A Primer on the Board of Governors and Postmaster General
This article appeared in the April 2021 issue of NPSOA Magazine. The Board of Governors of the United States Postal Service® serves in a similar capacity to a board of directors at a public organization. The Board meets regularly to direct the Postal Service, monitor the budget and expenditures, review organizational best-practices, construct long-term plans,… Read: A Primer on the Board of Governors and Postmaster General »
Dissecting the USPS’ ‘Delivering for America’ Plan
On March 23, 2021, the United States Post Office® held a press conference to introduce “Delivering for America,” their ten-year plan to modernize their network and achieve financial stability. They hope to transform their current, archaic processes and operate with a positive net income beginning as soon as FY2023. If achieved, this would reverse the… Read: Dissecting the USPS’ ‘Delivering for America’ Plan »
Automation of Postal is the Trend in 2021
This is a guest article from Crawford Technologies, a valued BCC Software partner. Postal Processing is one of the most expensive and error-prone parts of a production workflow. This year, 2021, it is when you need to spend time automating! Last year, 2020, was tough for many of us and our organizations. Manual steps and… Read: Automation of Postal is the Trend in 2021 »
Episode 44 – Industry Corner Podcast
Episode 43 – Industry Corner Podcast
Industry Alert: Waiver of January 2021 Mailer Scorecard Assessments
In an Industry Alert posted on February 11, 2021, the USPS announced the following: Waiver of January 2021 Mailer Scorecard Assessments As a result of the extraordinary circumstances experienced during the 2020 peak mailing period, our partners in the mailing industry have seen negative impacts to their Mailer Scorecards which may have caused assessments. Therefore,… Read: Industry Alert: Waiver of January 2021 Mailer Scorecard Assessments »
Track N Trace: The Solution for Mailing Uncertainty
This article appeared in the March 2021 issue of NPSOA Magazine. Millions of Americans requested mail-in ballots for the 2020 presidential and senate elections- a record-breaking number prompted by the COVID-19 health crisis. With the unprecedented requests came a great deal of unknown. There was uncertainty about the integrity of mail-in voting and the Post… Read: Track N Trace: The Solution for Mailing Uncertainty »
Getting Control of Your Postal Process
This is a guest article from Racami, a valued BCC Software partner. Not so long ago, producing a mailing meant printing addresses on labels, applying the labels, and taking the pieces to the Post Office. That was about it. Today, the requirements are far more stringent from a postal standpoint and for achieving measurable results.… Read: Getting Control of Your Postal Process »
How to Identify Good Candidates for Your W2P Storefront
This is a guest article from Print Reach, a valued BCC Software partner. What are the benefits of a W2P System? I’m sure you’ve all read an article or 10. Maybe you’ve made your own list of how it can save your staff time. If you have that list, put it in a drawer, that… Read: How to Identify Good Candidates for Your W2P Storefront »
Episode 42 – Industry Corner Podcast
A Look at USPS® Promotions for 2021
The USPS® is again offering six different opportunities for marketers, printers, and mailers to receive discounts on postage by utilizing their promotions in 2021. The available promotions include Tactile, Sensory, and Interactive Mailpiece Engagement; Emerging and Advanced Technology; Earned Value; Personalized Color Transpromo; Mobile Shopping; and Informed Delivery. These promotions are expected to increase the… Read: A Look at USPS® Promotions for 2021 »
Creating a Blueprint for Success: Challenges and Opportunities for the Print and Mail Industry in 2021
This is a guest article from Solimar Systems, a valued BCC Software partner. The Print Industry is rapidly changing. Economic pressures, new working requirements, and changes in print buyer demands are reshaping the space in which print providers operate. Here, Drew Sprague, President, Mary Ann Rowan, Chief Experience Officer, and Jonathan Malone-McGrew, Senior Director of Engagement… Read: Creating a Blueprint for Success: Challenges and Opportunities for the Print and Mail Industry in 2021 »
Update on Seamless Acceptance Incentive
Seamless Acceptance supports electronic documentation (eDoc) and Intelligent Mail barcodes (IMbs) on mailpieces, containers, and handling units. This means that commercial bulk mail no longer needs to be verified in-person by a mail clerk. Instead, the IMbs ensure the proper postage is present and that the mail is allowable in the mailstream. When it is confirmed… Read: Update on Seamless Acceptance Incentive »
Mail Volume vs. Address Quality
This article appeared in the February 2021 issue of NPSOA Magazine. The decrease in mail volume during the COVID-19 pandemic proved just how vital address quality is to customers. Having a complete, correct, and current addresses ensures each mailpiece sent out is able to be delivered as prepared. CASS™ Certified software is a good start… Read: Mail Volume vs. Address Quality »
USPS® Informed Addressing: What Do We Know?
