Postal rates continue to rise and show no signs of leveling off anytime soon. Already in 2024, there was a postage rate increase in January and another one in July . Experts expect them to continue every 6 months for the foreseeable future. At HC3, we understand the challenges associated with postage rate increases, and we want to help. Our mission is straightforward: help you navigate increasing rates and provide you with the best solutions possible. Below you will find 3 ways we can help you manage these changes.
Drive digital adoption:
Embracing digital communication stands as the single, most effective defense against rising postage costs. We know that is easier to say than it is to accomplish. There is a segment of your customers who do not want to migrate. Our question to you is twofold. First, what is your plan to migrate everyone you can to digital? The second part is, are you actively working on that plan?
One part of your plan should include a digital-first statement design. We are all accustomed to consuming information digitally. Many statements, however, are still designed for a non-digital presentation. The use of color, which is free in digital, charts, and summaries can make them a valuable financial health tool.
An intuitive, easy-to-manage digital presentment platform is another tool for digital adoption. If your interface is confusing or difficult to navigate by your customers, they won’t use it. Remember it has to be easy for customers-not your employees. Your employees are insiders, so they have an awareness and proficiency your customers will never have. There are many options, but finding the right one for your financial institution is key. Explore multiple options before deciding on one.
Staying Informed, so you don’t have to:
Keeping up with the ins-and-outs of changing postage rates and regulations can be confusing and overwhelming. We stay current with postage rates and regulations, and serve as an ally when you need someone who can sift through the jargon and explain what these changes mean for you and your customers. Timely communication is our pledge, allowing you the space to adapt and adjust strategies before changes take effect.
We help you save where you can:
With the rise of smartphones, fewer people own home computers, and even fewer possess printers. While digital is becoming more popular, there is still a segment of your customer base who feel their printed statements should come from their financial institution. They are willing to pay extra for the convenience of doorstep-delivered statements, avoiding the hassle of printers, ink, and equipment. If they insist on getting a printed statement from you, provide that service to them but don’t pay more than absolutely necessary. Statement processing services like HC3 save time, postage, and material costs.
Consider this: while an average financial institution may print and mail 20,000 statements, HC3 prints and mails millions of mailpieces from our three redundant facilities. We commingle statements with other mail and sort it to achieve the deepest savings on postage costs. This volume also ensures lower costs-per-piece on paper and envelopes. We can also consolidate statements, wherever feasible, to reduce the number of items mailed and, in turn, your expenses.
In summary, navigating the postal service updates does not come easily in our ever-evolving banking landscape, so finding ways to manage the concerns tied to the postage rate changes can be a relief for many financial institutions. The rate changes aren’t going away anytime soon, but together we can continue to educate ourselves, be prepared for future updates, and find ways to cut back on costs.
