Variable Data Printing Study

This NYSE-listed corporation surveys around one million American business professionals annually on behalf of various product manufacturers.

Business Problem:
This firm’s survey process required:

Survey printing
Personalization, MICR coding, and bar coding of live incentive checks
Folding, inserting, and mailing

Because separate vendors handled each part of this time-honored process, significant improvements in survey management efficiency seemed unlikely unless a new approach could be developed.
Core Requirements:

Manage production and mailing of 12 separate surveys totaling nearly 1,000,000 pieces
Variably print 1.5 million forms (totaling 6,000,000 variable impressions) annually
Achieve the greatest possible number of postal pre-sort discounts

Solution:
Printing Services Online assumed full responsibility for this process, combining its variable data printing expertise with in-house bindery, finishing, and mailing capabilities. As a result, Access achieved significant production and cost efficiencies.

By implementing a database typesetting approach, the time required to typeset surveys was reduced from over four weeks to two days. Editing errors were largely eliminated. The time gained allowed the client to focus its energies on non-production issues
Virtually all survey wastage was eliminated
By resizing the surveys’ format, Access helped the client realize postage savings of over $80,000 annually
By providing in-house, USPS Coding Accuracy Systems Service (CASS) certification, Access ensured that the client’s mailings qualified for all available presort discounts

Summary:
By utilizing Printing Services Online’ turnkey production capabilities, the client experiences significantly fewer production hiccups, enjoys improved quality, and has gained increased flexibility in survey production. Increased attention to detail (for example, with regard to address validation), has meant a sharp drop in the number of undeliverable surveys. Overall, Access has delivered a turnkey process that gives its client the process transparency, flexibility, and control that it desired.
For Additional Insights:
For more information about the in-house services that made this solution possible, view our Digital Printing, Post-press Finishing, Kitting, Distribution, and Mailing List Management pages.
For more information about Printing Services Online, visit About Us and Services. Have a question? Contact Us.