Many customers have noticed – and asked about – the Informed Addressing feature that was included in the mail.dat specifications for 21-1. Here is what we know regarding Informed Addressing: At this time, the USPS has “paused” the Informed Addressing program; however, they did not update the mail.dat specification to remove the feature. We will… Read: USPS® Informed Addressing: What Do We Know? »
Our Commitment to Accessibility
BCC Software is committed to making our website’s content accessible and user friendly to everyone. If you are having difficulty viewing or navigating the content on this website, or notice any content, feature, or functionality that you believe is not fully accessible to people with disabilities, please call our Customer Service team at (800) 624-5234… Read: Our Commitment to Accessibility »
Why Now More Than Ever, This is the Time for a W2P Solution
This is a guest article from Print Reach, a valued BCC Software partner. Working From Home One of the biggest changes the world has seen in 2020 is the ability to work from home. This has opened the door to contactless delivery systems, at-home company meetings, and many more. Activities we usually do in person or… Read: Why Now More Than Ever, This is the Time for a W2P Solution »
Set Better Goals in 2021
This article appeared in the December 2020 issue of NPSOA Magazine. Think about the direct mail campaigns you have run in the past twelve months. Chances are, some of them outperformed expectations, but can you quantify what made them successful? (Or, if we’re honest, what made other campaigns miss the mark?) As a printer, you… Read: Set Better Goals in 2021 »
BlueCrest Acquires BCC Software
(Danbury, CT) — BlueCrest, an industry-leading global technology provider and supplier of a comprehensive line of enterprise software, printers, inserters, sorters, and parcel solutions, is today announcing the acquisition of BCC Software, a leader in postal and presort software solutions in North America for over 40 years. BCC Software will become BCC Software, a BlueCrest… Read: BlueCrest Acquires BCC Software »
Episode 41 – Industry Corner Podcast
PRC Approves Rate Case for 2021
As 2020 comes to a close, many customers are preparing for the USPS® rate changes to go into effect on January 24, 2021. As a reminder, anything sent prior to the rate case going into effect on January 24 will maintain the old rates, while anything that is sent on or after that date will… Read: PRC Approves Rate Case for 2021 »
Temporary Price Change Ending
The temporary price changes that were put into place in mid-October will be ending on December 27, 2020. The temporary price changes were established as a response to increased package volume due to the COVID-19 crisis and increased online holiday shopping. BCC Software will be releasing software updates across each of our platforms to reflect… Read: Temporary Price Change Ending »
USPS® Announces Upcoming Promotions for 2021
The proposed USPS® Promotions for 2021 have been approved by the Postal Regulatory Commission. The promotions are meant to encourage customers to use new techniques for printing to enhance traditional mailpieces. By offering promotions, the USPS hopes to increase the value of direct mail and ensure long-term product growth. In a change from previous years,… Read: USPS® Announces Upcoming Promotions for 2021 »
Additional Information on Upcoming Seamless Acceptance Incentive
The USPS® offered further insight into the proposed incentive around Seamless Acceptance that was discussed last month. In addition to being approved by the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC), there was clarifying information given on who qualifies for the $0.001 discount incentive. The discount will be usable on every eligible letter and flat of First-Class, Marketing… Read: Additional Information on Upcoming Seamless Acceptance Incentive »
The Unmistakable ROI of Leveraging Personalized Mail and Automation
