution? ![]() Yes, by using a letterbox marketing campaign, you can tip the scale of the existing balance and get noticed by your target audience. Not sure what is letterbox advertising or how it can help your business? Well, you need not worry about that because we will give you the answer to that question as you read on. What is Letterbox Advertising?A letterbox or mailbox is used in private residences or businesses to receive incoming mail. Letterbox advertising involves delivering printed marketing materials such as flyers and brochures by dropping them in the letterbox. However, it is not the same as direct mail advertising because it does not require you to have a highly targeted mailing list. Your marketing materials do not require an address at all. But that’s not even the best part! It is significantly cheaper to send this type of marketing mailer. Furthermore, Royal Mail offers a unique postal service called Royal Mail Door to Door service, which lets your business quickly implement letterbox advertising. We even have a detailed article on how you can use the Door to Door service efficiently for your business. Why Is Direct Letterbox Marketing So Effective?Some of you might think Royal Mail Door to Door service is an outdated way of marketing your products and services. And you wouldn’t be wrong to some extent. But, in actuality, you overlook many aspects when you say offline marketing methods like letterbox advertising are outdated. For instance, the digital marketing spectrum has become so mainstream that it is practically impossible for a new player to get noticed. Offline marketing, on the other hand, is less competitive. Furthermore, it is not so easy to ignore, like how you can leave a text or email unread forever. Here are some of the reasons why direct letterbox marketing is so effective for marketing your products or services: They Are More Personal:The feasible nature of mailers makes it more personal than seeing your marketing message on a screen. You can use the demographic trend to offer relevant marketing content to the target. Using a smaller demographic or area can run even more personalised marketing campaigns. Targeting Based On Demographics and Cold Lead:As we mentioned above, when sending unaddressed marketing mailers, you can target audiences based on their demographics. But, more importantly, you can use letterbox marketing to target your cold leads, and there aren’t many effective marketing strategies that can do this. They Offer No Distractions:The thing with online marketing campaigns, especially on mobile devices, is that the audience gets easily distracted. No notifications pop up on a printed flyer that could take the recipient’s attention away. How to Ensure The Success of Your Letterbox Marketing Campaigns?You can take several steps to ensure that your letterbox marketing campaigns are successful. Below we discuss some of these steps and how they can help your marketing efforts harness the desired results. 1. Keep Your Marketing Material SimpleSimplicity goes a long way in Door to Door marketing materials like flyers. You can follow a rule of thumb to ensure the marketing material remains simple: pick a clear objective and stick to it. Never have cluttered information in your marketing material. However, you can use bold colours, compelling headlines, and aesthetic images to grab the audience’s attention. 2. Highlight The Benefits of Your Product/ServiceYour marketing material should highlight the significant benefits of the product or service you want to sell. Make sure you don’t mistake the benefits with the features of the product or service you are selling. A good letterbox marketing campaign focuses on the customer’s benefits rather than the product/service features. 3. Use Quality ContentQuality content implies that your marketing message should be powerful enough to grab the prospective customer’s attention. But, merely grabbing the prospect’s attention is not enough. The content must be engaging, maintain a consistent flow, and ultimately generate the desired response from the candidate. 4. Ensure An Attractive CTACTA or Call-To-Action is a crucial part of direct letterbox marketing. Simply showcasing your contact details is not enough to make a great CTA. Ideally, it would be best if you offered discount coupons or some other incentive to the prospect to encourage them to take action. 5. Be Consistent In Your Marketing EffortsThe one thing that separates a good marketer from the average and below-average ones is consistency. The chances are that your first letterbox marketing campaign will not yield the desired results. Some marketers may give up and move to a different marketing strategy. But, an experienced marketer will know better and use multiple correspondences to get a response from the target audience. 6. Target Your Most Promising Leads/ProspectsSuppose you are an insurance service provider and already have a list of promising leads for your business. In that case, it might be a good idea to pitch them with a flyer or similar marketing materials. Why? Because it reinforces your brand in their minds. Finally, when they are ready to purchase, they will automatically think of your company first. 7. Regularly Evaluate Your Letterbox Marketing CampaignLike every other marketing strategy, regular scrutiny is necessary to build a successful letterbox marketing campaign. Only then can you ensure a profitable ROI for your marketing efforts. You can also run AB testing to find the best offer, design, marketing message, etc., for your campaigns. 