Mail list deduping, CASS certification, NCOA processing and list enhancement services

Data Hygiene Services

You can have a large database filled with loyal customers who have made purchases over the years, but if your database isn’t kept current and in good shape you’ll be losing opportunities as well as postal discounts with every mailing. That’s where data hygiene, also known as data cleanup or data scrubbing, becomes important and delivers a greater return on your marketing investment.

Incorrect or out-of-date addresses cost you money. Our best practices in data hygiene will deliver a greater return on your marketing investment through up-to-date data, accurate mailing lists and postal discounts. Working closely with you to meet your goals and objectives, we’ll keep your database in tip-top shape to improve mail deliverability and reduce mailing costs with the following data hygiene services:

• Verify database quantity and integrity
• Eliminate extraneous characters and blanks
• Remove duplicate records
• List Enhancement Services (CASS and NCOA Certification)
• List Enhanced Waterfall Approach (MCOA, DPV, DSF2, LACS, DDNC, and DMAChoice Processing)

List Enhancement Services

CASS – CODING ACCURACY SUPPORT SYSTEM

CASS certifying your mailing list allows for “automation-rate” bulk mailings and USPS presort discounts. By processing your list to meet USPS regulations for address standardization, your mailing can qualify for the lowest possible postage rates. The CASS system improves the accuracy of the carrier route, five-digit zip codes, nine-digit zip codes (zip + 4), delivery point barcode, line of travel, and LACS, improving the deliverability of your mail, and provides useful diagnostics for correcting errors.

To take advantage of automation discounts, the mailing list must be CASS certified within 180 days of the mail date. Carrier route discounts require the mailing list be CASS certified within 90 days of the mail date, and basic presort discounts require the mailing list be zip code verified within one year of the mail date.

NCOA – NATIONAL CHANGE OF ADDRESS DATABASE

NCOA certification meets the move update requirement set forth by the United States Post Office. NCOA compares your mailing list to a database of more than 160 million address changes filed by postal customers making a permanent change of address with the USPS. This change of address is maintained in the NCOA database for 48 months. Whenever a name and address from your database matches one of NCOA’s old addresses, we update your database with the forwarding address and notify you when there is no address available. Our NCOA update will help reduce the cost of mailing, increase the number of pieces that reach their destination, and reduce the time it takes for your mail to be delivered.

List Enhanced Waterfall Approach

One of the best ways to reduce cost is to scrub your database. We have pioneered what we call our Enhanced Waterfall Approach. Like a waterfall, we send your data downstream through a series of processes designed to eliminate bad addresses and recipients least likely to respond to your offer.

MCOA – MULTI-SOURCE CHANGE OF ADDRESS

Did you know that 20% of all movers do not file a change of address with the USPS? This is especially true with the younger generation. Now, using MCOA, you can track the movement of this large group of individuals. This service gathers information from major sources such as magazine subscriptions, direct mail catalogs, insurance companies and financial institutions, just to name a few, and compiles them for the most current address information.

DPV – DELIVERY POINT VALIDATION

DPV processing confirms whether or not an address is a known USPS delivery point. DPV processing also helps mailers to identify inaccurate or incomplete addresses, and assists in obtaining accurate delivery information. Use of the DPV system in addition to CASS certification helps to further reduce undeliverable mail and reduce mailing costs.

DSF2 – DELIVERY SEQUENCE FILE (SECOND GENERATION)

DSF2 processing identifies deliverable addresses and specific address attributes. The DSF2 file contains over 165 million US delivery points and assists mailers in obtaining accurate delivery address information. DSF2 also provides additional information such as: type of delivery (business or residential), seasonal addresses, type of mail receptacle (mailbox on curb, mail slot in door, etc.), and the sequence in which the mail is delivered.

LACS – LOCATABLE ADDRESS CONVERSION SYSTEM

LACS processing provides mailers with a method of obtaining a new addresses when a 911 emergency system has been implemented to convert a rural-style address to a city-style address, or when a street address has been renamed or renumbered. Since the occupant did not actually move, the LACS system provides address update information.

DDNC – DECEASED DO NOT CONTACT

Prior to sending direct mail, you may consider verifying your list against the Deceased Do Not Contact database. This list is maintained by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) as a service to family members, friends or caretakers seeking to remove the names of deceased individuals from commercial marketing lists. Each month, the DMA distributes an updated list to mailers and service providers who subscribe to the database. The list contains the deceased individual’s name, address, phone number, and e-mail address (if available).

DMACHOICE™

The DMA offers consumers the ability to choose which types of direct mail offers they would like to receive and which ones they don’t at DMAChoice.org. The service divides direct mail offers into four broad categories — credit offers, catalogs, magazine offers and other mail offers — giving consumers the ability to opt-out of one or all categories. The DMA compiles the preferences into a list which they distribute to all of its 3,600 members organizations. In an effort to maintain a healthy relationship with consumers, DMA members are required to honor consumer preferences collected through DMAChoice™.

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