By Drew Sprague, President, Solimar Systems You’re reading this article because you know how valuable personalized mail is. Although mail volumes have been declining for some time, the inherent value of personalized correspondence remains an essential element of communication between businesses and their consumers. Today, we still find many mailers feel locked into traditional, and… Read: The Unmistakable ROI of Leveraging Personalized Mail and Automation »
Seamless Acceptance Incentive Proposed for Mail Service Providers
Large volume Mailers who are already processing Full-Service mailings, are likely familiar with the Postal Service®’s Seamless Acceptance program. But the USPS® has been working to expand the scope of the program to include more than large volume mailers – and has announced a proposed pricing incentive designed to encourage all Mail Service Providers to… Read: Seamless Acceptance Incentive Proposed for Mail Service Providers »
The Time is Now to Re-Evaluate Your Software Options
This article appeared in the November 2020 issue of NPSOA Magazine. Our industry continues to operate in a state of constant evolution, and the COVID-19 pandemic is no exception. Paired with a tumultuous and intense election cycle, there has never been a more important time to re-evaluate your business operations and make sure your mailing… Read: The Time is Now to Re-Evaluate Your Software Options »
Episode 40 – Industry Corner Podcast
Postal Industry Updates: October 2020
Temporary Price Adjustment to Take Effect on October 18, 2020 After approval from the Postal Regulatory Commission, the temporary price adjustment that had been proposed to run through December 27, 2020 will go live on October 18. Support for the adjustment went live on PostalOne!® on October 4th. BCC Software is dedicated to ensuring our… Read: Postal Industry Updates: October 2020 »
BCC Software Introduces New Track N Trace® Visualization Tools
For the unaware, Track N Trace from BCC Software enables users to gain visibility into the mailstream by leveraging USPS® Informed Visibility® technology, providing unmatched mailpiece intelligence and reporting. BCC Software has been improving the reporting aspect of the Track N Trace platform, recently introducing robust visualization tools to help mailers better understand where mailings… Read: BCC Software Introduces New Track N Trace® Visualization Tools »
Beyond Compliance – The Fight Against UAA Mail
This article appeared in the October 2020 issue of NPSOA Magazine. A multi-billion piece problem year after year, Undeliverable as Addressed (UAA) mail costs the USPS® over $1 billion annually – and it costs the mailing industry even more. However, the monetary cost is not the only issue at stake when it comes to UAA… Read: Beyond Compliance – The Fight Against UAA Mail »
Judge Rules on Election Mail as First-Class®
A federal judge recently ruled that the USPS® must treat all Election mail, regardless of class, as First-Class® Mail. This decision has upset many marketing mailers, as this means that regardless of the price paid to mail the piece, it will be treated the same. Several mailers state that if someone specifically wants this service… Read: Judge Rules on Election Mail as First-Class® »
An Update on USPS® Performance Measurements
The USPS recently released information regarding 2020 performance measurements during September’s PCC week. Overall, PMG DeJoy maintained that service performance is stabilizing, and numbers are beginning to recover from the pandemic. He did recognize, however, that some of the changes he implemented to the supply chain when he was first appointed did influence numbers –… Read: An Update on USPS® Performance Measurements »
Senators Gillibrand and Sanders Propose New Bill
In mid-September, Sens. Kristen Gillibrand (NY) and Bernie Sanders (VT) reintroduced legislation aimed at amending Title 39, Section 404(a). Known as the “Postal Banking Act”, this bill would allow the USPS® to provide “certain basic financial services” in post offices including “low-cost, small-dollar loans not to exceed $500 at a time…” and “small checking accounts… Read: Senators Gillibrand and Sanders Propose New Bill »
Political Direct Mail Wins Elections – if it Arrives in Time!
