UPS Mail Innovations
case study
AFLAC Gains Savings and Improves Service with
UPS Mail Innovations
AFLAC
AFLAC is an insurance industry leader with more than 40 million
customers worldwide. Known for innovation and service, AFLAC
continually strives to improve its operations. To reduce costs and add
value in the handling of its mail processing, AFLAC tapped the
resources of UPS Mail Innovations.
G E O G R A P H I C A R EA S E R V E D
United States
CHALLENGE
Client Challenge
AFLAC is one of a growing number of companies capitalizing on the
savings made possible through work-share programs of the U.S. Postal
Service. This particular program gives postage discounts to private-sector
contractors that process “flats”— mail that is larger than a letter but
smaller than a one-pound package — before inducting them into the
U.S. Postal Service system closest to the final delivery address.
After utilizing another private contractor, AFLAC switched to UPS Mail
Innovations due to our ability to deliver greater savings and more flexibility,
along with a complete package of Expedited Mail Services.
“We have worked with UPS for a long time, and we have a lot of
confidence in the way they do business,” said Steve Givens, AFLAC’s
Director of Outbound Services. “When UPS Mail Innovations offered us
a better package to meet our business needs for flat mail, we jumped
at the opportunity.”
Our Solution
As a major insurance agency, AFLAC sends out 30 million pieces of
mail annually, with much of it originating from its Columbus, Georgia,
headquarters. Approximately 15 percent of that volume qualifies as flats,
including policy enrollment kits, proxy statements for shareholders, and
company marketing materials.
With UPS Mail Innovations, AFLAC immediately enjoyed the benefits
of a national network of expedited mail processing centers outfitted
with advanced IT systems and served by secure, reliable ground and air
transportation. The built-in flexibility of the system allows UPS Mail
Innovations to accommodate spikes in volume without losing efficiencies.
Add value, flexibility and speed to
the processing of flat mail while also
reducing costs.
SOLUTION
An Expedited Mail Service that uses
advanced technology and leverages
the power of a secure, reliable
ground and air transportation
network.
R E S U LT S
• Achieved significant savings
on postage
• Increased production through
flexibility for mail volumes and
pick-up times
• Tapped into an advanced
U.S. Postal Service-approved
mail processing system
• Accessed a Web-based reporting
and tracking system
• Leveraged an integrated air and
ground transportation network
“The quality of flat mail
UPS Mail Innovations’ dedicated couriers pick up flat mail on a flexible,
as-needed basis from AFLAC’s headquarters and transport it to the
regional mail processing center in Greenville, South Carolina. We
developed our own technology — approved by the U.S. Postal Service —
to rapidly weigh, sort, and affix postage to high volumes of mail.
processing offered by
Dedicated couriers take the regional mail to U.S. Postal Service facilities
for induction into the postal stream as close as possible to the final
address. Flat mail destined outside the region is taken to a UPS air hub,
where it is guaranteed space on the next available UPS cargo plane. The
mail receives final preparation at the UPS Mail Innovations processing
center nearest its final destination, then it’s inducted into the appropriate
U.S. Postal Service facility.
secure, timely manner
Regional mail is typically inducted into the U.S. Postal Service within
24 hours and national mail within 48 hours. The process provides faster
induction into the U.S. Postal Service resulting in transit times comparable
to First Class mail, while generating significant cost savings.
us is a testament to
“The quality of flat mail processing offered by UPS Mail Innovations
enables us to get qualified mail to its destination in a secure, timely
manner and at a greatly reduced cost,” Givens said. “The fact that they
can pass on so much savings to us is a testament to how well their
system operates.”
The UPS Mail Innovations reporting and tracking system allows AFLAC
to access data on the status of mail shipments every 24 hours via a secure
Web site. The system traces the mail to the point of induction into the
U.S. Postal Service and reports both distribution data and total savings
generated. The mail weights and volumes are broken down into cost
centers, giving AFLAC the option to bill interdepartmentally on a daily
basis instead of weekly.
“UPS Mail Innovations has brought tremendous value to an important
part of our business,” Givens said. “The relationship that we have with all
levels of their staff is outstanding. They are always striving to come up
with new solutions that fit our needs.”
UPS Mail Innovations
enables us to get mail
to its destination in a
and at a greatly
reduced cost. The fact
that they can pass on
so much savings to
how well their system
operates.”
— Steve Givens,
Director of Outbound Services,
AFLAC
For more information please visit:
www.upsmailinnovations.com
UPS Mail Innovations
1-800-500-2224
© Copyright 2003 United Parcel Service
of America, Inc. UPS, the UPS brandmark,
and the color brown are registered trademarks
of United Parcel Service of America, Inc.
All rights reserved. Printed on recycled paper. E
7/03
UPS Mail Innovations