8. Ensure The Timing Is PerfectTiming of your letterbox marketing campaigns can often be a game-changer. You can increase your chance of success by understanding customer habits relevant to the product/service you are selling. Hence, you can ensure your campaign catches the audience’s attention and boosts customer engagements, leads, and sales. How to Use PostGrid to Improve Your Letterbox Marketing Campaigns?PostGrid is a direct mail automation tool that enables you to automate your entire direct mail process. It means you can conveniently execute letterbox marketing campaigns for your business without doing any manual work. You can simply set up your campaign using PostGrid and sit back while the system does all the job for you. As a result, you can save valuable time, energy, and resources on your offline marketing campaigns. Furthermore, PostGrid offers advanced personalisation capability if you want to run highly targeted direct mail campaigns. It means you can send personalised marketing materials to your existing and prospective customers with a button. ConclusionAs one of the most cost-effective ways to reach a broad audience, letterbox marketing is perfect for businesses of all sizes. It helps you save time and money with a simple marketing strategy. It even lets you target prospects based on their demographics and other influencing factors. Make your marketing efforts even more effective by using a direct mail automation system like PostGrid. You can print and deliver marketing materials to your target audience using a convenient software solution. You can even use features like geocoding to target your letterbox marketing campaigns. Hence, every business must consider using a tool like PostGrid to access the full potential of letterbox advertising. Ready to Get Started?Start transforming and automating your offline communications with PostGrid The post Letterbox Advertising appeared first on PostGrid UK. source https://www.postgrid.co.uk/letterbox-advertising/ Via https://postgridunitedkingdom.tumblr.com/post/683897508478550016 TABLE OF CONTENTSWhat is a Mailhouse and How Can It Help Your Business Grow?70% of UK customers say that direct mail makes them feel appreciated and valued. Also, a survey stated that 56% of all mail pieces remain in the recipients’ houses even after 28 days. These figures show that direct mail is the most popular marketing channel. It is also a commonly-used media for sending compliance and transactional items. Naturally, it gets more attention and generates higher responses. ![]() However, some companies still believe that offline mailing is expensive, untrackable, and daunting. Yes, traditionally, conducting a mailing campaign posed several challenges. But, businesses can outsource their tasks to a mailhouse and get rid of these problems! Thankfully, a mail house is fully-equipped to handle every mailing-related task. Ensure to choose the right vendor that works in close collaboration with your brand and meets your expectations. Mailing houses are also known as direct mail houses, mailing companies, or mailing service providers. They offer expert solutions to help you send any number of mail items to your customers or clients. Personalisation, inkjet printing, mailing, reporting, etc., are some popular features you should consider when choosing a mailhouse. This article throws light on the meaning and significance of mailing houses. Keep reading to know the features, benefits, use cases, etc., of such vendors. Let’s dive in! What is a Mailing House?Mailhouses are companies or agencies that take over the offline mailing efforts of other organisations. They complete all the tasks involved in a mailing campaign, from design to despatch, on behalf of their clients. If you are a company looking to send direct mail items but lacking the required experience and resources, hiring a mailhouse like PostGrid is your best bet. Earlier, mailhouse services were only used for shipping mail pieces locally, nationally, and internationally. But, now, the scope of their services has increased considerably. Hence, you don’t need to do anything—just draft a marketing plan, find a mailhouse, and let it complete all your jobs. What Features Does a Mailhouse Provide?The features a mailing house offers vary from company to company. For instance, PostGrid’s direct mail fulfilment services provide end-to-end solutions covering every process from start to finish. Most vendors expect you to upload a mailing list of your own, but PostGrid helps you build them from scratch! Below, we have put together some features that a mailhouse is likely to offer: PersonalisationDirect mail personalisation contributes to a campaign’s success significantly. Nearly 50% of customers avoid brands that reach out to them with poorly personalised messages. A recipient may not pay heed to a generic marketing postcard. But, they would engage with a personalised item. Thus, incorporating variable data printing (VDP) into your mailing strategies is a must! Using VDP, you can print targeted messages on every mail piece without disrupting the printing process. Though it is hard to employ VDP in-house, direct mail houses can help you with it effortlessly. A mailhouse like PostGrid has an extensive network of print partners nationally. Hence, it already has the means to incorporate VDP into your direct mail advertising campaigns. Print FinishingPrint finishing refers to all the improvements made to printed items. It comprises folding, laminating, coating, laminating, die-cutting, overprinting, embossing, etc. You