BCBS of Kansas
Challenge
“On a weekly basis, we probably send out about 10,000 pieces of mail,” said Bobbi Francis, the supervisor of BCBS of Kansas’ Print/Document Processing Center. “Then, three times a year, we have an even larger mailing where we send out about 350,000 pieces of mail within a ten day period.”
Needless to say, there’s no time for “downtime” in such an environment. But that’s exactly what happened with the company’s previous provider of mailing, folding/inserting and tabbing machines.
“Our old equipment was going down far too frequently, and the company we were with never felt a sense of urgency when it came to helping us,” said Francis. “They kept putting us on the back burner and when they did come out, they couldn’t find a fix for what was going on with the machines. We knew we had to do something.”
Solution
“I called Lineage and told them everything that we were going through. They sent out a sales rep to come talk with me. He asked a lot of great questions, took a really consultative approach and guided me all the way through the process. Right from the start, everything flowed so nicely – even the training. I said to myself, ‘Oh my. There is a better way.’”
BCBS of Kansas was outfitted with a pair of AS-980s (full-featured, high-volume, large-capacity addressing solution), a Mach 5s (inkjet printer designed to print envelopes, postcards, mailers and more), and two TA-25s (high-volume tabletop tabbing system that offers flexibility and speed). As a result, a team of just two to three people can easily push out 40,000 pieces of mail in one eight hour period during BCBS of Kansas’ three busiest times of the year. On top of that, the Satori Bulk Mailer (from Quadient) is a professional software solution that allows the company to perform address corrections, along with move-up dates when necessary. As the department that does more than 95 percent of BCBS of Kansas’ standard (marketing) mailings, Francis and her team in the Print/Document Processing Center are more than pleased with the results.
Lineage also offers BCBS a special service contract for weekend service during peak periods to make sure the critical mail goes out. It is an excellent partnership.
Achievement
For Joe Germano, a regional solutions specialist with Lineage, the work done for BCBS of Kansas is indicative of Lineage’s overall commitment to doing things the right way… always.
“We have a very open and honest relationship with all of our customers, and certainly BCBS is a part of that passion,” he said. “Being able to talk about their needs and concerns openly and honestly is really important to us. It’s a big part of who we are. Our customers want to be ahead of the curve, and we’re happy to accommodate them.”
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas knows that its equipment from Lineage can be depended upon to deliver. As a provider of crucial insurance products and services, BCBS knows the importance of being there, of consistency, and of delivering on its promises. In those respects, it has a reliable partner in Lineage.
