In-house Mapping Proves Difficult
“We mail by carrier route because it is the best way to save our customers money,” explains Lindsey, a Mail Services Manager for a firm providing communications management for the publishing and advertising community. “We used to try and map carrier routes ourselves using data we purchased from the USPS every two months. Two years ago, we finally realized that our level of mapping expertise was insufficient and the process was too time intensive.” It was at this point that Lindsey’s firm began looking for an outside map provider.
“Price was not the most important thing to us. What we really needed was accuracy,” continues Lindsey. “We choose Maponics because, of the providers out there, they had the best quality maps. Not only do the carrier route boundaries best reflect the on-the-ground coverage, but we know they are current because Maponics updates their map data monthly.”
Map Updates Hold The Key
“We love that Maponics produces both county level and ZIP Code level carrier route maps. We use our County map mostly for internal project planning and tracking.” For individual projects, the Company relies on ZIP Code level maps. “The added street labeling provides helpful detail when customers are trying to decide which carrier routes are of most interest.”
Because Lindsey and her coworkers use each map type differently, their update schedule varies. “We mail in a county where carrier route change is moderate” Lindsey explains. Using new technology, Maponics has calculated that from August 2003 to August 2004 no new carrier routes were added in their county, two existing ones were dropped, and twenty changed shape. In all, 30% changed in some way. “Since we only use the county map for project planning, we are able to get away with delaying updates to every six months.”
Maps used for specific mailing projects are ordered new each time, however. “We do this to ensure that clients get the highest response rates possible. And it has worked - the maps Maponics’ provides have improved our business significantly! With targeted saturation mailings by carrier route, we are able to help our clients secure postage rates of as low as 12.8 cents per piece.”
Michigan Mailer Explores How Often to Update Carrier Route Maps
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