Previously, we were struggling to process even 900 mailpieces per hour per inserter on the old equipment. But with the new, highly reliable 8 Series inserting systems, and the lower–page–count mail pieces and better sequencing or weight-sorting provided by StreamWeaver, we are now averaging more than 2,250 finished mailpieces per hour per inserter. That’s an overall increase in productivity of roughly 2½ times.
— Don Barnes
Mail Operations Administrator
Washington DSHS
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Washington State's DSHS Implements Full Technology Upgrade
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The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) provide assistance to approximately 800,000 needy individuals and families. The department operates as an umbrella agency and administers a variety of state and federal benefit programs.
The Challenge
Meet the Deadline
DSHS has reduced its volume of paper-based messaging via the use of electronic debit cards for hard-copy food stamps and assistance checks. But the agency still processes a steadily growing mail volume — nearly 1.5 million mailpieces per month — containing eligibility information, official notices, medical assistance identification cards, and warrants (checks) for cash benefits. These documents must be processed and mailed within specific, federally mandated time frames. Failure to meet these deadlines can result in significant financial penalties for DSHS.
More is Not Always Merrier
Crisis time for DSHS came when the format of a key application was revised. Previously, mailings generated by the Automated Client Eligibility System consisted of mainframe-generated letters, averaging five pages in length, although some were 30, 40, or even 150 pages. However, an effort to improve the appearance of the letters by making them more professional looking and easier to read, resulted in an up to 40 percent increase in the number of pages per mailpiece.
Multi-Lingual Capability
The State of Washington also supports nine languages in addition to English. Some mailings to aid recipients required duplicate pages, one in English and the other in a second language such as Spanish, Chinese, Cambodian, or Vietnamese. These dual language mailings resulted in a doubling of pages requiring processing, as well as extra stoppages for loading and reloading the duplicate printed materials.
The Solution
A Multi-Solution
Pitney Bowes mailstream specialists designed a successful upgrade solution for DSHS, consisting of a multi-software, multi-inserting system set-up to be phased-in over a multi-year schedule. The solution includes inserting systems with the Direct Connect file-based processing reporting and control system, and StreamWeaver print stream engineering software. In addition, address cleansing, presorting, and move update software will be implemented to achieve the maximum postal discounts and reduce the costs of returned mail.
The Benefit
Reduce and Improve
StreamWeaver enables the DSHS to add finishing control barcodes, sort and group the mailpieces by weight for better processing efficiency, and print pages on both sides. This capability reduced the number of pages printed and yielded better speeds and higher productivity — resulting in a vastly improved and lower cost processing operation.
The Weight is Over
The solution shifted the weight characteristics of the letter application by increasing the percentage of simple, 1-oz. mailpieces. These are now routinely processed at more than 3,000 mailpieces per hour and at a substantially lower cost for postage.
Error Free Operation
DSHS hasn’t encountered a single error with the file-based processing system. Instead dealing with errors, DSHS can point to concrete evidence to prove an error was not made. As an added bonus, the assured integrity features of the Direct Connect system bolsters the DSHS claim of full compliance with the pertinent provisions of HIPAA.
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