from AXIS Data Solutions.

Wishing you warm thoughts for happiness in the coming year.

These are our thoughts.  Share what you think.  Send us an email with any questions you may have.  Let’s learn and grow together. AXIS Data Solutions delivers unsurpassed excellence in data programming, laser printing, mail processing & e-business solutions.

Wishing all our clients and vendors an extra-big helping of joy this Thanksgiving… and lots of leftover happiness!

We thank all of you for your loyalty and our staff for their excellent service and dedication.

These are our thoughts.  Share what you think.  Send us an email with any questions you may have.  Let’s learn and grow together. AXIS Data Solutions delivers unsurpassed excellence in data programming, laser printing, mail processing & e-business solutions.

So we thought we would share some GOOD NEWS as you plan your 2010 budgets. As many of you know we typically receive a Postal Increase once a year in May.  The Post Master General, John E. Potter recently released an update on Postage Increases for 2010.

“The Postal Service will not increase prices for market dominant products in calendar year 2010.

Simply stated, there will not be a price increase for market dominant products including First-Class Mail, Standard Mail, periodicals, and single-piece Parcel Post.  There will be no exigent price increase for these products.”

After close evaluation it was felt that promoting the value of mail and encouraging its continued use is essential for jobs, the economy, and the future of both the Postal Service and the mailing industry.

Mr. Potter also stated that, “While increasing prices might have generated revenue for the Postal Service in the short term, the long term effect could drive additional mail out of the system.  We want mailers to continue to invest in mail to grow their business, communicate with valued customers, and maintain a strong presence in the marketplace.”

These are our thoughts.  Share what you think.  Send us an email with any questions you may have.  Let’s learn and grow together. AXIS Data Solutions delivers unsurpassed excellence in data programming, laser printing, mail processing & e-business solutions.

In our previous blog we spoke of the benefits you could receive with an Email Delivery system. You may ask how do I begin?  Here are some quick tips.
·        Look for a system that has a simple email collection process.
·        It needs to be set up where the Email Opt-In is user controlled and not business controlled.
·        Users should be able to Opt-In and Opt-Out freely.
·        What level of security do you expect?  It should be SSL secure and provide you with customer challenge authentication options.
·        Find a system that you can brand to your look and feel.
·        It provides reports that make it easy for staff resolution such as Email Bounce Back Reporting.
·        Bottom line, you want to have a lot of control over the system.

Moving your statements or notices in a new direction can often be a scary thing. To gradually move into the process and set your mind at ease, you may want to consider a soft roll out. This allows you to Opt-in staff members or a select group of clients that would receive the email notifications as a controlled test group.

Printing & mailing is a reliable form of communication. As technology expands we find that the youth of today is wrapped up in a texting and twitter frenzy and that their communication bridge is not valid unless it is sent across the internet super highway. The teens of today are one step away from adulthood and are your next member or client. What form of communication do you feel they will choose? The adoption rates for emailing are climbing everyday. Email Delivery is a new step towards the future that can enhance your communication.

Contact AXIS today for a Cost Analysis and Demo.

Coming up next….. Ways to Save and Increase Value- Postcards

These are our thoughts.  Share what you think.  Send us an email with any questions you may have.  Let’s learn and grow together. AXIS Data Solutions delivers unsurpassed excellence in data programming, laser printing, mail processing & e-business solutions.

Today, we’re all striving to be efficient and stay connected to our clients. The bottom line is, How do you save that hard earned dollar and still output the service that you do today? You grow with the times!

The use of the U.S. Postal Service and what is known today as “Snail Mail” is reliable and convenient.  But, we all know they’ve been having some “issues”.  There’s no doubt the U.S.P.S. has seen a drop in revenue in the past few years. No matter what condition the economy is in you can probably expect an increase in postage each year. What’s one way to resolve this issue?  Explore email delivery.

You may ask,  How can an Email Delivery system benefit me?
·    Decrease postage costs
·    Keep up with technological trends
·    It’s customer service friendly
·    Links to Online payment drive faster dollar return

Some say, “Well, we have this canned system that output’s the basics. You know an account number, name, billing address and amount.” Who’s to say that you can not have freedom of creativity and produce an email document that looks exactly like what you print and mail today! It’s being done.  You can do it, too!

Looking to begin packaging your Email Delivery needs?
Contact AXIS to speak to a qualified representative to create a solution for you today.

Coming up next….. Ways to Save and Increase Value- Using Email Part II

These are our thoughts.  Share what you think.  Send us an email with any questions you may have.  Let’s learn and grow together. AXIS Data Solutions delivers unsurpassed excellence in data programming, laser printing, mail processing & e-business solutions.

At AXIS Data Solutions, keeping you informed and educated about the ever changing mailing rules and regulations is important to us.  Please note the following information regarding USPS and CASS cycle M release:
As of September 30th, 2009, all mailers that want to qualify for presorted discounted rates have to be compliant with the USPS CASS cycle M release. The option to maintain the original inputted address and only change the City, State, Zip and barcode is no longer permitted.
The new rule for Cycle M states “That CASS software is required to return the preferred format regardless of the input address format”. Any customer who is unable to update their full address to meet this requirement will not be eligible for any postal discounts and would have to mail full rate. See postal sample below.

We realize that some of these regulations can be confusing, if we can answer or address any questions or comments you may have on this subject, please fill out the Contact Us form or visit  http://ribbs.usps.gov for additional information.

Disclaimer: AXIS, Inc. has no control of the Preferred addresses used by the USPS in their CASS database. Addresses are subject to change, including the street name, as determined by the information in the USPS CASS database.

