With the USPS Raising Prices Again, It’s More Important Than Ever to Know Where Your Mail Is
This article appeared in the September 2021 edition of NPSOA Magazine.
The USPS® price increase scheduled for the 2021 holiday season is right around the corner. The price adjustment, similar to that of 2020, will be put in place to help offset the high handling costs caused by increased shipping demand during the holidays.
The price changes impacting Priority Mail®, Priority Mail Express®, Parcel Select® Ground, and USPS Retail Ground® include:
$0.75 increase for PM and PME Flat Rate® Boxes and Envelopes.
$0.25 increase for Zones 1-4, 0-10 lbs.
$0.75 increase for Zones 5-9, 0-10 lbs.
$1.50 increase for Zones 1-4, 11-20 lbs.
$3.00 increase for Zones 5-9, 11-20lbs.
$2.50 increase for Zones 1-4, 21-70 lbs.
$5.00 increase for Zones 5-9, 21-70 lbs.
A complete list of pricing changes can be found on the Postal Explorer website.
With the price changes looming, what better time to think about tracking your packages! After all, lost or delayed packages can negatively impact your organization’s bottom line and consumer perception. Let BCC Software help you navigate postal tracking reporting with Track N Trace® (TNT™).
Having the ability to track mail is an invaluable resource for ensuring the best performance from your mailpieces. The United States Postal Service® uses Intelligent Mail barcodes (IMb®) to sort and track letters and flats. IMb increases customers’ abilities to track individual mailpieces through the mailstream and better visualize the mail’s’ journey.
BCC Software takes mail tracking a step further with TNT. TNT provides customers with top-of-the-line mailpiece intelligence and reporting. Having Track and Trace enables customers to collect meaningful reports that give insight into campaigns and gauge what is working well and what could be fixed. TNT’s customizable reporting can be run at any time or on any schedule. This means customers can schedule reports to be sent to them at times that make the most sense for them and their business.
TNT enables customers to monitor both outbound and inbound mailings. Tracking outbound mail identifies weak links in the delivery chain, helps predict mailstream patterns for future jobs, and helps customers form concrete conclusions based on data from the TNT reports. Alternatively, tracking inbound mail gives customers notice of incoming mail, including Business Reply mail. Having an earlier idea of incoming mail helps predict cash flow with more precision, streamline inventory management, and organize customer service efforts.
Adding outbound and inbound mail piece tracking integrates easily into any direct mailing workflow. The Track N Trace service is available to any mailer via file upload, or through direct integration with our BCC Software family of products: BCC Mail Manager™, BCC Bulk Mailer®, BCC Architect, and BCC Ignite.
A Partner You Can Trust
At BCC Software, we’re committed to helping printers to meet their deliverability goals. With over four decades of industry experience, our team of industry experts is active and involved in advocating for our customers’ needs. Backed by unlimited access to our legendary team of USPS® Mailpiece Design Certified professionals, BCC Software is the smart choice in postal software. To learn more, visit our website at www.bccsoftware.com or by calling 800-624-5234
