Return mail processing - how does it work?

1st Locate become the return address for all undelivered mail items (we provide you with a return address to print on the reverse of your envelopes). As items are returned to us, each mail item is scanned or recorded and entered to a daily update file. Once recorded to the data file, each item is securely shredded and a certificate of shredding supplied. A daily update file is provided to you, updating your systems with the fact that mail to an individual account is being returned. This enables you to prevent further mailings and undertake action to identify whether the recipient has moved or the address is erroneous.  Our secure processing facility is able to handle literally millions of items. Costs for the service are surprisingly low and remove the headache of handling multiple sacks of returned postal items.

Some clients take this service one stage further and ask us to identify the root causes and remedial action for the returned mail items. This can even include the supply of a new a address for the recipient.

Mailing prevention services: 1st Locate are able to identify and classify the likelihood of a person still being in residence at any particular address in the UK. Upon receipt of a potential mailing file, we are able to data screen each item and classify in the following way:

This is achieved by collating data evidence to support whether a person is still in residence or whether there is evidence to support that they have moved on.

This service is suitable for many organisations, particularly Debt Collection Agencies.

Imagine mailing a file of 100,000 cases during a Collections flow. In postage costs alone this could amount to £27,000 plus production and stationery costs (likely total costs approaching £45,000). Suppose 10% of the cases had moved address. If you knew this fact then you would not send the mail item. You would instead turn your attention to tracing a new address. Sending mailings to 5000 cases would cost £2700-£4500 per mailing run (you may use a two or three letter strategy thus increasing your costs 2-3 times). By using 1st Locate mailing prevention services, you could identify those 5000 cases and refrain from sending the mailing.  We are able to process large data files within 24 hours, returning the data to you with our classification of residency. This then enables you to decide which of those cases should receive a mailing. This service is priced to ensure that you enjoy considerable savings compared to the costs of mailing all items.

Other variations to our service include correction and re-despatch.

Postal items that are undelivered are received at our return mail warehouse. Where addresses are incorrect and differ to the Royal Mail PAF file, these are corrected and the mail item re-despatched. Where the item has been returned because the recipient has moved away, will result in the new forwarding address being obtained from our Express Address product. The item will then be re-despatched to the new address. We are even able to accommodate problems and provide solutions where the property is inaccessible arranging secure timed delivery to the recipient at that or another address.

By using 1st Locate for return mail processing, you can suppress additional mailings at an earlier stage (saving valuable postage and production costs), have the problem professionally resolved and re-commence mailing activity in the knowledge that you can be sure your correspondence is reaching the intended recipient.

Our research has shown that some organisations continue to send mail to recipients four or five times after the first piece of mail has been returned.