These are our thoughts.  Share what you think.  Send us an email with any questions you may have.  Let’s learn and grow together. AXIS Data Solutions delivers unsurpassed excellence in data programming, laser printing, mail processing & e-business solutions.

Think “Out of the Box” and Into One Envelope

Consolidation, not elimination is the key to keeping your brand alive and well. It’s time to use that “Out of the Box” thinking when it comes to your mailings. How creative can you be at cutting costs and still solidify your brand promise?

The majority of us know that 50-75% of the cost to send out communications is the postage. By consolidating your mailings in to one unified piece, allows you to update your look and send targeted communication to your members.

Have you considered?
·    Combining Credit Card Statements with your current financial statements
·    Merging an imbedded Newsletter as part of your invoice and not as a separate insert or mailing
·    Enclosing yearly, monthly, or weekly loan coupons for payment with your current statement mailing
·    Displaying Onserts as part of your current document’s layout. Allowing for your marketing message to appear in plain view of the receiver. Eliminating the use of an insert.

So you ask, What are the steps to get started?
·    Review your mailings
o    What do they look like?
o    What’s the data format?
o    How often do you send them?
·    Evaluate your branding/marketing, where can you target your message while consolidating your pieces?
·    Ask yourself how will this change impact my client?

Need help – there are resources and partners like AXIS that can work with you to streamline the process.  Contact AXIS to speak to a qualified representative to create a solution for you today.

Coming up next….. Ways to Save and Increase Value- Using Email

These are our thoughts.  Share what you think.  Send us an email with any questions you may have.  Let’s learn and grow together. AXIS Data Solutions delivers unsurpassed excellence in data programming, laser printing, mail processing & e-business solutions.

In today’s economy every penny counts! It seems that everybody is looking at the bottom line and actively reviewing their budgets. Postage increases have effected businesses to consider cutting back on their mailings. On May 11th, 2009, the cost of a 1st class stamp increased to $0.44. This is the fifth time postage has increased in the last 10 years. Back in 1999, postage was $0.33.

A common knee jerk reaction is to scale back on mailings. But you and I both know it’s not as simple as that! What about the impacts to your organization?
·    Mail is an important means of keeping in touch with your clients and marketing your brand.
·    Not to mention many of your clients prefer receiving their documents via mail.
·    What about legal requirements? Many mandates still dictate that the piece must be delivered via USPS.
·    Did I mention that Mail is one of the simplistic means of communicating.  Even making simple changes to how you send bills and other notices involves the headaches of coordinating efforts among IT, E-Services, outside vendors, and client services.

Is cutting back the answer? Truly, aren’t you tired of sacrificing due to the forces of the world around you?  Postage is typically a large operating expense and can rack up to 50-75% of the cost to send communications out to your clients.  So, if you could save money, avoid headaches brought on by more change, and increase your value with a targeted message, wouldn’t it be a no brainer?

We feel your frustration too and we have some ideas to share.

In future blogs, we’ll discuss ways to save postage money by maximizing your communications.

Coming up next….. Consolidation, not elimination.

These are our thoughts.  Share what you think.  Send us an email with any questions you may have.  Let’s learn and grow together.

It had been over 10 years since we rebranded. Yeah, we had our strategic initiatives and a vision of who we were, but we felt lost. Is anyone listening? Hello, can someone help us?
As a company we at AXIS did not feel we were successfully communicating our message to the outside world. Here we were with no dedicated marketing employee on staff. Bound by limited resources, time and funds not to mention all the other priorities on our plate, we sat here wondering where do we go and at a reasonable cost?
A long time friend and business consultant Dwain DeVille connected us to a local college. Rollins College offers a Business Marketing class as part of their nighttime MBA program. For their semester project, these business students are asked to take a company and provide a marketing plan. Professor Jule Gassenheimer, Ph.D., pools local businesses to pitch their company to the class. The students, comprised of working professionals, are broken into teams based on their personalities and skill set. Each team is asked to choose a company for their yearly project. We had the privilege of being chosen by and working with two teams.
What did we learn from this experience? We received a finished documented marketing plan that included a recap and clarification of our strategic direction. We also confirmed that we were headed in the right direction but were not communicating some of our greatest strengths – Customized Application Development and Dedicated Project Management.
Based on the ideas presented by the Rollins teams, we were able to implement the following:
• Updated Logo
• New Website
• Client testimonials
• Incorporated “Data Solutions” into our logo and marketing message
• Bundling our product solutions
• Helped focus our marketing message
Not only did it benefit AXIS but the students gained skills in:
• Team Building
• Presentation Skills
• Project Management
• Business Strategy
And not only were the results impressive, so was the cost – absolutely nothing! Just a few meetings and some emails over the length of the semester.
I’d highly recommend this resource to anyone else out there looking for marketing guidance. Allowing a group of young business leaders/students to look at us from the outside sharpened our vision as a company. So be sure to contact your local college or university before spending big dollars on outside consultants that you look to your local colleges for support. They just might surprise you.
In future blogs we’ll discuss everything from technology trends effecting our industry to ways you can save money while increasing value.
These are our thoughts. Share what you think of our new brand or send us an email with any questions you may have. Let’s learn & grow together.

At Axis, our passion is excellence.  We strive to keep our loyal customers, prospects and vendors educated with ever-changing marketing trends & conditions, new products and new ways to improve their bottom line.
We have created this blog to help further that message and dedication to our clients, prospects and vendors.  We will be posting important news about what’s happening at Axis, we will offer our opinions and insight into market trends and more importantly, give you a true deeper glimpse of the Axis culture for excellence.
Please visit often and subscribe to our RSS news feed to stay informed. As always, if we can be of any service to you, call us: 800-852-3174.