may be unable to set up such specialist print solutions in-house. But, a mailhouse can undertake any or all of the above tasks with ease. Like VDP, print finishing is also an integral step of the production process. Another step is to inkjet mailing addresses on the outer covers of your mail items. It replaces the traditional address labels and gives your mail a sophisticated look. Ensure to discuss your requirements with your mailhouse beforehand as it may or may not have the features you need. Stuffing and AssemblingMost direct mail houses also stuff letters and bills into envelopes. Hence, you don’t need to instruct your staff to complete such manual duties by dedicating days and weeks of their time. Plus, manual efforts are prone to mistakes that may result in your campaign failure. Imagine sending a postcard addressed to Mr Bailey to Mr Morgan. Such errors are more common than you may think and can lead to huge losses. Thankfully, a mailhouse takes care of jobs like stuffing and assembling envelopes. It helps you ensure accuracy at every stage of your campaign. Following Postal GuidelinesBusinesses need to comply with the Royal Mail guidelines to send bulk mail. If you are a regular mailer, you should follow the postal size and weight specifications to qualify for the standard rates. This way, you can avoid paying any surcharges and ensure smooth deliveries. Furthermore, a mailhouse like PostGrid verifies your mailing addresses against the Royal Mail’s Postal Address File (PAF), allowing you to maximise savings. There are two benefits of cross-checking your mailing data:
DespatchAn efficient mailhouse prepares and despatches your mail systematically. It completes all tasks, like affixing stamps and posting items at the Post Office. Manually, this process would require you to calculate postage and stand in the Post Office queues. But, direct mail houses ensure that everything is done without you having to go anywhere. Thus, you can print and mail your items at the convenience of your home or office. There are also no limits to the number of mail pieces you need to send out to your customers. Isn’t that the best solution to your requirements? ReportingReal-time reporting of your sent mail helps you plan your next steps accordingly. It also allows you to stay updated and draft accurate insights. If you send items in-house, it is nearly impossible to gather all the information you need. Even if you succeed, it can cost you a lot of your precious time and resources. Thus, PostGrid’s print and mail house helps you track your mail pieces altogether. You can log into your PostGrid account and access the mail statuses through your dashboard. It gives you a consolidated view of every sent mail piece. This step is especially advantageous for businesses conducting a multi-channel marketing strategy. For example, if your plan dictates that you need to launch an email campaign after delivering your offline mail, you need to stay informed. Otherwise, your efforts would be misguided and lead to your campaign failure. useful Direct mail houses help you know about your campaign performance in-depth. Thus, you can access precise reports and plan your future campaigns more effectively. DesignDesign is the foremost step in launching a direct mail campaign. But, we didn’t mention it as the first feature because most mailhouses don’t offer it. This step includes the creation of an artwork, customisation, branding, etc. PostGrid’s mailhouse offers pre-built design templates to allow you to save on design costs. It also enables you to edit as many times as you need and save templates for future uses. Unlike designers that charge hourly, PostGrid offers these templates free of cost. It is part of our all-inclusive automated solutions to help you forego the trouble of hiring designers. Data ManagementData management is another uncommon feature that a few direct mail houses offer their clients. Undoubtedly, customer data is your most valuable asset, and you would like to keep it updated. But, updating databases from time to time is hectic and time-consuming. It can restrict you from launching effective direct mail campaigns. Here are some stages of data management that you should look for in a mailhouse: Data CompilationImagine you want to launch a different line of products for a specific age group. Or, suppose you want to connect with a particular group of people, say, interior designers. In such cases, you need custom mailing lists that only some mail houses like PostGrid provide. PostGrid helps you compile targeted mailing lists to boost your campaign results. Also, our Zapier integration enables you to connect with 1600+ apps and expand your database. DeduplicatingIt is advisable to select direct mail houses that can de-duplicate your mailing lists regularly. We are sure you know how it can be chaotic for your sales staff to manage customer data files. Sometimes, they may have a list filled with hundreds of duplicate entries. If you proceed to send mail to an outdated list, there are chances that you will send mail pieces to the same people again and again. It can annoy your recipients and cause wastage. Therefore, PostGrid’s bulk mailing house processes your lists and eliminates all duplicate entries. It also checks whether your list contains more than one prospect living at the same address. This practice lets you optimise your mailings and save costs! Address VerificationPerhaps, address verification is a crucial stage of a mailing campaign. You need to confirm the accuracy of