The Key to Operational Mail: Integration

Direct mail is more than just marketing mail. Think about the letters or mailpieces you get from your financial institutions, doctor’s office or healthcare provider, insurance providers, and utility companies. Many of these organizations specialize in a different kind of direct mail: operational mail.

Operational mail typically falls into one of three categories:

• Trigger-based or event-based: Such as payment receipts or explanation of benefits letters.
• Scheduled mail: Such as tax statements or policy renewal letters.
• One-off mail: Such as price change notifications or product sunsettting notices.

We’re going to focus mostly on trigger-based mail as that is the best mail format to automate - but automating it means integration too.

No matter if you use a CRM, CDP, ERP, or have built your own customer data system, integrations are game-changers by allowing direct mail to be added to almost any workflow with a few simple clicks within the technology platforms you already use.

Operational mail in action

VillageCareMAX knew it needed to automate introductory care plans that are mailed to incoming members every month, and by integrating its CRM databases to its direct mail platform, it was able to refine processes and identify further opportunities to automate and eliminate manual tasks. Using integrations, more teams in the organization could benefit, such as automating outgoing mail for the complaints and appeals department, or authorization letters for member procedures in the nursing department.

‍“Since implementing automated direct mail, we have strong confidence that our members and provider partners are receiving important care plan information in the timeliest manner possible.” - Robert Priest, Manager of Payor Solutions.

Want to see how operational mail works via the API?

Watch this quick explainer video:

Another way integration with a direct mail solution makes operational mail easier and more efficient? Address validation!

Did you know that 20% of addresses entered online contain errors? Not only does that import bad data into your database, these bad addresses are stealing budget by printing and sending undeliverable mail – and this could pose a problem during audits if caught sending important regulatory notices to wrong or undeliverable addresses.

With Address Verification, you can:

• Increase conversions and eliminate mistakes with front-end autocompletion
• Reduce returned mail with global delivery verification
• Maintain evergreen database integrity with address standardization
• Ensure accuracy by correcting mistakes and misspelled addresses
• Meet USPS address formatting requirements with data standardization
• Prevent bad address data from causing downstream bottlenecks
• Save money by only mailing to deliverable addresses

Address verification can run in the background and catch errors before they enter your customer database.

Work it out: Get your operational mail in shape

Want to learn more about integrating your tech stack to improve your operational mail processes?

Download your copy of the eBook: Operational Mail Boot Camp: Learn to efficiently send regulatory mail, invoices, and statements.