Preparing Election Season Mailings with BCC Software
As discussed in the June 2020 PostCom bulletin, election mail is expected to see a real increase in the coming months. In fact, according to Daniel Bentley, USPS® Election Mail Program Manager, “absentee balloting will easily double in 2020 [as] many states are scrambling to prepare for the new realities of the COVID-19 crisis in… Read More
BCC Software Security Update to Ensure Uninterrupted Access
In March, BCC Software announced we would require TLS version 1.2 this summer. This will impact any of our hosted sites like our Customer Portal and Track N Trace®, as well as data services jobs including NCOALink® sent to our systems for processing. We will disable the ability to connect via TLS 1.0 and 1.1… Read More
BCC Software Web Services Security Update to Ensure Uninterrupted Access
On August 3rd, 2020 all of BCC Software client server HTTP/HTTPS communication is moving to only supporting HTTPS TLS 1.2. After August 3rd, 2020 BCC servers will only accept TLS 1.2 HTTPS connections and will reject anything that is using non-SSL or is a lower SSL version (SSL 3.0, TLS 1.0, TLS 1.1). This change… Read More
Postal Industry Updates: July 2020
Congressional Letter to Former Postmaster General On June 8, several members of Congress sent a letter to Megan Brennan, the former Postmaster General. The intent of the letter is to request a revisal by the USPS® of its projections for the direct impact of COVID-19. Back in April 2020, when Brennan was still serving in… Read More
Re-Imagining Your Business During COVID-19
This article appeared in the June 2020 issue of NPOA Magazine. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt businesses all over the country, it is easy to feel a loss of control and general panic over the state of things. For those of us in the mail and print industry, while we may be considered… Read More
Optimizing Customer Communications: You Don’t Have to Choose Between Production Efficiency & CX
This is a guest article from Crawford Technologies, a valued BCC Software partner. There is no question that organizations understand the importance of operational efficiency when it comes to producing and delivering customer communications. Creating documents to maximize productivity, ensure compliance, and reduce costs has always been a critical priority – and it is even more… Read More
The Future of Digital Transformation in Customer Communications
This is a guest article from Racami, a valued BCC Software partner. We are only halfway through 2020 and we can say it’s been one of the most transformational years the world has experienced. The coronavirus pandemic has brought on major challenges and changes to the economy, corporations and society as a whole. This crisis… Read More
Mail in the Time of Coronavirus
This article appeared in the May 2020 issue of NPOA Magazine. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, all aspects of life have been fundamentally changed around the globe. Individuals and businesses are trying to navigate uncharted territory left in the wake of the virus. As we all attempt to grapple with these new unknowns,… Read More
Industry Update: USPS® Announces New Postmaster General
On May 6th, 2020, the USPS® sent out an alert announcing the United States’ 75th Postmaster General – Louis DeJoy. According to the official report, Mr. DeJoy was elected via unanimous selection by the Board of Governors. This selection follows a lengthy, nationwide search after the current Postmaster General, Megan Brennan, announced her intention to… Read More
Episode 38 – Industry Corner Podcast
Send it Here, Send it There, Send it Everywhere!
This is a guest article from Racami, a valued BCC Software partner. Nobody distributes information in a single channel anymore. Well, nobody that plans on staying in business over the next several years… For organizations historically focused on print, the transition to multi-channel output has been accomplished in steps. New channels and ways to communicate… Read More
Drop Shipping Made Easy, Part II
This is a guest article from Direct Logistics, a valued BCC Software partner. Have you ever used or considered drop shipping mail? With the 2020 election season coming up, it’s more important than ever to understand your NDC and SCF destination entry drop shipping options. As you may already know, the two primary benefits of… Read More
Strategies for Eliminating the Dreaded Yellow Sticker
This is a guest article from Quadient, a valued BCC Software partner. 5.9 billion pieces of mail were not delivered to recipients in 2016. This equates to many unhappy customers, lost postage costs, and late payments. How much is this really costing your business every month or every year? The actual cost of a mailpiece goes… Read More
2020 and the Future of Informed Delivery®
This article appeared in the April 2020 issue of NPOA Magazine. 2020 is shaping up to be another exciting year for Informed Delivery®! Based off data shared by the USPS® in late 2019, the number of Informed Delivery users continue to rise. This is good news for the future of ID and an encouraging sign… Read More
Postal Service Announces Delay of CASS™ Cycle O
UPDATE: An Industry Update released on Monday, June 1, 2020 stated the following: Delays in finalizing CASS Cycle O requirements and the publication of an updated timeline has resulted in insufficient time available for the mailing industry to plan their development resources and secure required funding to meet an August 2021 implementation date. Therefore, the… Read More
The Importance of Informed Delivery® for Non-Profit Mailers
Over the past few years, Informed Delivery® has become a proven tool for marketing mailers. However, while much of the current Informed Delivery data focuses on for-profit mailings, it has also turned out to be a powerful tool for Non-Profit Mailers as well. At BCC Software, we had the opportunity to speak directly with one… Read More
Episode 37 – Industry Corner Podcast
BCC Presort
USPS® Provides Updates Regarding COVID-19 Pandemic
