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FOR MANY commercial printers, printing has become just one part of the revenue stream. Mailing and fulfillment services are making up an increasing portion of a printer’s offerings to clients. Because of this fact, many printers are in need of innovative solutions that will allow them to grow in this new area. The following article discusses the various factors printers should consider when entering mail fulfillment.
For printers, the main attraction of offering mailing services in addition to standard services is undoubtedly the prospect of increasing profit margins and creating a new and potentially lucrative revenue stream. These services, in turn, provide your customers with reduced project time requirements, less errors and more individualized attention.
For example, when a printer produces a self-mailer for a customer, it is going to be mailed, and if the printer is equipped to handle it, they can increase their profit margin for the project. The overall efficiency of the printing and mailing operation is increased, and process delays can be eliminated.
For the customer, the dollars spent on the mailing operation must be expended anyway; the benefits of spending them with the printer are significant.
One-stop Shopping
The obvious advantage for the customer is the “one-stop shop,” where there is no need to manage multiple vendors and, therefore, provides a time savings. Mail fulfillment houses deal with several jobs with an extremely high volume of mail pieces to be sent out. Often smaller mail runs are pushed to the back of the mail house’s ‘queue.’
Conversely, when a printer offers all-inclusive services, the job can be produced much faster and easier, allocating resources so that the printing and mail fulfillment process can work efficiently from start to finish—from conceptual design to printing to mailing—all in one seamless flow. This provides customers with improved time management, which results in higher efficiency and faster turnaround. Since a high percentage of mailings are time-sensitive, a piece that does not go through multiple hands has less chance of potential errors and a far greater chance of getting to the customer in a timely fashion.
An Innovative Concept
The mailing process can appear to be a daunting task. Despite this potentially lucrative opportunity, many printers have avoided the mailing end of the business for a myriad of reasons. Some have been put off by the apparent complexity of the postal regulations. Others have been reticent to make the time investment to become familiar with the requisite mailing hardware and software. Still others have been concerned with the prospect of straying from their core competency.
For printers, the main attraction of offering mailing services in addition to standard services is undoubtedly the prospect of increasing profit margins and creating a new and potentially lucrative revenue stream. These services, in turn, provide your customers with reduced project time requirements, less errors and more individualized attention.
For example, when a printer produces a self-mailer for a customer, it is going to be mailed, and if the printer is equipped to handle it, they can increase their profit margin for the project. The overall efficiency of the printing and mailing operation is increased, and process delays can be eliminated.
For the customer, the dollars spent on the mailing operation must be expended anyway; the benefits of spending them with the printer are significant.
One-stop Shopping
The obvious advantage for the customer is the “one-stop shop,” where there is no need to manage multiple vendors and, therefore, provides a time savings. Mail fulfillment houses deal with several jobs with an extremely high volume of mail pieces to be sent out. Often smaller mail runs are pushed to the back of the mail house’s ‘queue.’
Conversely, when a printer offers all-inclusive services, the job can be produced much faster and easier, allocating resources so that the printing and mail fulfillment process can work efficiently from start to finish—from conceptual design to printing to mailing—all in one seamless flow. This provides customers with improved time management, which results in higher efficiency and faster turnaround. Since a high percentage of mailings are time-sensitive, a piece that does not go through multiple hands has less chance of potential errors and a far greater chance of getting to the customer in a timely fashion.
An Innovative Concept
The mailing process can appear to be a daunting task. Despite this potentially lucrative opportunity, many printers have avoided the mailing end of the business for a myriad of reasons. Some have been put off by the apparent complexity of the postal regulations. Others have been reticent to make the time investment to become familiar with the requisite mailing hardware and software. Still others have been concerned with the prospect of straying from their core competency.
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