1. “Minimize Your Mail Returns” February 17th, 2015

2. Ridiculously nice…
Collection agency

3. Kenlyn T. Gretz
President and CEO of…

4. This is not legal advice
This is not legal advice. You should contact your company attorney for legal advice.

5. Getting it Right the First Time
The most important time to make sure you have it right is when the customer FIRST becomes a customer. Remember the person calling for the service may give you a different address at the time the call for the service than when they actually get the service. They could be in the middle of a move. Maybe this is a new area to them and they don’t know the names or spellings of the roads.

6. Moving Data
“Geographical Mobility” report US Census, 37.1 million people, 1 year and older, changed residences in the U.S. within the past year (12.5%).
67.3% of all movers stayed within the same county.
17.2% moved to a different county in the same state.
12.6% moved from a different state.
2.9% moved to the U.S. from abroad.

7. Moving Data
Renters were more than five times more likely to move than homeowners.
29.2% of all people living in renter-occupied housing units lived elsewhere
The mover rate of all people living in owner-occupied housing units was 5.2%

8. These point of service tools will help verify that the first time a customer becomes a customer you have it right the first time. The tools can be stand alone or they can be key stroke integrated into your software. ( explain what that is ) It may be expensive, but it may be worth it. Key stroke loggin.

9. POS Verification too expensive?
Simple scripting Changes will decrease your mail returns of first time customers.
“Would you please give me your address?”
“Would you please give me your mailing address?”
Followed by: “What is your physical address?”
“Would you please give me your mailing address? I will need to verify the address with an external system.”
Where the person has the service may not be where they live? Where would you like the bill mailed too? ( somebody in the middle of a divorce? In the middle of a marriage? Middle of a move? ) In the same year, 58 million couples were married and still lived separated

10. Photo ID Request
Most front line people hate asking for recurring photo id’s on people they know.
How many ask it only for new patients?
Software systems with photo’s.
A state drivers license is only as up to date with address information as the last renewal.

11. Free Tool from Melissa Data
Verify addresses
Verify streets
Free (after so many searches, it keeps asking you to buy, just clear your internet history and delete cookies) Tools>>Internet Options>>Delete Browsing History.
Enter the zip code – show the Green Bay – Howard and then click on Free Lookups and show the other tools. Use 3500 Kimberly Cir, Manitowoc

12. Rate of Mail Returns Count the number of overall mail returns.
Count the number of mail returns on first time customers.
Number of statements Mailed Monthly compared to number of mail returns.
Number of First Time Customers rate will tell you much about your point of service people.
My rate won’t matter.

13. Admissions Agreements
On the paper but not in the system.
In the system, but not in the address field. In the notes.
Do an audit of your point of service agreements.

14. Notes That Are Hard To Read

15. Clear Easy to Read

16. Create Abbreviations
OA: Option address to be used again. Customer told of the change. (Marriage, move out) AC: Address Correction from NCOA data base only MR: Mail Return from a physical piece of mail or a statement vendor electronic mail return.

17. NCOA Mail Return Data
Statement Vendors use the “National Change of Address” databases to do the following:
Address Element Correction (CASS Certified)
Tell you in advance if the mail will be returned
Give you address corrections and mail your piece of mail to the new address
Coding Accuracy Support System

18. “Address Service Requested”
On outside of your mail pieces.
What the NCOA service from your statement vendor will not pick up, the USPS will send you paper cards.

19. Address Element Correction -CASS
2515 CTH H, GRAND RAPIDS MI
Really is:
2515 County Highway H, GRAND RAPIDS MI
61546
Request a list of addresses that do not CASS Certfify
Melissa Data will help with these things but statement vendors will automatically correct them and you should update them in your system? WHY … because I bet NOT all mail pieces go through your statement vendor.

20. Tell you in advance if the mail will be returned
A person can forward your mail for 15 days up to 6 months.
They can file an extension for another 6 months.
So if the address correction is expired, instead of mailing the piece, they will send your information back.
Make sure your system is using these codes correctly and understanding them.

21. Statement vendors give you NCOA address corrections and mail your piece of mail to the new address.
Who moved?

22. NCOA Data Base How often is the data refreshed?
Do they back out stale data? Stored for 18 months from the last day of the month the change was processed.
Do they have a history of old data?
How does their matching mechanism work?
Can the matching mechanism system wide or by specific client?

23. Are you leaving data on the table?

24. Matching Mechanism
Matching Examples

25. Paper Address Correction Card
Why do you get them?
Do you get a bunch?
If so, what is that telling you?

26. Updating Addresses Two Systems. Build a process.
“Do you have another account with us?”
Simple as two files compared to another nightly.
The responsible party may have more than one account they could be responsible for?
Do you have another acount with us is vague = they could mean that say do they have another balance. But maybe that other balance or account is paid in full.

27. Statements
Develop a program to touch base with the customer periodically with a mail piece if you don’t have regular contact with them.
The mail piece should have “Address Service Correction”
Sub-contract to search NCOA data base without sending the mail piece.

28. Reading Your Mail Returns
First-Class Mail®, First-Class Package Service, and Priority Mail® service is forwarded for 12 months, at no charge, as long as the sender did not place a non-forwarding endorsement on the mail piece
During months 13-18, the mail is returned to sender with the new address
After 18 months, the mail is returned to the sender with reason for non-delivery attached.

29. Yellow Sticker

30. Not all Mail Returns are Equal

32. Take The Easy One’s First

33. Some Are Easy!
USPS_Mail_Return_Codes_Endorsements.xls

34. OFFERING PATIENTS PAYMENT OPTIONS
OUR NEXT WEBINAR:
OFFERING PATIENTS PAYMENT OPTIONS
Patients pay more and pay faster when they get to choose their payment terms. Our Win-Win dialogue does just that.
Host: Kenlyn T. Gretz
 Tuesday, April 7, 2015
1:00 PM - 1:45 PM CST
If you would like to register today, visit our website at
OR send an to
We will also be sending a registration about two weeks prior to the webinar.

35. Thank You. sales@americollect.com
SIX time winner of Inc Magazine’s Fastest Growing Private Company!
2009 – 2014
SIX time winner of Inside ARM Best Places to work in Collections.