In response to the recent events brought on in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the USPS has released a series of statements regarding their operations during this time. First and foremost, as an entity of the Federal Government the USPS is designated as an essential function under federal law during times of emergency. Essential… Read More
SERVICE PROVIDER DATA PROCESSING ADDENDUM
This Service Provider Data Processing Addendum (“SPDPA”) is incorporated by reference into and forms a part of each agreement (the “Agreement”) between BCC Software, Inc. (“BCC”) and you (“Customer”), each a “Party” and collectively, the “Parties”, and reflects the Parties’ agreement with regard to the use or access of personal information in accordance with the… Read More
Changes to BCC Software’s Transport Layer Security Support
In our continued effort and commitment to securing our software and services, BCC Software will be discontinuing support of Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocols TLS 1.0 and TLS 1.1, as well as any HTTP (non-SSL) connections on August 3rd, 2020. TLS is the protocol used to secure traffic over computer networks. We are providing this… Read More
Don’t Wait! Recapture Hidden Money in Your Print and Mail Processes
This is a guest article from Solimar Systems, a valued BCC Software partner. Print and mail processes inherently have areas where money can hide. What do we really mean by that? There are costs associated with the way print processes and the resulting mailing processes happen on your shop floor, some that you might not… Read More
Episode 36 – Industry Corner Podcast
Postal Service Updates Mobile Delivery Devices
The USPS® has recently updated their Mobile Delivery Devices (MDDs) by selecting Zebra Technologies as their next-generation MDD provider. Introduced a few years ago, an MDD is a device similar to a smartphone that postal carriers use along their routes. They allow carriers to track package delivery in real-time, and they enable the Postal Service… Read More
Understanding the US Postal Service’s Annual Fiscal Report
In December 2019, the USPS® submitted their annual compliance report to Congress, summarizing the 2019 fiscal year. Upon first glance, the decline in mail volume raises some concerns. The two most notable mail volume declines are the 3% decline for First-Class Mail®, about 1.8 billion pieces, and the 2.1% decline for Marketing Mail from 2018-2019.… Read More
Guest Article: Almost Perfect Isn’t Good Enough
Do you remember when 99% accuracy used to be OK? Clients and end-users accepted occasional document processing errors. “Nobody’s perfect” was a widely accepted refrain. That’s no longer the case. Customers aren’t as tolerant anymore. They’ve become accustomed to the benefits of automation and expect perfection-even from complex production systems that generate, move, and manipulate… Read More
Updates
Thank you for your continued patience as we work to fully restore all services. As of 2/7/2020 at 2:00 pm EST, most Track N Trace® mailings have been restored and Track N Trace is continuing to process USPS® files to create reports and other Track N Trace artifacts. If any further communication regarding specific Track N Trace jobs… Read More
Guide to Election Mail
Episode 35 – Industry Corner Podcast
Guest Article: Drop Shipping Made Easy
Have you ever used or considered drop shipping mail? With the 2020 election season coming up, it’s more important than ever to know how you can maximize your postal discounts. As you know, the two primary benefits of drop shipping are improved speed of delivery and additional postage discounts. However, you may not be aware… Read More
Postmaster General Megan J. Brennan Agrees to Delay Retirement
As many of our readers know, in October 2019 Megan J. Brennan, Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer of the USPS®, announced her retirement. The original date for her retirement to take effect was January 31st, 2020 – just over 4 weeks into the new year. However, on January 6th the USPS Board of Governors… Read More
Episode 34 – Industry Corner Podcast
Transition to Track N Trace® (TNT®)
BCC Software is dedicated to bringing our customers expanded technology and personal support to make sure they have the right tools to succeed in this ever-evolving industry. In keeping with this promise, we are pleased to announce EasyTrack® Complete users will be transitioning to Track N Trace® (TNT®) for their mail tracking reporting and data… Read More
2020 Postal Rate Changes – What to Expect
In October, the USPS® announced their proposed changes to postal rates for 2020 which would raise Mailing Service product prices by approximately 1.9 percent. However, on November 13th the Postal Regulatory Committee (PRC) remanded the price changes to First-Class Mail® due to the USPS incorrectly calculating the “percentage change in rates for First-Class Mail.” In… Read More
Informed Delivery® – Its Current State and What to Expect in the Future
Exciting statistics around the growth and success of Informed Delivery® were announced by the USPS® at the Mailers’ Technical Advisory Committee (MTAC) Fall 2019 meeting. According to the USPS®, as of late October 2019 Informed Delivery now has 20.8 million registered users, approximately 75% of which receive the daily email. They also shared that Informed… Read More
Changes in Postal Leadership
As many readers already know, this October Megan J. Brennan, Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer for the USPS®, announced her retirement effective January 31st, 2020. In the official statement released by the USPS, Brennan stated, “When I was appointed Postmaster General, I made a commitment to the Board of Governors that I would serve… Read More
Inkjet Innovators in Direct Mail: North American Communications
For a company focused on providing high-quality direct mail quickly and cost effectively, North American Communications (NAC) faced a challenge when its customers began to request more variable color on high volume direct mail. As the market evolved to include more targeted mail, NAC realized that it needed a solution that would meet its customers’… Read More