According to the Mailing & Fulfillment Association, these are some important items to consider when using a fulfillment company for a project or an ongoing program.
- Turnaround – A quick response to your request for a quote and to any questions you have is a positive sign of a good relationship in the making.
- Mailing and fulfillment industry trade customs – Make sure you are familiar with basic industry trade customs and with the terms and conditions contained on written quotes. Both mailing and fulfillment trade customs are available through the MFSA web site–www.mfsanet.org.
- Make sure you have a written estimate before any work is done – Also, there should be written communication between you and the company about any changes to be made to the original quote, along with associated costs (or reductions).
- Client service – How will your account be managed? Depending on the operation, it could be the salesperson, a customer service representative, an operations manager or even the owner.
- Salesperson as consultant – You should expect your key contact people to be willing to educate you on the finer points of direct mail or fulfillment. What’s working and what isn’t? How does the design you are considering work as a mail piece or parcel? Are there changes you should consider to obtain significant discounts or ensure more efficient delivery?
- What associations do they belong to? (MFSA, PostCom, DMA, PIA, etc.) – Membership in associations usually means the company has access to relevant information to help them run their business, subscribes to a code of ethics, and has a network of knowledgeable professionals to turn to for assistance with challenging issues that arise.
- Quality control processes – What steps do they take to ensure that mailing or fulfillment jobs are handled properly?
