LATEST NEWS

NCOALink ® requirement effective November 23, 2008

The United States Postal Service® (USPS®) is making a significant change in mailing requirements effective on Nov. 23, 2008. Any presorted mailings after that date will have to certify that the addresses in the mailing list have been updated within the previous 95 days using one or more of five approved methods. You can mail with an ancillary service endorsement such as "Return Service Requested" on a mailer prior to 11/23/2008, you can use Address Change Service, you can use the FASTforward® service, you can use OneCode ACS® or you can use NCOALink® processing. For most of our customers NCOALink® processing will be the most convenient and least expensive method to meet the new requirements.

Please contact one of our contact customer solutions professionals for pricing and file format requirements by calling (714) 538-3881. More information about the NCOALink® processing service is provided below:

The NCOALink® service is a process that helps you stay connected to customers and prospects who move. Over 40 million Americans change addresses annually, which create formidable obstacles in maintaining a high-quality mailing list. NCOALink® processing makes change-of-address information available to mailers to help reduce undeliverable or duplicate mail pieces. The NCOALink® service is a comprehensive program that aids mailers in identifying changes of addresses before mail enters the mail stream.

NCOALink® is a licensed product of the US Postal Service™. It is a complete list of customers who filed a permanent change of address notice with the US Postal Service™ during the previous 48 months. The file includes the old moved-from address, and new moved-to address.

 

How it works...

Input address information provided by a mailer is first standardized to conform to USPS® requirements, including the ZIP + 4® Code. Once the address has been standardized, an attempt is made to match the address against the NCOALink® file, which contains approximately 156 million records or 48 months of permanent address changes. Address change information is derived from the Change-of-Address Order, filed by relocating postal customers. If an exact match is made with the old address information in the NCOALink® File, then the new address is provided.

The service also compares your addresses to the Postal Service® LACSLink® database as well as perform CASS™ processing on your addresses to meet postal regulations. Many county governments have converted rural-route addresses to city style addresses due to  911 implementation. If your database contains RR or HC addresses, you should consider using NCOALink® processing to update your list.

 

Why use NCOALink ®?...

The Postal Service® requires mailers to update their files every 6 months to qualify for the automated First-Class™ and Standard Mail® postage rates. NCOALink® processing is one way to update your files.


There is another reason to use the NCOALink® service. It is extremely inexpensive compared to sending out a mailing piece to the wrong address or using an endorsement like "Return Service Requested". Many companies feel that the savings justify using the NCOALink® service before every mailing.


NCOALink® processing is a "before you mail" solution that allows you to put more good addresses into the mail. No lost time in forwarding. No waiting for corrections to be posted to your file. No need to re-mail address corrections. Faster delivery means quicker turnaround for orders and improved cash flow.


Updated addresses give more uniformity to files that are merged. When all addresses are as current as possible, you improve the potential for uncovering duplicates.


NCOALink® processing helps reduce undeliverable-as-addressed mail by correcting input addresses prior to mailing. Since 1986, this service has saved mailers millions of dollars that otherwise would have been wasted in materials and postage.

 

NCOALink ® provides the following benefits to mailers:

  • Reduces undeliverable mail by providing the most current address information for matches made to the NCOALink® file.
  • Prevents duplicate mail pieces or re-mailings after address corrections are received because the address correction is applied prior to the mailing.
  • Reduces mailer costs by reducing the number of undeliverable and duplicate mail pieces by using most current address information.
  • Provides the opportunity for faster product/service marketing through accurate mail delivery.

Disclaimer:  Advantage Mailing, Inc. is a non-exclusive Limited Service Provider Licensee of the United States Postal Service®. The following trademarks are owned by the United States Postal Service: CASS, PAVE, First-Class, Standard Mail, NCOALink, LACSLink, US Postal Service, USPS, The Postal Service, FASTforward, OneCode ACS, ZIP + 4 and United States Postal Service.

 

AD#1.09.