every delivery address. Otherwise, your mail items might be lost, delayed, misplaced, or returned to you. If your mailhouse does not provide address validation, you may need to cross-check your lists yourself. Luckily, PostGrid’s address verification API allows you to standardise and validate your mailing lists—ensuring accurate deliveries. You can also avail of this feature with our print and mail solutions. Who Needs to Employ Mailhouse Services?Usually, those who realise they require expert logistics, mailing processes, additional capacity, print and mail fulfilment machinery, etc., approach a mailhouse. Perhaps, they cannot manage their mailing tasks internally because of budget, timescale, and authorisation constraints. However, some businesses need a mailing house simply because they wish to save money and increase efficiency. Here are some examples: Marketing AgenciesMarketing companies are experts in helping businesses drive more visibility and conversions. They do so using numerous ways, like direct mail, email marketing, PPC, display ads, etc. Most of their operations are completed by their full-time employees, but they also outsource other activities. For example, they can prepare a social media calendar for their clients in-house. But, they cannot print a thousand postcards for their campaigns. Thus, they hire a mailhouse to do the heavy lifting on their behalf. This way, they can spend more time completing tasks that require their direct intervention. Internal Marketing DepartmentsMost medium and large-sized businesses have an internal marketing team. This department is committed to increasing brand awareness and helping the sales staff convert more leads. Again, remember that they are not experts in direct mailing. Their duties include planning and overlooking a campaign. But, they cannot indulge in specialised tasks like ink-jetting and large-scale despatch. Hence, they use the services of direct mail houses to get things done properly. It also helps them expand their capabilities and send any number of mail pieces simultaneously. Small BusinessesSmall businesses might not hire a marketing agency or create an internal marketing team. But, they can outsource their offline marketing tasks to a print and mail house like PostGrid. Thus, they can connect with their target audience and strengthen customer relationships without draining their budgets. The good news is that most direct mail houses have flexible price plans. So, small businesses can select a plan that best fits their requirements. Benefits of Incorporating a Mailhouse Into Your Marketing Plans?A mailing house allows you to convert rough marketing drafts to result-driving mail items. It ensures that this intricate process falls into place and you can avail of the expected results. Below, we have mentioned the prime advantages of using mail house services: 1. Mailing ExpertiseQuality mailing houses have years of mailing experience and expertise, which they can share with you. It allows you to expand your knowledge of how direct mail campaigns work and methods to boost performance. Furthermore, a mailhouse also helps you gather insights into what can work best for your business. It can also suggest you modify a few aspects resulting in better campaign execution. So, direct mail houses can be of great help if you want to explore more possibilities and launch a well-curated campaign. Along with that, they also have expertise in several print and mail processes. Hence, they can better guide you on factors like tracking barcodes, labelling options, mail enclosing, etc. 2. Reduce Overheads and Save TimeMailing processes are complicated and technical. They also cost a lot of investment and time. One of the main reasons businesses outsource their duties to a mailhouse is to control costs and save time. A bulk mailing house like PostGrid can help you revise your direct mail design or use other postal processes—allowing you to save overhead costs. Also, it lets you conduct successful mail marketing campaigns without bringing about crucial structural changes in your organisation. 3. Avoid Buying Latest EquipmentIf you want to print and mail internally, you need to buy and maintain several types of equipment. Poly wrappers, binders, sorting machines, cutters, etc., are a few examples of the necessary equipment that you need for completing mailing processes. Moreover, you need to purchase insurance, complete leasing formalities, and deal with safety agreements. You would agree that it is unreasonable to go through so much trouble when you can outsource all the tasks to a mailhouse. PostGrid helps you save up to 75% of your mailing costs and get everything done five times more efficiently! 4. Prevent Hiring Additional StaffThere are many individuals involved in launching a mail campaign. An in-house campaign needs you to hire additional staff members to fulfil the extra duties. But, you can avoid that by outsourcing to a mailhouse and using the services of an extended team. Hence, you get all the benefits without the inconvenience of managing employee contracts and paying extra. 5. Sign a Service Level Agreement (SLA)Always choose direct mail houses that sign an SLA with your company. It guarantees that your direct mail tasks get completed within a specified time. Thus, you can rely on your mailhouse and conduct flexible campaigns. It lets you launch on-demand and bulk campaigns with the same speed and accuracy. PostGrid offers a two-business day SLA—helping you make faster business decisions and conduct campaigns promptly. How to Assess Whether a Mailhouse is Right For You?A quality mailhouse would offer all the features we discussed above. From data management to personalisation, it should provide everything you need. Obviously, prices play a huge role in determining the effectiveness of a print and mail house. Always check whether their prices are all-inclusive or vary according to the features you use. If a vendor does not offer list compilation and design services, enquire how you can proceed with the process. PostGrid’s direct mail API provides many useful benefits, like:
