Be sure to scan the October QR Code in your BEB Calendar this month!
Check it out here!
October 2017 QR Code
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The Magic of (USPS) MERLIN is Gone
For over 10-years, the USPS Mail Evaluation Readability Lookup INstrument, also known as MERLIN, has been used by acceptance clerks to test and verify mailings. When first rolled out, it created quite a stir within industry surrounding measuring mail quality at the point of mail acceptance.
Full-Service mailers have moved to Seamless Acceptance and enjoy the benefit of standardized acceptance and verification processes thereby eliminating the need to have mailings tested on MERLIN.
MERLIN is also used to ensure that addresses were updated within 95-days of the mailing date with customer filed COA (Change of Address) orders. The USPS announced that on January 21, 2018, the method for ensuring compliance with Move Update requirements will change from the MERLIN Method to a new Census Method. The new method checks compliance on all mail pieces (unlike MERLIN that verified samplings), and reduces the current 30% threshold to .5%.
This marks the end of the MERLIN era, and the start of greater efficiency in measuring postal compliant mail.
The Nonprofit Postal Rate Controversy
The PRC (Postal Regulatory Commission) has been petitioned for approval to amend its method of calculating Standard and Nonprofit (NP) prices.
Since 2000, the 60% rule applies to NP rates. That means that the average NP revenue per piece should be 60% of the estimated average revenue per piece rate, class-wide. The USPS wants to revert to using a methodology that was used prior to the passage of postal reform legislation where regular and ECR (enhanced carrier route) rates are considered subclasses of mail. The Alliance of Nonprofit Mailers alerted members that by reverting to the prior methodology, prices could increase 3.3% to 6.9% over and above other increases that are proposed for implementation in January of 2018.
The PRC Public Representative recognized the potential “rate shock” facing nonprofit mailers, and urged the USPS to apply any corrective price adjustments (over the annual CPI cap increase) over more than two price-adjustment cycles.
There isn’t a time constraint applicable for the PRC to issue a decision on the matter, and the comment period on the USPS proposal ended on September 18th. Knowing the possibility of a legal challenge, the PRC may be more deliberate in issuing its ruling than usual. We’ll keep you posted as this issue unfolds.
*from The Bureau-October 2017 issue
What’s the Difference Between VR & AR?
What is the difference between VR & AR? Virtual Reality is a fully simulated environment. Augmented Reality superimposes a computer-generated layer to your existing environment.
September QR Code
Be sure to scan the September QR Code in your BEB Calendar this month, it makes us laugh every time! Check it out here!
Solar Eclipse is Tomorrow
Tomorrow is also the total eclipse of the sun. It starts at 11:46am, maximum coverage for us to see will be at 1:15pm, and it will be complete by 2:45pm.
The next solar eclipse that can be seen from the US will be in 2024!
Don’t forget to wear protective eye wear if you want to watch it.
Check out this cool video giving you the scoop on why it’s a big deal!
https://youtu.be/7DZ4NrjBGfw
BEB WINS dotCOMM GOLD
dotCOMM Awards announced winners for the 2017 international awards competition honoring excellence in web creativity and digital communication. BEB was awarded a GOLD dotCOMM for our Holiday Social Media Video! Check out this multi-award winning video here.
dotCOMM Awards’ categories are the elements of the web’s evolving tools. Interactivity, content, design, social media, video, apps, blogs and influencers are all important components of digital public relations, marketing and advertising campaigns.
There were over 2,200 entries from throughout the United States, Canada and 13 other countries in the 2017 competition. Entries came from corporate marketing and communication departments, digital shops, advertising agencies, PR firms, production companies and freelancers. Entrants included designers, developers, content producers, digital artists, video professionals, account supervisors, creative directors and corporate executives.
dotCOMM Awards is administered and judged by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (www.amcpros.com). The international organization consists of several thousand marketing, communication, advertising, public relations, media production and freelance professionals. AMCP oversees awards and recognition programs, provides judges and rewards outstanding achievement and service to the profession.
AMCP judges are industry professionals who look for companies and individuals whose talent exceeds a high standard of excellence and whose work serves as a benchmark for the industry.
We are thrilled to have been given such a prestigious honor!
Summer Classes SOLD OUT
Today our Marketing for Small Business Summer Seminar Series completely SOLD OUT! This is our 4th series in a row to fill to capacity, and we are so excited. Can’t wait to meet the many exciting businesses and entrepreneurs attending. The classes are always interactive and a hotbed for learning.
Our next scheduled series is Marketing for Small Business, The Basics to be scheduled in January 2018.
July 2017 QR Code
Have you scanned your July QR code from the 2017 BEB-Business Extension Bureau calendar?
We have a special message for you!
You can also click here to see it!
Kathy Hall is Co-Chair of HPCC
Congratulations to our Kathy N. Hall as she is the newest Co-Chair of the Houston Postal Customer Council. Pictured above with current Houston Postmaster and HPCC Co-Chair Chenise LaDoux with Steve “Mail Coach” Fowler of Thomas PrintWorks and former HPCC Co-Chair.
The HPCC was organized in 1953 to provide a forum for communication with and cooperation between users of the mail and the U. S. Postal Service. Its mission to promote local cooperation and support and to foster a close working relationship between the US Postal Service and all businesses that use the US Postal Service to communicate and interact with their customers makes the organization an essential part of our business.
HPCC also shares information and facilitates the exchange of ideas about new and existing Postal Service products, programs, services and procedures that affect all businesses that use the mail; and help industry members and their organizations grow and develop professionally through focused education programs.
A national program, PCCs are postal sponsored organizations. HPCC membership consists of both Postal Service employees and representatives of the mailing industry. Membership is open to all business mailers who use the services of the Postal Service within the sponsoring Postal Service Manager’s geographic area. Any company presenting mail in the Houston District may belong to the organization including commercial mailers, organizations, service bureaus, individuals, etc., within the geographic area of responsibility of the Houston District.
The Executive Board of the Houston Postal Customer Council shall serve as a steering committee for the Houston Postal Customer Council and shall be representative of customers dedicated toward meeting the objectives of the Houston Postal Customer Council By-Laws meeting at least once every month.
Executive Board Officers are elected for a two-year term. Kathy is also an active member on the education committee.
Congratulations Kathy!