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CASS Certification
What is it?
Why do you need it?
CASS stands for Coding Accuracy Support System.
This is a test developed by the US Postal Service
to determine whether ZIP Code software can
accurately assign ZIP Codes to mailing addresses.
CASS-certified software is intended to improve
the accuracy of carrier route, 5-digit ZIP, ZIP+4,
and delivery point codes.
CASS certified means the software has passed the
test. When you use CASS software to update and
maintain your mailing file, your mailing file
becomes CASS certified. What does this mean to you?
CASS certification is the first step in qualifying
for postage discounts. Look at the mail you receive
at home and at work; you will see that a lot of it
was mailed for less than the regular 34-cent rate.
If your company sends out a lot of mail, there is a
good chance CASS certification can cut your postage
expense. There are other steps you must perform to
get these discounts, but CASS is the first step.
Exactly what happens when you process your mailing
files with CASS software? The software breaks the
address down into its individual elements: state,
city, street name, and so forth. Then the information
is compared to the national ZIP+4 database. If a match
is found, the ZIP Code, ZIP+4, delivery point, and
carrier route are assigned. Also the delivery line is
standardized to comply with Postal Service preferences.
If an address can't be matched, no action is taken.
This has the positive effect of allowing you to
identify addresses in your mailing files which possibly
can't be delivered, will be delayed in delivery, or at
the very minimum need some minor correction to one of
the address elements.
Using CASS certified software has many side benefits.
You will be able to identify addresses that are
potentially undeliverable. It has been estimated that
as much as 30 percent of all advertising mail is
never delivered.
That means the costs of postage, printing, paper, and
overhead for the undelivered mail are wasted. If you
spend $100,000 on a direct mail campaign, as much
as $30,000 could be completely wasted.
CASS software provides a number of intangible benefits.
With CASS certification and barcoding there is a good
likelihood that that your mail will be delivered sooner.
If your invoices are delivered one day sooner, you may
receive payment one day sooner.
The bottom line is that using CASS software will help you
keep your customers' address information in much better
shape than they would be otherwise. Your mail may be
delivered sooner at less cost, and that means more
bottom-line dollars for your company.
If you would like more information about CASS and CASS
software visit
our Web site or contact WorksRight Software, Inc. at 601-856-8337.
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