Mail Houses and direct mailing service providers put in a lot of effort to curate lists, proof prints, sort publications, and ensure the final product complies with the relevant postage specifications. Resources need to pay attention to the details at every step in the process to keep the workflow running smoothly. With more information and publication activities moving over to the digital landscape, Mail Houses need to find ways to achieve greater efficiencies and reduce overall operational costs.

Compared to digital marketing and email services, 54% of people still prefer to receive offers from companies in the mail. As this remains the most popular preferred method of receiving communications, a Managed Print Services (MPS) provider can assist Mail Houses with streamlining operations and reigning-in runaway costs.

Benefits of Managed Print Services for Mail Houses

Getting campaigns out the door on time requires a lot of moving parts working together within the direct mailing industry. From receiving the original order to finalizing the lists and delivering the publications to the recipients, a variety of things can go wrong that will adversely affect the bottom-line. If the company also maintains its own printer hardware and manages supplies, it increases the risk of not fulfilling an order on time due to a breakdown or device failure.

Mail Houses use a variety of printing solutions to produce materials for their customers. Often these specialized devices require expert skills to keep them operational. If the right technical resource isn’t available, an extended downtime for a specific piece of hardware can lead to delays with both financial and reputational repercussions. By moving to a Managed Print Services model, companies can avoid these scenarios and mitigate the risks of maintaining their printing fleet.

Reduced Cost of Ownership with MPS

Direct mail marketing companies need sophisticated printers and presses to produce content for their customers. Additionally, their hardware needs to integrate seamlessly with other data management solutions for accurate order fulfillment. Once they receive a list, they will verify the recipients with different third-party services for address accuracy and remove any duplicates. The printing devices need to support variable data input to manage personalization. As these technologies don’t come cheap, many companies rely on legacy devices that lead to the increased cost of ownership and more inefficiencies creeping into the process over time.

If the company opts to move to an MPS model, they will have access to the latest technologies without having to allocate large budget items before they can upgrade equipment. MPS providers can help Mail Houses acquire modern printers and presses, maintain and service the devices, as well as manage restocking and resupply requirements. Modern printers and presses operate more efficiently than outdated legacy systems. They use less power during print runs and increase the number of publications by consuming less ink per page.

Streamline Operational Processes

Apart from access to efficient hardware, modern printing presses integrate with digital solutions to improve the overall information processing cycles. For dupe removal, merge, purge, and address cleansing tasks, a workflow solution that integrates with every device will reduce the risk of errors making it into the production run. With an MPS solution, companies can regain control over devices and enforce policies that reduce the number of mistakes during their daily activities. Digital technologies can help Mail Houses establish process controls and track the approval cycles of every campaign they handle.

Improve Information Security and Track Costs

MPS will monitor the usage on each device and track the associated costs for every job. For improved information security, companies can encrypt the data during transmission from workstations to the printers. Mailing lists may contain private information, and data breaches can open companies up to litigation or fines. Using a Managed Print Services partner, companies will have access to print servers that ensure the security of all information hosted on the network. Mail Houses will also improve the accuracy of their billing tasks by tracking every job by customer ID and order number, helping them to allocate the costs to the responsible party.

Let Blue Technologies Help Improve Mail House Printing Processes

Since 1995, Blue Technologies have helped businesses in the printing industry, streamline their processes with the latest devices and productivity tools. For access to the newest hardware and software solutions that deliver greater efficiency during every stage of the fulfillment process, Blue Technologies can work with Ohio Mail Houses to come up with a solution that suits their specific needs. As digital communication and marketing services start becoming more competitive with direct mail solutions, Mail Houses need to be proactive in how they manage their operations in the future.

To discuss your Managed Print Services requirements with a technology expert, reach out to Blue Technologies today.