This is a guest article from Direct Logistics, a valued BCC Software partner. When you need to get political marketing mail in-home fast, anywhere in the nation, NDC / SCF drop-shipping and TruckDirectMail.com (TDM) is your best option. Despite the unpredictability of America’s political landscape, some things never change: Direct mail remains the most credible… Read: Political Direct Mail Wins Elections – if it Arrives in Time! »
Solimar Workflow Proves to Drive Over $400K in New Opportunities for BCC Software Customer
This is a guest article from Solimar Systems, a valued BCC Software partner. Whenever you develop a partnership, there should be a mutual benefit for both members—and most importantly—there should be a benefit to the end-users or customers. As a valued partner of BCC Software, Solimar has had the good fortune to build strong relationships with… Read: Solimar Workflow Proves to Drive Over $400K in New Opportunities for BCC Software Customer »
Vision Graphics, Inc.
Industry Alert: Temporary Price Adjustments
On August 14th, 2020 the USPS® submitted a notice to the Postal Regulatory Committee regarding a planned temporary price increase later this year. “Pursuant to 39 C.F.R. § 3035.102, the United States Postal Service hereby gives notice of time-limited changes in rates of general applicability for competitive products. Specifically, the Postal Service will be increasing… Read: Industry Alert: Temporary Price Adjustments »
Industry Reminder: Migration to EPS
This is a reminder that if you are still utilizing the CAPS system you need to be moved off it and onto EPS (Enterprise Payment System) before 9/13 or your account will be shut down. Here is an excerpt from the latest PostCom bulletin: “Starting in late August, when CAPS users search for permits, they… Read: Industry Reminder: Migration to EPS »
Industry Update: Letter from Steve Monteith
On August 18th, 2020 Steve Monteith, USPS® Chief Customer & Marketing Officer and Executive V.P., published a letter on the subject of Election Mail and COVID-19. The main focus of the letter was to lay out recommendations for Mail Service Providers and printers to facilitate the timely delivery of Election Mail. The central concern is… Read: Industry Update: Letter from Steve Monteith »
Clarifying Information and Correcting Misinformation Regarding the USPS®, PMG, Network Changes, and Vote-by-Mail
Written as a companion to our recent podcast episode, BCC Software’s President, Chris Lien, examines recent news surrounding the USPS® to both clarify some information and correct misinformation regarding the Postal Service in general, the new Postmaster General, changes in the USPS network, as well as Vote-by-Mail. To obtain a copy of the document for… Read: Clarifying Information and Correcting Misinformation Regarding the USPS®, PMG, Network Changes, and Vote-by-Mail »
Episode 39 – Industry Corner Podcast
New Association Formed: Delivery Technology Advocacy Council
The Delivery Technology Advocacy Council (DTAC) is a new association formed in 2020 by leaders in the mailing and shipping industry. These leaders recognized the increasing importance of technology in delivery services and postal operations. BCC Software’s President, Chris Lien, and VP of Product Strategy, Shawn Ryan, are both members of this new association and… Read: New Association Formed: Delivery Technology Advocacy Council »
The Criticality of Political Mail
During this unprecedented time in history, many businesses and industries have been forced to rapidly adapt to the “new normal” caused by COVID-19. Amid all the adjusting, election season is getting into full swing. At BCC Software, we have discussed the important of election season mailings and how to best leverage them for your business,… Read: The Criticality of Political Mail »
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: Preparing Election Season Mailings with BCC Software »
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: BCC Software Security Update to Ensure Uninterrupted Access »
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: BCC Software Web Services Security Update to Ensure Uninterrupted Access »
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: Postal Industry Updates: July 2020 »
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: Re-Imagining Your Business During COVID-19 »
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: Optimizing Customer Communications: You Don’t Have to Choose Between Production Efficiency & CX »