Thus, you can integrate our API into your CRM and start mailing from your system. Unlike most direct mail houses, PostGrid allows you to be in control of your mailing efforts. You can send any type of direct mail to any address as needed. ConclusionWe hope this blog helps you know the meaning and functions of a mailhouse. There are several factors in this article to help you choose the correct vendor that lets you achieve your mailing objectives. Therefore, you can better decide whether to outsource your mailing tasks or complete them in-house. As said earlier, our automated solutions allow you to enjoy the benefits of a mailhouse at the most affordable costs. PostGrid strives to help its clients send transactional, compliance, and marketing mail smoothly. Using our API, you can send:
Talk to our sales team now to know more about how our mailhouse can help you increase mailing efficiency! Ready to Get Started?Start transforming and automating your offline communications with PostGrid The post Mailing House appeared first on PostGrid UK. source https://www.postgrid.co.uk/what-is-mailing-house/ Via https://postgridunitedkingdom.tumblr.com/post/683444486656950272 TABLE OF CONTENTSDirect Mail And CRM: All You Need To Know For Achieving Effective CommunicationDirect mail is infamous for being slow. Everything from personalising, printing, and delivering it takes time. Or does it? With advanced direct mail automation solutions available, it has become significantly easier and faster to send direct mail. ![]() But what really makes the mailing process easy and convenient for your business is the direct mail CRM integration. Today, we will take a peek at the CRM integration for direct mail and how it can help you speed up your direct mail communications. What is Direct Mail CRM Integration?As you know, a CRM integration connects an application with your CRM platform. The main goal of CRM integration is to ensure a secure and accurate flow of data between the connected application and the CRM software. A direct mail CRM integration is nothing but connecting a direct mail software with your CRM. It is like the CRM integration you probably already have for your email system. In other words, the CRM integration for direct mail makes personalising your direct mail as easy as personalising your email. How Does The CRM And Direct Mail Integration Work?As we have briefly mentioned above, the CRM integration for your direct mail works similar to your email CRM integration. The integration process itself is pretty straightforward. Once you install the plugin or API, a new workflow should appear in your CRM. Of course, for the direct mail CRM to work, you first need an advanced direct mail software like PostGrid. And even though tools like PostGrid offer full direct mail automation capabilities, you would still need to do some work to set it up. For starters, you need a design for your direct mail. However, you can always use a template for this if you want the easy way out. Apart from the initial set-up, you can use the CRM integration with your direct mail software to carry out the rest of the work.
Direct Mail CRM Integration And AutomationWe know that the primary function of CRM integration is to take the customer data and relay it to the other software. This action alone can help you automate various business processes, effectively speeding up complex operations. For example, let’s say you are a healthcare provider and you want to send a postcard to your patients inviting them to a health seminar. Here, you can use the direct mail CRM integration to personalise your invitation. You can have the patient’s name printed on the invitation which makes the mailer look more personal. Furthermore, you can choose specific patient groups for your invitation. For instance, if the seminar is on heart disease prevention, you can select the patients with cardiac history or target a specific age group. How To Make Your Communications More Efficient Using Direct Mail CRM Integration?Connecting your direct mail and CRM software has numerous benefits, and listing every single one of them is not easy. However, here is a list of things that CRM integration can do for your business. Save Valuable TimeAutomation is often synonymous with time-saving. Hence, it is no wonder that direct mail marketing is a whole lot faster when it is connected with your CRM software. For a business organisation without direct mail CRM integration, there needs to be constant communication with the printer throughout the entire direct mail process. Everything from product configuration, uploading the mailing list, choosing the artwork, and more may require separate communication. Now, compare this with a single direct mail process you get with an automated system like PostGrid’s. Isn’t your life a whole lot easier with the latter option? Save MoneyWhat’s one thing better than saving time? As far as a business is concerned, that one thing is saving money and the direct mail CRM integration