Attempting to save money in the current economic climate, Helping Hands decided to mail their newsletters themselves.  This decision cost them 5 visits to bulk mail acceptance at the Phoenix Post Office.  Each of these visits entailed a 1 to 2 hour wait for check-in.

On the first visit, they were told that they should not be mailing their newsletters as flats, they should fold them in half and mail them as letter-size.  This would save them a significant amount of money in postage.  True.  So, they took them back and folded them, incurring yet a different problem.  The bindery of the newsletters contained a staple right at the needed fold line.  So, each of these staples was removed and replaced in a different position.  The newsletters were then folded in half.

Thinking themselves done and not sure that the extra energies were truly worth it, Helping Hands presented the mailing for their second time.  Instead of getting their mail accepted, they were told that since the newsletters were folded, now they needed to have a tab closure.  Why this couldn’t have been shared the first time is a mystery.  Helping Hands had no choice now; they took the newsletters back to fix this problem.

On the third visit, they were told they were in the wrong size trays.  The pieces needed to be in EMM trays.  When David asked where the trays were, he was told he could just fumble around the loading dock for them.

On the next presentation, David was told that he violated his non-profit status by having an “ad” thanking a major contributor for a very sizable donation.  David did not see this as an ad, just a thank you.  The postal clerk regarded it differently and gave David 2 options – 1) remove the thank you sheet and mail at non-profit rates or 2) mail the way they are at for-profit rates.  David backed away to consider this.

On the fifth presentation, David decided to just get the mail out at the for-profit rates only to hear that he didn’t have his trays strapped.  At this point, David just glared at the clerk and told him the history of this 350 piece mailing.  The clerk took pity and said he’d let it go this time.

David has sworn to use a mailing house for all future direct mail!

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