Intelligent Inserting and Matching Technologies Meet Financial Services Client's Needs

The Challenge 

A leading global financial services company’s year-end cardholder summary statements are mailed in the form of personalized booklets to approximately 300,000 cardholders nationwide.   

The summary booklets include all of the recipients’ credit card transactions for the previous calendar year, categorized in several different ways and displayed in both flat and graphical (pie chart) formats.  The client came to Direct Group seeking a supplier that could ensure 100-percent integrity in delivering accurate data to correct recipients and presenting appropriate affinity brand imaging in each mailing.     

Solution

Direct Group presented a solution that included two-dimensional (2D) intelligent booklet making production to ensure 100-percent matches between customer information and mailing.  To implement this solution, Direct Group provided a significant amount of data programming, layout and design work.  First, Direct Group managed the intake of complex data, programmed calculations and scripted complex formulas to ensure proper display of chart information.  For production, Direct Group utilized its large stable of cutsheet laser machines and multiple tray-pull technology to output collated sets of leaves for each recipient.  The laser output was then loaded into intelligent booklet-making equipment where the production team accumulated each set, stitched it and then folded it into booklet size.  The accumulation process included a camera scan of the 2D barcode to ensure the proper number of pages, the order of those pages, and the proper recipient.  After booklet making, Direct Group produced an electronic copy of each booklet and designed and hosted a Web platform for customer retrieval of electronic versions as needed.  At that point, the personalized booklets were inserted into a window envelope, sorted and mailed.  

Results  

The client proudly pronounced Direct Group’s customized solution a complete success.  All customers received their proper booklets (featuring correct branding elements) with zero mismatches, calculation errors or presentation issues.   Electronic follow-up documents are available at the customers’ fingertips on demand, and the client’s affinity partners provided very positive feedback on the timing and quality of the process.   Since the successful completion of this program, Direct Group has been selected to distribute other programs for this client, including a 50-million-piece legal notification mailing.