Understanding Print and Mail Operations

The National Association of College Auxiliary Services took a close look at campus print and mail operations at its recent meeting.

By Ray and Catherine Chambers

Managers eager to learn more about running print and mail operations got a real education at the recent National Association of College Auxiliary Services (NACAS) meeting, held at Indiana University Purdue University-Indianapolis.

A two-day workshop for auxiliary directors, business managers and others responsible for print and mail operations drew more than 45 participants. Entitled "Understanding Campus Print and Mail Operations: Tools for Effective Management," the workshop covered organizational issues for print and mail, financial planning, marketing, the regulatory environment and customer service.

In-plants Are Businesses

Ray Chambers, of Juniata College, led off with an overview of print and mail operations in institutions of higher education. He began by asking participants to think of printing and mailing as a process where every order is different, a characteristic that differentiates print and mail from other auxiliary services.

An in-plant facility is a business, he stressed, and it should be run like one. In-plants are unique in that they have dual responsibilities: the core competencies of the profession and the mission and culture of the institution. The in-plant manager needs to pay attention to both areas.

Chambers continued by describing offset- and toner-based operations and explaining their advantages and disadvantages.

• Offset, he explained, is characterized by relatively high startup costs but dramatic economies of scale. It may be the best way to produce large numbers of identical pieces.

• Toner-based production, on the other hand, is economical for short-run and variable production, a trend that many colleges and universities are adopting. Since a large amount of printed material is mailed, and since variable print strategies allow mail to be addressed during the imaging process, it makes good sense to align the mail center with print production.

Chambers identified key issues facing print/mail and higher education. Managers in the print world are dealing with the shift from offset to toner-based production, migration from print to electronic versioning, merging technologies, increased demand for color and outsourcing. Higher education is facing reduced funding, assessment and accountability, changing demographics and changes in student characteristics as the newest generation of students—the Millennials—gradually replace Gen-X students. To successfully draft and implement a campus-wide document strategy, the print and mail manager must be mindful of both sets of pressures.

Financial Planning

Mark Fallon, of the Berkshire Co., and Temple University's Maury Kane followed with a discussion of operational issues for print and mail management. Fallon covered both short- and long-term financial planning issues. He explained the steps in the budget cycle and the need to identify all direct expenses. He also described the importance of production reports, especially as they relate to determining cost-per-piece rates for mail centers.

Maury Kane introduced the idea of budgeted hourly rates. He explained that a pricing strategy based on true costs is critical in determining return on investment in capital equipment and monitoring productivity. Kane concluded this part of the session by developing an hourly rate for a hypothetical five-person print facility.

The Process Of Centralizing

Bill Yost described the process as his institution, Indiana University-Kokomo, combined print/mail and copiers into one centrally managed group and replaced analog copiers with digital copiers. Yost said it was necessary to first build campus interest in the need to replace the outdated analog copiers. This was a major challenge. Ultimately, a committee reviewed all aspects associated with printing and gathered input from the various constituencies on campus.

Yost reminded participants that understanding the cultural boundaries in an institution is crucial to a successful merger. Not only is it important to get administrative buy-in, he said, but one must also be prepared for those who resist change.

Mail Management Regulations

Catherine and Ray Chambers led a discussion on regulatory issues. Catherine Chambers, of Penn State University, identified several areas of concern to print and mail managers, chief among them having a familiarity with mail management regulations. She specifically mentioned discounting, mail piece design, address database integrity, the private express statues and security/privacy as major areas.

Other areas of concern are the numerous regulations that define how mail is processed, human resources and labor relations issues, OSHA regulations, environmental initiatives, as well as accreditation and accountability issues. Chambers advised participants to be aware of the impact of grant accounting rules on print and mail chargeback systems.

Ray Chambers described the complexities of Copyright law, including the Fair Use Doctrine, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and the TEACH Act. His remarks can be summed up in one brief statement: "When in doubt, get permission."

A Matter Of Marketing

Maury Kane led a discussion on marketing the in-plant. Marketing, he explained, is essential for university in-plant services. Kane advised print and mail managers to develop a marketing plan. He outlined the essential components of a good plan.

Base your plan on a thorough analysis of the parent institution's needs, the competitive environment and the in-plant's capabilities, he said. Also, set clear marketing goals and measure results.

Automated Mail Processing

Mark Fallon described automated mail processing. File-based processing, he explained, uses print file information to control inserters. Bar codes allow documents to be tracked through the delivery process. The goal is 100 percent accuracy.

Fallon wrapped up his session with a description of PLANET Codes, a bar code technology developed by the U.S. Postal Service that allows you to place an additional bar code that provides the tracking information on outgoing mail. Every time a mail piece goes through a bar code sorter, the PLANET Code is read and the whereabouts of that piece is captured. This technology will provide more accurate information on mail processing and promises to improve postal customer service.

Fallon also discussed various methods of financing new equipment. The two most common methods, explained Fallon, are purchasing and leasing. Both methods have advantages, and Fallon advised print and mail managers to work with the chief business officer to ensure compliance with organizational fiscal policy. Cost-per-copy agreements that fold the cost of equipment, service and consumable supplies into one per-piece or "click" rate are an emerging trend that bears looking into.

Positive Reviews

Feedback about the NACAS meeting from participants was positive.

"This was very valuable to me as someone who has just inherited print and mail," said Lee Stanton, director of Media Development at Indiana University Southeast.

Doug Miller, director of Print, Graphic and Mail Services at Grand Rapids Community College, concurred. The sessions, he said, "gave me some needed insight into making some decisions that I need to make on the mail side and validated some of the things we've done on the print side."

Judy Miller, assistant vice president of procurement at SUNY-Buffalo-FSA, said the workshop was "very focused. It was an excellent conference...one of the most worthwhile conferences I've ever attended."

NACAS officials were pleased with the response to the workshop and are considering future opportunities to work with print and mail.

"Attendance definitely met, if not exceeded our expectations," said Cathy Pales, director of education. "We had 49 participants; that is very good for a national workshop at a busy time of year. There will be several sessions on print and mail at the NACAS Annual Conference in Orlando." This will take place October 24-27. (Visit www.nacas.org.)

Pales said that she has also started to encourage NACAS regional program directors to consider offering print and mail sessions in the regional conferences. Bill Yost, who helped plan the workshop, said that he was shocked by the interest in the workshop.

"There is a whole lot of interest in this topic," he noted.