lets you do just that. For one thing, direct mail automation tools like PostGrid are affordable. We provide direct mail packages that can fit your business’s budget regardless of its size, and you can check them out here. Apart from the affordable nature of the direct mail solutions like PostGrid, there are other ways you can save money. Automated direct mail systems have practically no scope of error, which means there is no wastage either. So, you also get to save money on your direct mail campaigns and drag in a higher ROI. Track Your Campaigns and Get Detailed ReportsTracking your direct mail campaigns is a whole lot easier when you connect your CRM and direct mail automation system. You get timely updates on every stage of the direct mail campaign, including the printing and delivery of your mailers. Furthermore, you also get a detailed report on your marketing campaigns from the direct mail service provider. The report usually contains valuable insights that can help you optimise your campaigns and even help you better understand your audience. Easily Send Bulk MailBulk mail can be a handful for your business. And executing it manually when you can automate is possibly the biggest mistake you can make. When tools like PostGrid are combined with Direct mail CRM, it is fully equipped to handle bulk mail requirements. We keep helping our clients by integrating our Restful API with their existing systems or CRMs. So, they can significantly reduce manual errors throughout the direct mail process and elevate their postcard marketing campaign programmatically. As a result, most of our clients can easily send 1,000- 3,000 mailings a month. We have even created an all-in-one guide that explains how you can boost response rate with bulk mail, and you can find it here. ConclusionIf you want to optimise the postal mail communication for your business, the direct mail CRM integration is a must-have. Without CRM integration, you can not get the full potential of automation in direct mail. Furthermore, it would be best if you also had a tool like PostGrid equipped with advanced features and tracking ability. As long as you have a software solution like PostGrid and a sound CRM system, you can easily send bulk mail. In addition to this, it also lets you optimise your direct mail marketing campaigns based on factual data. Hence, if you don’t already have an advanced direct mail automation tool in place, it is high time that you did. Only with an advanced tool and direct mail CRM integration can you hope to get the desired results for your direct mail campaigns. Ready to Get Started?Start transforming and automating your offline communications with PostGrid The post Best Direct Mail CRM appeared first on PostGrid UK. source https://www.postgrid.co.uk/direct-mail-crm/ Via https://postgridunitedkingdom.tumblr.com/post/683357672337244160 TABLE OF CONTENTSDirect Mail Frequency: Is It Better Than Reach to Optimise Your Direct Mail Campaigns?Do you have difficulties planning the ideal direct mail campaign for your brand? Perhaps, the planning stage is the most daunting one because there are numerous factors to consider. Marketers need to settle on the design, mailing list, copy, CTA, mail format, etc. ![]() Direct mail is one of the best marketing channels, with an average response rate of 9%, but it needs meticulous efforts. Most businesses plan the physical aspects of their mailing tasks but miss out on other factors like direct mail frequency and reach. How many times should you mail a prospect? Is there any specific time frame that you should follow? Such questions help you draft an excellent strategy that fits well with your marketing funnels. Today’s blog will help you grasp the concepts of direct mail frequency, timing, and reach. Also, we will walk you through the differences between reach vs. frequency to allow you to understand them in-depth. Let’s begin! What Does Direct Mail Frequency and Reach Mean?Frequency and reach are crucial aspects of a mailing campaign. They also decide whether your campaign will succeed or fail. It is common for marketers to get these concepts wrong initially but learn with time. Reach refers to the number of people you target under your campaign. It also implies the number of mailing addresses on your lists. For instance, if you plan to distribute your marketing items, like postcards, flyers, etc., to 5,000 people, your reach is 5,000. Usually, newly-established companies with a huge marketing budget to spare focus on marketing reach. Direct mail frequency has nothing to do with the number of people you mail. It covers the number of times you send items to the same prospects. Imagine your mission is to convert 100 top-ticket clients by the end of the year. Then, you will keep mailing them back-to-back to get their attention and push them to respond. Here’s when mailing frequency is essential—instead of giving up, you keep in touch with the same prospects, build rapport, and then convert! Imagine you decide to send them five mailings spread across the year in this example. Thus, your direct mail frequency will be five. Now, frequency also means another thing in direct mail—the number of times you send the exact same mail item to a prospect. Though some marketers practice this type of frequency mailing, it is better to mix it up a little and send unique items. We will discuss more on that in a bit! When Should You Use Direct Mail Frequency and Reach?We know how it can be hard for you to figure out when to prioritise reach and frequency. Remember, you can also use both simultaneously—as long as you know to create a balance. Direct mail frequency and reach have an inverse relationship. You cannot increase mail frequency and reach together as it can drain your marketing budget completely. Imagine mailing 50 times to 5,000 people each! Exhausting and expensive, right? To maintain a proportionate balance, you first need to understand when to use reach and frequency. Here are some circumstances where focusing on direct mail frequency is your best bet:
