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Want to keep up with all the happenings at BCC Software? Are you looking for an easy way to get cutting-edge information and changes in the industry? BCC Software offers a simple way to get you informative news and updates.
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UAA Problems? More Help Is On The Way

Each year, billions of Undeliverable As Addressed (UAA) mail pieces are returned to the USPS and the availability of advanced address quality solutions doesn’t seem to help reduce these numbers.  In 2021, the total number of UAA mail pieces was 5.6 billion, and the total cost to forward, return or dispose of these pieces exceeded… Read: UAA Problems? More Help Is On The Way »

The Great Resignation in the Mailing Industry and How Employers Can Mitigate Its Effect

Between July 2021 to December 2021, over 19 million Americans quit their job for various reasons. As of December 2021 job openings stood at 10.9 million. This high level of unprecedented quits was termed the Great Resignation by American academic Anthony Klotz. The great resignation is a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, and even after… Read: The Great Resignation in the Mailing Industry and How Employers Can Mitigate Its Effect »

The United States Postal Service’s® Response to Understanding This Year’s Peak Season

This article appeared in the December 2021 edition of NPSOA Magazine Welcome to the highly anticipated peak holiday season for the United States Postal Service! For many mailers, this season comes with a lot of unknowns and anxieties. This year, the USPS® introduced the Business Intelligence Capacity Model, or BICM, program to help mitigate concerns… Read: The United States Postal Service’s® Response to Understanding This Year’s Peak Season »

A January Price Change is Coming

USPS® shipping prices are expected to change on Jan. 9, 2022. The USPS submitted a request with the Postal Regulatory Commission to enact price changes that would raise the prices of many postal goods and services. Retail price increases include: Standard Priority Mail Flat Rate® (PMFR) Envelope, Legal Size PMFR Envelope, PMFR Padded Envelope, and… Read: A January Price Change is Coming »

Quality Data Ensures Your Mail Will Make it to Homes During the Holiday Rush

Address data has the power to make or break your deliverability goals.  Ensuring your data is complete, correct, and current is one way you can make sure your holiday mail is reaching your target audience on time and as cost-effective as possible. With the United States Postal Service® (USPS®) urging customers to begin their holiday… Read: Quality Data Ensures Your Mail Will Make it to Homes During the Holiday Rush »

PDF + JDF = ADF: The Formula for Print and Mail Optimization Success

This is a guest article from Solimar Systems, a valued BCC Software partner. Workflow automation, already growing steadily in significance on print shop floors, has transcended the ‘nice to have’ bracket into the essential territory. Every print shop faces challenges where eliminating touchpoints, adjusting to decreased staffing levels and managing production remotely has become the… Read: PDF + JDF = ADF: The Formula for Print and Mail Optimization Success »

USPS® Working Hard to Improve Service Performance Ahead of Holiday Rush

The USPS released performance scores from the first three weeks of the fourth quarter that showed a positive uptick in postal business. The service performance scores reflect the changes that were put in place on October 1, 2020, as part of the Postal Service’s™ 10-year plan, Delivering for America. “As we continue to improve service… Read: USPS® Working Hard to Improve Service Performance Ahead of Holiday Rush »

Here Comes the Holiday Rush

Mailers expect the holiday season to be busy, but what if we could make the busy season a little bit easier? With Covid prompting many unknowns, we think any reprieve is welcome. Every Door Direct Mail®, or EDDM®, gives mailers the confidence knowing they are sending their holiday catalogs and promotions to every address in… Read: Here Comes the Holiday Rush »

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… Read: With the USPS Raising Prices Again, It’s More Important Than Ever to Know Where Your Mail Is. »

Why Integrate Your Print and Mail Optimization Software? Big Savings.

This is a guest article from Solimar Systems, a valued BCC Software partner. Frequent readers of the BCC Software eBulletin won’t be surprised that Solimar Systems and BCC Software have been working together for years. Announced as a strategic partnership in 2015, this relationship has produced compelling results for our common customers. As August marks… Read: Why Integrate Your Print and Mail Optimization Software? Big Savings. »

USPS Proceeds with August Rate Increases

In a decision issued on July 19, 2021, the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) endorsed the United States Postal Service’s call for higher prices on letters, advertising mail, and publications, in hopes of ensuring long-term financial health for the organization. The USPS believes that its prices for market-dominant products and services will increase by approximately 6.9… Read: USPS Proceeds with August Rate Increases »

An Overview of Recent OIG RISC Report on Informed Delivery and Informed Visibility

This article appeared in the July 2021 edition of NPSOA Magazine. On June 8, 2021, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) released the RISC Report on Marketers’ Perceptions of Informed Delivery and Informed Visibility. This report sought to inform the USPS® of marketers’ perceptions of Informed Delivery (ID) and Informed Visibility (IV), two programs aimed… Read: An Overview of Recent OIG RISC Report on Informed Delivery and Informed Visibility »

Phase Two of Network Rationalization

This article appeared in the June 2021 edition of NPSOA Magazine. Phase two of the United States Postal Service’s® “Network Rationalization” is set to be completed this year. During this phase, the USPS® hopes to make the organization leaner by re-organizing roles and equipment within the network. Eighteen mail sorting facilities across the country are… Read: Phase Two of Network Rationalization »

Mailing and Shipping Solutions Center (MSSC) to Merge With the PostalOne! Helpdesk

June 21, 2021 Mailing and Shipping Solutions Center (MSSC) to Merge With the PostalOne! Helpdesk Effective July 1, 2021, the external PostalOne! Helpdesk will merge into the Mailing & Shipping Solutions Center (MSSC). Customers will need to contact the MSSC with any PostalOne! issues. The current PostalOne! help desk number of 1-800-522-9085 will automatically forward… Read: Mailing and Shipping Solutions Center (MSSC) to Merge With the PostalOne! Helpdesk »

Where’s My Document?

This is a guest article from Racami, a valued BCC Software partner. Print and mail producers have been answering questions about document status forever, and now the questions extend to include digital messages. It’s no longer acceptable to answer clients an hour or two later, after physically searching through the production facility. Common client questions include: “When… Read: Where’s My Document? »

Preparing for Seamless Acceptance

This article appeared in the May 2021 edition of NPSOA Magazine. You may have heard about Seamless Acceptance and thought it only applied to large mailers. While that has been true to this point, with the May 1 deadline for mailers with an authorized Detached Mail Unit (DMU) and July 1 deadline for mailers who… Read: Preparing for Seamless Acceptance »

Mail Sorting Consolidation Planned to Boost Postal Efficiency

Eighteen mail sorting facilities across the country are scheduled to be consolidated by November 2021 in hopes of boosting efficiency. Postmaster General DeJoy believes closing the facilities is financially necessary for the USPS®’s 10-Year Plan in which the organization hopes to fiscally break even in 10 years. However, there are speculations that these closures will… Read: Mail Sorting Consolidation Planned to Boost Postal Efficiency »

Mail Manager Security Update

Effective 4/22/2021, Mail Manager customers who upgrade to version 03.11.40.02 will have updated encryption when transferring files to Track N Trace (TNT). What Changed?In a continued effort to make security is our highest priority, BCC has upgraded this file transfer method to ensure your mailings are highly secure while maintaining seamless integration between Mail Manager… Read: Mail Manager Security Update »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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