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Operations of a PSP: Direct Mail Printers

Operations of a PSP: Direct Mail Printers

Operations of Direct Mail PSPs – Episode Summary

In this in-depth episode of The Print University, Ryan McAbee and Pat McGrew guide viewers through the operational backbone of Direct Mail print service providers (PSPs)—an environment that combines precision print manufacturing with data security, regulatory compliance, and USPS integration. This episode is essential for those implementing printing industry training programs for new employees, designing print shop employee onboarding templates, or seeking outsourced training for print production staff.

Direct Mail printers deal with customer-specific communications—postcards, catalogs, magalogs, letters—that must meet postal regulations and brand expectations. Sales teams juggle RFPs, format specs, SLAs, and supply chain limitations, all while understanding color, substrates, variable data, and postal promotions. These teams must also manage format restrictions (e.g., wafer seals, tabbing), mailing discounts (e.g., co-mingling), and piece durability for aging USPS machinery.

Data plays a central role. Shops receive structured or live data feeds and rely on IT and prepress to transform data for personalization—often using “white paper factory” or hybrid workflows (offset + digital). Color management, proofing, and regulatory-compliant workflows ensure brand fidelity. In-house or outsourced finishing, inserting, and compliance-tracked mailpiece delivery complete the workflow.

Modern Direct Mail operations include sophisticated piece-level tracking via Intelligent Mail Barcodes (IMBs), warehousing, just-in-time print scheduling, and closed-loop reporting into CCM systems. These capabilities help clients meet customer experience and privacy goals—making the Direct Mail PSP a vital strategic partner.

You Will Learn:

  • Unique sales, service, and RFP processes in Direct Mail environments

  • The role of data security, personalization, and color management

  • Workflow models: shell-overprint vs. white paper factory vs. hybrid

  • USPS compliance: tabbing, tracking (IMB), and mailstream optimization

  • Operational add-ons: warehousing, finishing, SLAs, and CCM integration

Who This Course Is For:

Mailing specialists, data operations leaders, prepress teams, sales reps, IT staff, and managers pursuing MIS software training for print production, lean manufacturing training printing industry, or digital printing press training

Time to Watch:

Approx. 24 minutes