Reducing the Rising Costs of Print and Mail with Smarter Electronic Communications

The cost of printing and mailing continues to rise, placing a growing burden on organizations that rely on traditional communication methods. Transitioning to electronic communication isn’t just a cost-saving measure—it’s a smarter way to engage customers in today’s digital world.

The Challenge: ABC Widget Company

Consider ABC Widget Company, which collects payments from clients who frequently fall behind. Each month, ABC Widget sends out 50,000 invoices—every single one by print and mail.

At a cost of $0.80 per mailer, that amounts to $40,000 per month—a number that continues to grow as postage and paper prices rise faster than ABC Widget can raise its own prices. In fact, due to intense competition, ABC Widget has had to lower its prices, making the current communication strategy unsustainable.

With another postage increase of 5 cents scheduled for July 2025, ABC Widget realized it could no longer afford to mail all invoices. At the same time, many customers actually preferred to receive communications electronically.

The Solution: Smarter Communication with Conditional Logic

ABC Widget implemented a new communication strategy using conditional logic:

  • First, they sent emails and text messages to all 50,000 clients.
  • 50% of customers opened the email or text and were successfully reached.
  • For the remaining 50% who did not engage with the digital message, ABC Widget sent a follow-up print mailer 10 days later.
  • For customers with a balance due under $2.00, print mail was skipped entirely, as it was not economically viable to mail small-balance invoices.

For this analysis, we assume the cost of sending an email or text message is $0.12 per communication.

The Solution: Smarter Communication with Conditional Logic

By leveraging a digital-first approach:

  • ABC Widget reduced communication costs by 40%.
  • Many customers paid faster, thanks to easy access to the online payment portal.
  • Customer satisfaction improved, as more clients received their invoices in their preferred format.