Bulk Mail Service Tip #2 – Aqueous Coating

Bulk Mail Tip:

Aqueous coating and inkjet addressing are like oil and water, they just don’t mix.  As demonstrated in these  pictures, the ink on a coated mail piece can be virtually wiped clean.

Aqueous or UV coating,  is a varnish like finish applied by a printer at the end of the printing process. There are a couple of products on the market that claim to print on coated paper,  but I have not found one that combines good quality and tolerable drying time.

When placing your print order, request no coating on the address side or a “knock-out” where the address goes.

As a last resort, we can address your mail with self-adhesive labels, but it does not have the professional look that your mail piece deserves.

Here2Help,

Donna Flanagin

Flanagin’s Bulk Mail Service

Random Me:  I’m not a fan of scary movies

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Employee Values – Pay It Forward

A story worth telling….

Monica decided she would only buy Starbucks if she had the money on hand.  No more putting it on her debit card. Wise choice.

While waiting at a doctor appointment, she realized she had the exact amount to  buy 2 cups of Starbucks. One for her and one for her sister and made a mental note to stop by on the way back to the office.

Her wait to see the doctor was unusually long and she was beginning to get annoyed.  She was thinking about all the things she needed to do and wondered “why am I waiting so long, WHY ME”?

Still waiting,  she noticed an older gentleman checking out and he was asked for his co-pay amount and he didn’t have enough money.  How much did he need?  Exactly what she had for her Starbucks coffee.

She gave him her money because she believes that was the reasons for the long wait.  She was meant to be there for this man.

It was fate.  Do you believe in fate?

Monica posted her experience on facebook and one of her friends is sending her a Starbucks gift card.  Pay It Forward.

Oh ya by the way, Monica is my daughter !!

Proud Mama,

Donna Flanagin

Random me:  I have never had a Starbucks, not even a sip.

Customer Service or Waste of Time?

It was Saturday morning and Judy was working alone, something we rarely do but it is 2 weeks before the election and it is our busy time.  The phone rings and the woman on the other end proceeds to tell Judy that she mailed a package through FedEx and she needs our help.  Judy politely tell the lady that we are a bulk mail service and we don’t mail individual packages.

The lady asked Judy to hear her out.  She explained that she is in Arizona and mailed a quilt to a lady in Valparaiso but the lady in Valparaiso is on vacation.  FedEx left it on her porch and could we go and get it, bring it back to our office for safe keeping until the lady comes back from vacation? (she found our phone number by looking up Indiana mailing services on the internet and our name popped up)

Is it customer service to help a woman in Arizona that will never be our customer?  Is it a waste of our time to help out a lady that is on vacation that you don’t know?

As the owner of the business, I believe it is not about customer service, nor wasting time, it is about hiring the right people with the right values.

Judy picked up the package and it is safe and sound in our office waiting for the lady in Valparaiso to return from vacation.

What would you have done?

Have a wonder-filled day,

Donna Flanagin

Random me:  The only movie I ever walked out on was Silence of the Lambs.

When you have a mail question, who do YOU call?

 

As a business owner, I am always striving for T.O.M.A.  All good business owners should.  When people in my town think of bulk mail, I want them to think of me….T.O.M.A. Top Of Mind Awareness.

Some obvious ways to achieve T.O.M.A. are through aggressive marketing, networking, and  social media.  One not so obvious way, is through customer service.

The following is an actual email I received yesterday that demonstrates T.O.M.A. acquired through customer service.  But be careful, T.O.M.A. can also be achieved through poor customer service.

Donna,

Question about an address. I’m going through verification forms from members, updating their information. Seems each year we get something from IMAX with their address. We have them listed as 6550 US Hwy 6. They now want 6550 American Way.

I believe in the past when we had it as “American Way,” we would get all the mail returned saying there was no such address.

Can you tell me what address we should use? Or, is this a Post Office question? (just afraid I’d never get an answer from the PO)

Thanks so much.

This is exactly what I strive for as a business owner, a customer that is more comfortable calling me than calling the post office.  I am a little sad that the post office doesn’t have the same reputation, after all, we are partners.

When you have a mail question, who do you call?

Oh ya, by the way, the correct address is US Hwy 6.  American Way is a vanity address, the customer wants it to be their address, but it is not recognized by the post office.

Have a wonder-filled day,

Donna

Random me:  the most outrageous movie I have ever seen..The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover. (beyond words)

 

It’s Kind Of Fun To Do The Impossible…Walt Disney

On April 24, 2010 we were blessed by God with a new granddaughter, Carly Inez Decker.  Carly had serious birth complications and was transported within hours to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, IN.  The next two weeks were an emotional roller coaster with a miracle ending.  Carly is now 5 months old and perfectly fine.  We were one of the lucky ones.

While staying in Indy my daughter, Monica and husband were lucky enough to get a room at the Ronald McDonald House.  A place that gave them a safe haven, a comforting room, shower and an available kitchen supplied with food.

Do you know that…

The Ronald McDonald House of Indiana embraces all families with sick or injured children being treated in Indianapolis-area hospitals without regard to income. While the cost of operating a single room is $74 per night (based upon 2009 figures), families staying at the House are asked to make a modest donation of $10 per night. No family is ever turned away from the House if they are unable to pay. (via..Ronald McDonald House website)

We did not.

Life has settled down and we decided to have a yard sale and give something back.  For a $500 donation you can have a heart on their wall.

For $1000 you can have a leaf on their tree.

We decided our goal would be a leaf.  The inspiration was seeing a leaf already on the tree from our local high school Key Club.  Not sure we could raise that much money, but we were surely going to try.  (dream, believe, dare,do).

This past weekend was our yard sale. Did we reach our goal?  Yes, in fact we exceeded our goal and raised enough money to sponsor a family for 330  nights.

It’s kind of fun to do (what we thought was) impossible.

A true heart-felt THANK YOU to everyone who helped, donated and “shopped” at our yard sale/fundraiser.  We are over-joyed.

Have a wonder-filled day,

Donna Flanagin

Random me:  My all time favorite movie is Schindler’s List.