Maximize Cash Flow and Improve Responses with Reply Mail

Maximize Cash Flow and Improve Responses with Reply Mail

Elizabeth Lombard CMDSM, CMDSS, MQC, EMCMCertified Mailstream Consultant (CMC) – Gold LevelNational Postal-Carrier Manager MSM Learning & Performance, Pitney Bowes Inc.

Karen TuckerManager Correspondence and Transactions (a)Mailing ServicesUnited States Postal Service® May 18, 2009

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Agenda

Reply Mail Types and UsageBusiness Reply Mail Options and ComparisonDesigning Reply MailOrigin CONFIRM®

Intelligent Mail® Barcode on Reply MailTwo-Way Indicia on Reusable EnvelopesForever Personalized Stamped Envelope

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USA CANCER SOCIETY

Reply Mail Types

ABC CO123 MAIN STANYTOWN WI 12345


Courtesy Reply Mail (CRM)Meter Reply Mail (MRM)Permit Reply Mail (PRM)Business Reply Mail® (BRM™)

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Maximize Donations - Minimize ExpensesExpedite Returns - Improve Cash Flow

Courtesy Reply Mail (CRM)Requires the respondent to affix postageIdeal for billings, invoices and/or to ‘encourage’a responseImproves turn-around time and cash flow


USA CANCER SOCIETY

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Meter Reply Mail (MRM) Postage is pre-paid by the mailerIdeal in small volumes when anticipated rate of return is very highImproves turn-around time

Date must be omitted


$0.42

Expedite Returns

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Permit Reply Mail Postage is pre-paid by the mailer on the outbound Ideal when anticipated rate of return is very highEncourages turn-around time

Enhance Customer ExperienceExpedite Returns

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Business Reply Mail® (BRM™)Postage is paid by the sender when the mailpiece is mailed backIdeal when recipient needs “encouragement” to reply Improves opportunity for a response and return time




Encourage ResponsesIncrease Sales

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* Postcard $.257 1-ounce letter $.417

4 Business Reply Mail Options

Basic Business Reply MailFirst-Class Mail® postagePer piece charge $0.74$185 Annual Permit FeeNo Accounting Fee< 891 responses / year

Qualified BRM™ – BasicPostcard, 1oz and 2oz envelopesFirst-Class Mail® postage reduced*Per piece charge $0.052$185 Annual Permit Fee$585 Annual Accounting Fee> 823 responses / year

BRM™ – High VolumeFirst-Class Mail® postagePer piece charge $0.083$185 Annual Permit Fee$585 Annual Accounting Fee> 891 responses / year

QBRM – High VolumePostcards, 1oz and 2oz envelopesFirst-Class Mail® postage-reduced*Per piece charge $0.007$185 Annual Permit Fee$585 Annual + $1925 Qtr Fee> 43,750 / quarter

1. Determine anticipated number of returns

2. Add the First-Class Mail® postage plus the per piece charge

3. Multiply that sum by the # of returns

4. Add the Annual Permit Fee

5. Add the Accounting Fee (if applicable)

6. Add the Quarterly Accounting Fee (if applicable)

7. This will be the projected cost for that BRM option; do this foreach of the 4 options to determine which is the most cost-effective

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Business Reply Mail® Comparison

QualifiedBRM Basic

$185

$585

$0.417 + 0.052 = $0.469 x 4000 =

$1,876

$2,646

Assumptions100,000 outgoing4% anticipated return = 4,0001 oz letter

High Volume BRM

$185

$585

$0.44 + 0.083 =$0.523 x 4000 =

$2,092

$2,862

BasicBRM

Annual Permit $185

Accounting Fee $0

Per Piece Postage + Fee

$0.44 + 0.74 = $1.18 x 4000 =

$4,720

Total $4,905

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Business Reply Mail® Format

Illustration Source: usps.com

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FIM A

FIM C

A FIM is a pattern of vertical barsFIM A - CRM and MRM with barcodeFIM B - BRM™ without a barcode*FIM C - BRM™ with BRM ZIP+4®

barcodeFIM D - used only with IBI postage


FIM A

Envelope Design and Facing Identification Marks (FIM)

*Barcoding BRM is optional except for letter-size BRM enclosed in automation rate discounted mailings.

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Illustration Source: USPS®

Design Resources

http://www.usps.com/replymail/welcome.htmMailpiece Design Analyst

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Selecting a Reply Mail Method

Illustration Source: USPS®

Parcel Return Service

Merchandise Return Service

Bulk Parcel Return Service

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Origin Confirm® Service

Subscription based serviceUses barcodes to help identify and generate tracking data for Reply MailKnow when “the check is in the mail”

Anticipate cash flowManage supply chainAvoid service disruption Suppress unneeded collection activities

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Intelligent Mail Barcode (IM™ BC)

May 2010 - IM™BCwith MID required for QBRM and PRM

May 2011 - IM™BCrequired for all BRM™, and CRM contained in a discount mailing

Cards, letters and flats

YOUR COMPANY

ADDRESS

CITY STATE ZIP CODE

POSTAGE WILL BE PAID BY ADRESSEE

BUSINESS REPLY MAILFIRST-CLASS PERMIT #49 CITY STATE

NO POSTAGENECESSARYIF MAILED

IN THE UNITED STATES

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Populating IM™BC Fields for Reply Mail Without Origin Confirm

Barcode ID

Service Type Code

Mailer ID

Serial Number

Routing Code

BRM™00

708

6 or 9

Unique #Optional

6 or 9

9-Digit ZIP + 4 Code Assigned to

BRM

CRM™PRM

700

Digit ZerosDefault 11-Digit

Delivery Point Code

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Populating IM™BC Fields for Reply Mail With Origin Confirm

Barcode ID

Service Type Code

Mailer ID

Serial Number

Routing Code

BRM™00

052

9-Digit ZIP + 4 Code Assigned to

BRM

CRM™PRM

05011-Digit

Delivery Point Code

15 DigitMailer Defined

Open digits to uniquely ID each

mailpiece Mailer ID is not required with

Origin CONFIRM*

*(Subscriber identified via Routing Code)

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Two-Way Indicia Reusable Envelopes

Illustration Source: ecoenvelopes

Effective February 2, 2009First-Class Mail and StandardExpands design options for reusable envelopesEliminates the need for a separate reply mail envelopeHelps control mailpiece weight and postage costHelps conserve precious resourcesEndorsement required to prohibit forwardingDMM 507.9.8.3 and 601.6.5

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Forever Personalized Stamped Envelope

BUSINESS NAMESTREET ADDRESSCITY STATE ZIP+4 CODE

Reply Mail option when a high response rate is expectedCustomize size, colors, fonts, logos etc.Pressure sensitive sealAvailable 1-800-Stamp24 (usps.com in June)

BUSINESS NAMESTREET ADDRESSCITY STATE ZIP+4 CODE

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True / False Validation Questions

1. Two-Way Indicia Reusable Envelopes are available for all classes of mail.

2. A mailer interested in tracking the return of reply mail would use Origin Confirm service as opposed to Destination Confirm service.

3. Postage for Permit Reply Mail is pre-paid by the mailer on the outbound.

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Elizabeth Lombard Pitney Bowes Inc.Cell: 920-251-0408 Office: [email protected]

Karen Tucker United States Postal ServiceCell: 202-657-9462 Office: [email protected]