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Services
 CompuTech Direct offers a comprehensive
package of database, data hygiene & processing, and list rental
fulfillment services. Database services include relational and
flat-file development capabilities as well as an online accessible
list rental system. All standard hygiene processes from NCOA,
DSF, LACS and CASS are available, as well as merge/purge, mail
qualification and ink jet processing capabilities compatible
with most all domestic printers. CompuTech’s proprietary enhancement
tools: Right1 premium hygiene system,
Add-A-Name®,
and
ClearSource
matchback processes are also available.
Customer Service Overview
CompuTech Direct’s commitment to
building long-lasting client relationships is most directly
reflected in the dedication and loyalty of the account
management teams handling the company’s day-to-day
operations. With an average of eight years of service, the
CompuTech staff is experienced in handling demanding
situations with professionalism and an attention to detail
that insures positive results. The company’s philosophy of
developing consultative client relationships demands that
every associate take a very proactive approach to
opportunity identification and problem solving on every
project.
CompuTech account management teams
include the following:
CompuTech Direct recognizes the
importance and value having a dedicated and happy staff
brings to customers and the organization as a whole.
Consequently, the partners work hard to maintain an
engaging, fun, and challenging work environment.
Processing Services
File Conversion
As files are received for upcoming projects in varying
layouts, the conversion process automatically reformats the
files into CompuTech’s proprietary standard record layout.
CompuTech’s process also uses this file pass to begin the
process of identify problem records and addresses. This
proactive step allows CompuTech to save time by identifying
and reacting to any potential file error conditions very
early on in the process.
Right1 –
Premium Address Hygiene System
Clients looking for the additional value of a premium
hygiene product, use the Right1 system’s power of
referenced-based database linking to enhance the standard
postal hygiene processes of NCOA, DSF and LACS. The system
includes zip+4/address standardization, Change Plus, LACS,
DSF, Best Address linking, a dual-pass NCOA process and
Address Picker. Plus, due to a turnaround time of less than
24 hours and extremely competitive pricing, the process can
be a seamless addition to your current production scheme.
Zip File Processing
CompuTech can easily utilize this function either on the
front or back-end of processing. Pre-merge zip files would
be used to verify the validity of list rental files prior to
NCOA or other list hygiene processes. After the merge, the
zip file could be applied to help eliminate list overages,
or to re-segment mailable records for testing.
House Segmentation
Once the physical files have been received and
converted, the CompuTech account manager will first review,
then verify the segmentation instructions with the client
contact. Based on those instructions, the account manager
then codes the segmentation, has it checked by his or her
associate back-up, and submits it to production for
processing. When the segmentation is complete, the reports,
along with a 100 record dump are sent back to the account
manager for review and approval. The account manager
carefully checks and verifies key code assignments,
eliminating the possibility of inadvertent duplication or
mis-assignment. Finally, the account manager will insure all
dates are present and date ranges are configured as
instructed by the client.
Prior Project Selects
CompuTech Direct’s efficient Windows-based project
organizational system allows for easy archival and retrieval
of prior project files. Since all previous processing detail
is documented and saved, it is a simple task for account
managers to access any information associated with those
files and included it in the processing for the current
project. Process and hold files are stored to be both easily
identifiable and quickly accessible. Consequently, selecting
keys from un-used nth files, of from the gross input, or net
output of a prior merge is a simple task. CompuTech also
provides clients an ongoing available multis report at the
beginning of every project. This report details the number
of 2x, 3x, and 4x+ multis available for use in the current
project based on previous usage.
NCOA
CompuTech Direct provides NCOA services through a number
of licensed contractors. To assist clients in fully
understanding and effectively applying the information
returned from the NCOA process, CompuTech Direct has
developed a proprietary reporting system to help cut through
the clutter. The three-report system not only details the
number of Changes of Address and Nixies generated by move
type, it also highlights the time frame in which those moves
happened. This additional information is extremely valuable
when attempting to assess the validity of the change data
provided and how it should be applied to your housefile.
Through the CompuTech NCOA processing system all appended
information is available to be sent back to the client for
convenient upload into their legacy system.
Sort/Precode
This procedure begins the address cleaning process by
sorting the pre-merge files and checking the validity and
integrity of their address elements. Each address element is
isolated and scrutinized against pre-determined tolerance
levels to determine validity. First and last name tables are
also applied to help insure the accuracy of each record.
