Print & Mailing Service Providers (PMSPs) rely on speed and accuracy to deliver customers’ mailing jobs profitably. High speed document insertion ensures bulk mailings are swiftly and accurately delivered. Unfortunately, complex or short run mailing jobs often come as part of a contract. If PMSPs resort to hand enclosing to complete these jobs, the higher operational cost incurred can significantly reduce profitability.
In a report from HR specialist Randstad, 22 per cent of technology decision makers cite employee productivity as motivation for redesigning their businesses and embracing technology. A significant majority (71 per cent) agree that if they don’t embrace digital technologies, their company will be left behind.
Clearly, automation through technology is an important priority. For PMSPs, such a goal reduces reliance on costly, error-prone hand fulfillment. In fact, a bespoke and complex mailing run can be transformed from a loss leader to a cash cow through mechanisation.
Total cost of ownership
Enclosing equipment that automates document folding and inserting into envelopes, helps improve efficiency for enhanced profitability.
Intelligent folder inserters tick the boxes for total cost of ownership through:
- Faster turnaround times - automation collates and inserts bulk and complex mailings into envelopes much faster than hand filling can, cutting the cost of time spent turning jobs around. A single high-capacity production environment minimises downtime between jobs to maximise revenue.
Kingsline Solutions was looking for a robust production mail system with the capability to manage complex mailing jobs. The envelope inserter it was using was more suited to generic direct marketing than the more complex, intelligent work the company was looking to produce. It increased productivity through a high-volume folder inserter. David Saunders, Director at Kingsline, says: “Having seen the DS-1200 automated inserting system running in a production environment, I was impressed at how the system coped with high volumes whilst displaying real flexibility in handling variable jobs.”
- Reduced operator costs - Automated and intuitive operation means costly, highly skilled operators needn’t be recruited to process jobs.
- Fewer temporary staff - temporary staff are often contracted at a premium cost to meet requirements for complex, hand fulfilment jobs.
- Improved accuracy - hand enclosing introduces an integrity weak point into operations. If the manual process relies on simple count verification, there is no audit trail of what has gone where. Automation that verifies every sheet of paper provides superior process integrity.
Customer engagement agency Gecko was faced with complex new work that would require labour-intensive, costly production to deliver. The company was concerned that the manual processes involved with their existing equipment would reduce integrity and introduce an unacceptable risk of data breaches. By introducing the flexible and modular DS-1200 folder inserter and automated insertion management system (AIMS), Gecko was able to slash time spent on highly complex jobs to remove production bottlenecks and generate greater capacity.
- Averted reprint costs - with improved accuracy comes fewer reprints as jobs are completed right first time. One Quadient customer saved over £5,000 in reprint costs for every 1 million mail pieces processed.
- Reduced set-up time - by utilising the same high-capacity production environment for folding, collating and inserting complex as well as bulk mailings, the set-up time for jobs is reduced.
- Optional leasing - by leasing, manpower costs transition to an ongoing operational equipment cost. This way, adding automation doesn’t introduce additional costs.
- Scalability – an intelligent inserter system can be modular, growing to accommodate changing business needs and avoiding a significant upfront outlay for capacity that isn’t yet required.
- Meeting customer service level agreements (SLA)s - automated inserting delivers productivity gains, together with an enhanced customer experience, to help meet customer SLAs and contribute to customer retention.
Bulk and complex mailing runs can be delivered swiftly and cost-effectively by mechanising document folding, collation and insertion into envelopes. In this way, PMSPs can take complex mailings from loss leader to cash cow for improved profitability. For further information, take a look at intelligent folder inserters.
For more on how print service providers can reinvent themselves as ‘print and mail providers’ to meet the challenges of varied and bespoke digital mail, take a look at:
Print and mail providers: surviving and thriving in times of change
Generating new revenue streams through hybrid mail
Ensuring integrity and compliance.
