Press Release
- Date:
- Monday, July 19, 2004
- Contact:
- David Peikin
- Phone:
- (301) 918-0818
- Email:
- G1@schwartz-pr.com
Group 1 Releases Latest Version of CODE-1 Plus, Industry's Leading Address Verification Software
Release Facilitates MERLIN Compliance and Supports Upcoming CASS Cycle
Lanham, MD — In advance of its 23rd Annual Users Conference later this week, Group 1 Software (Nasdaq: GSOF) today announced the release of the latest version of its CODE-1 Plus address validation software solution. Utilized by over 1,500 organizations in North America, CODE-1 Plus validates, corrects, and standardizes customer address data. The latest version of CODE-1 Plus has been Coding Accuracy Support System (CASS)-certified on all supported platforms by the United States Postal Service (USPS) for the CASS Cycle I, effective September 18, 2004.
The USPS Mail Evaluation Readability Lookup INstrument (MERLIN) program verifies First-Class, Standard and Periodical mail for barcode quality, address accuracy, mail makeup and mailpiece characteristics. For many direct marketers, compliance with MERLIN has been a concern since the January 2004 announcement of a “zero tolerance policy” under which mailers could face substantial fines and penalties. Under the new policy, any ZIP+4 Code ending in 0000 or 9999 in the automation mailstream may result in penalties. Consequently, many mailers manually eliminated those mail pieces from their production runs. In some instances, mailers even resorted to adding staff to monitor the MERLIN compliance process and remove any questionable mail pieces. To improve MERLIN compliance, CODE-1 Plus suppresses from the automation mailstream 0000 ZIP+4 Codes, which are invalid, and gives users the option of suppressing 9999 ZIP+4 Codes, which can represent deliverable addresses.
"With the January announcement by the USPS, many mailers elected to eliminate all occurrences of 0000 and 9999 ZIP+4 Codes, even when these were valid assignments by CASS- certified software programs,” said James Schemmel, director of distribution at Communications Data Services, a long-time Group 1 customer located in Des Moines, Iowa. “Fortunately, with these enhancements to CODE-1 Plus, mailers may choose to sacrifice valid, qualified postal discounts earned by valid 9999 codes in exchange for a 'no penalty' peace of mind.”
“In order to optimize their mass mailing initiatives, our customers look to us to stay on top of the latest USPS initiatives and policies,” said Bob Bowen, CEO of Group 1 Software. “I am pleased that we've met our customers' needs in a timely fashion once again by making important modifications to CODE-1 Plus well in advance of the next CASS Cycle. These enhancements will make it easier for them to comply with the new CASS Cycle and the more rigorous MERLIN regulations.”
Group 1's 23rd Annual Users Conference, which is being held July 21-23 in Atlanta, features over 80 informative sessions on Group 1's wide array of software solutions. For more information, visit http://www.g1.com/uconf.
About Group 1:
Group 1 Software (Nasdaq: GSOF ) is a leading provider of solutions that help over 3,000 organizations worldwide maximize the value of their customer and other data. Group 1 provides industry-leading technologies that allow businesses to cleanse and enrich their corporate data, generate personalized customer communications and integrate and deliver data across the enterprise. These technologies are essential components of enterprise applications including customer relationship management (CRM), enterprise resource planning (ERP) and business intelligence systems. Founded in 1982 and headquartered in Lanham, Maryland, Group 1 offers solutions utilized by leaders in the financial services, banking, GIS/mapping, retail, telecommunications, utilities, insurance and other industries. The company's customer base includes such recognized names as Entergy, GEICO, L.L. Bean, MapQuest, QVC, Siemens, Wal-Mart and Wells Fargo. For more information about Group 1, visit the company's Web site at http://www.g1.com.