Once the process is complete, the account manager will check
a 25 record dump of the file to insure account numbers are
present and correct, the merge priority is correctly
assigned and that all flags and post coding instructions
have been carried through appropriately.
Zip+4 Append, CASS Certification
Code1 continues the address cleaning and preparation
process by standardizing the address records and applying
advanced logic to identify incorrect zip codes. Addresses
are then groomed even further by appending zip+4, carrier
route, LOT and barcode information to the records.
List Conversion
The final step in CompuTech Direct’s standard address
enhancement process is an additional List Conversion
procedure. Records with insufficient or incorrect address
elements are dropped. Additionally, all address fields are
shifted and justified to enhance comparability. Account
numbers are also justified and the system removes all
leading zeros to standardize the field make-up. CompuTech’s
system also has the capability to customize the address
hygiene process at this stage and allow the assignment and
removal of any special edit drops.
Merge/Purge
Before beginning the merge process, CompuTech account
managers will perform one last quality control check to
insure the priorities and post coding assignments are
correct. In addition, they will examine the pander, prison
and other suppression files to make certain that they are
properly included. Once the files have been approved,
CompuTech’s proprietary software configuration is engaged to
create an extremely accurate and ultimately flexible
matching environment. The system can smoothly transition
from the application of Individual to Household to Address
level matching logic. After the merge process is complete,
the account manager will again review the reports to insure
the post coding and multi buyer scoring flags were correctly
carried through the process.
Cooperative Database Backend
Processing
CompuTech Direct has pioneered a system to help improve
the accuracy of cooperative database balance models. We
prevent any unwanted names from finding there way back into
a mailing universe. Once the model files are received back
from the database company, CompuTech employs a unique audit
check process that sorts both the merge output file and the
model files, then matches a pre-determined amount of the
files against each other to validate the accuracy of the
suppression procedure. By sorting the files and limiting the
scope of the match, the process is effective and very
economical.
Backend Nths & Splits
At this point in the process, CompuTech accounts for the
accuracy of all previous processing by implementing several
QC evaluations. These checks are designed to insure all
identifiers and keys have been appropriately processes and
carrier through for backend application. Once this
verification is complete, all splits, rekeys and nths can be
applied and decoys added to produce a final mail file.
CompuTech employs true nthing logic. For customer
convenience and to help facilitate the backend communication
process, CompuTech also delivers merge output reports in the
client’s preferred Windows-based application. Repopulating
the backend information in a familiar format creates a
comfortable situation for our client. It helps the client
cut down on the time they need to make post merge mailing
decisions.
Add-A-Name®
Maximizing postal discounts by adding qualified names to
those carrier-route codes with fewer than 10 pieces is a
critically important and often over-looked mailing
enhancement. CompuTech Direct’s Add-A-Name® system is often
populated by unselected names from cooperative database
models, or large pools of older housefile names. The
proprietary system takes the entire postal enhancement
process to another level in terms of sophistication and
performance by scoring the input names and selecting the
best available name to fill the carrier-route based on
client-directed performance measures. This insures the
client not only enjoys the postal savings, but also
maximizes the order opportunity of each name added to the
mailing.
Mail Qualification
CompuTech Direct has extensive knowledge and experience
in preparing mail files for printers such as Quad Graphics,
RR Donnelley, Quebecor World, Banta, Perry Judd’s and many
others. Demographic binding and coding, as well as barcode
are common practices for most CompuTech Direct customers.
Account managers and the production staff spend considerable
time on each project working through mandated quality
control steps to insure demo coding and cycle codes are
correct prior to mail qualification. Additionally, as part
of the quality assurance process, CompuTech has established
tolerances by key to insure all keys are barcodable. This is
also the process step where decoys are added, high and low
finder numbers are evaluated, truncation is checked and
confirmed and proper mail file sequencing is validated. One
final quality check incorporated with long-term clients is
to load in past historical mail tier levels, and use them as
comparative benchmarks to ensure proper tier levels.
Ink Jet
To begin the Ink Jet preparation stage of any project,
CompuTech Account Managers will work with the clients
printer to understand in what plant and on what machine the
job will be processed. With that information and the
provided specifications, ink jet samples are created and the
name & address, account number and key are verified directly
with the client contact. The quality assurance process also
includes steps to review and confirm ACS numbers and check
digits on those applicable mailings. And, the actual message
is reviewed to catch typos and other anomalies, as well as
ensure the proper station or demo code is assigned. |