In either case, these potential customers are already on the lookout for products or services similar to yours. Thus, direct mail frequency allows you to connect with them time and again, making them remember you and complete the CTA at some point. On the other hand, reach is better for businesses having a generic audience, like restaurants. They can also prioritise mailing reach when:
Reach Vs. Frequency: Which One Should You Select?Only 2% of conversions happen after the first meeting! The other 98% of prospects buy from a business only after building good relationships and trust. It isn’t surprising that you may need multiple touchpoints before finally converting a lead. People take time to know you, understand your products and services, compare with your competitors, and select one brand. But, you can help them choose you by being consistent. Direct mail frequency gives people the time they need to decide. It also allows you to establish emotional bonds and boost brand recognition. On the contrary, reach does not give you this opportunity. It promotes a once-and-done marketing strategy that rarely works. You cannot mail an item to a potential customer and then forget about them. Being in constant touch is the key to pushing prospects ahead of their customer journey. In simple words, direct mail frequency is better than reach and can drive better results! Fortunately, PostGrid’s direct mail services allow companies to conduct any type of mailing campaign at any time! You can integrate our API into your CRM and start sending:
Thus, you don’t need to favour direct mail frequency for every campaign; you can also focus on reach, depending on your objectives. Our address verification services also ensure that you mail to the correct mailing addresses, helping you save loads of time and costs. Direct Mail Frequency Best PracticesHere, we have mentioned some tips you can use while planning campaigns focused on direct mail frequency. Time Your Campaigns WellAlways select an ideal timeframe for your marketing campaigns. Most businesses only mail a few months a year. For example, companies selling school stationery items might start sending promotional materials to parents in Mid-August as the first term begins in September. Also, most roofing companies advertise more proactively before monsoon. Similarly, you can also time your mailings properly to ensure maximum results. Suppose your direct mail frequency is four. Plan how you want to spread these four campaigns over your selected timeframe. If you are busy with other operations and don’t have time to launch a campaign, use PostGrid automated direct mail solutions. One of our clients offering senior living assistance for senior citizens is now sending 10,000 personalised mail pieces every month. They are also able to segment their audience based on different factors, like healthcare, personal care, etc., using our custom mailing lists. Employ Direct Mail Frequency CappingYou cannot keep sending mail to your prospects every second day. This practice can annoy them and create a tarnished company impression. Therefore, fix an upper limit—the maximum number of times you can mail a prospect. It allows you to plan your campaigns more thoughtfully and effectively. Segment Your Audience and Test EverythingTry dividing your prospects into targeted mailing lists. It allows you to conduct location-based marketing, preference-based marketing, etc. Also, test your mailings from time to time. The best way is to send two different types of mail pieces to a small group of prospects. Thus, you can figure out what works best for your business. If needed, you can also use such A/B testing plans to see which one is better- reach vs. frequency. Consider Other Marketing ChannelsYour direct mail campaign might be a part of a broader multi-channel marketing strategy. Hence, take care to consider other touchpoints as well while planning your direct mail frequency. ConclusionUnderstanding the differences between reach vs. frequency helps companies manage their budget better and execute well-designed campaigns. We hope this article helps you learn the significance of frequency in direct mailings. To better optimise your campaigns and accelerate response levels, use PostGrid’s direct mail API. It makes conducting offline mailing campaigns a breeze. Request a demo now to see how our services help you with direct mail frequency to launch campaigns with assured results! Ready to Get Started?Start transforming and automating your offline communications with PostGrid The post Reach vs. Frequency in Direct Mail Campaigns appeared first on PostGrid UK. source https://www.postgrid.co.uk/reach-vs-frequency-in-direct-mail/ Via https://postgridunitedkingdom.tumblr.com/post/683267116372213760 |
ABOUT MEHi, I am Oliver Thornton. I am a results-oriented C programmer with 6+ years of experience developing, testing, and maintaining enterprise software applications. Designed and developed over 30 advanced applications from use cases and functional requirements. ArchivesNo Archives Categories |