Postcards Returned as Undeliverable? Here Are Some Best Practices
Updated
For practices sending postcard reminders, there are going to be times when postcards are returned to the practice as undeliverable.
Prior to being mailed, every batch of postcards goes through a mandatory check with the United States Postal Service's (USPS) NCOALink database, which will flag any addresses that have a registered address change or something similar with the USPS. These postcards may then be mailed to the updated address, rather than the address in the PIMS. Unfortunately, there are still going to be situations with addresses that aren't in this database.
Here are Vet2Pet's recommended best practices for handling returned postcards:
- Remember that returned postcards are an opportunity to re-engage a possible lapsed client and to update your system so your practice data is accurate.
- Ideally, the client should be called and notified of the overdue services and get an appointment booked. An updated address and any other contact information should be obtained, or the record should be updated to an inactive status if the pet's status has changed, or if the client has moved from the area.Because postcards are not postmarked, a new address label with the client's new mailing address can be printed and attached to the returned postcard and then re-mailed.
- If unable to reach the client to update the address, a "red flag" of some sort should be added to the client record in the PIMS so the next time the client comes in, it will be obvious that their contact information needs to be updated.
- Postcard reminders should be suspended for the client under their account in the Vet2Pet dashboard to prevent further cards from being mailed until the address has been updated. To suspend postcards, go to Users and search for the client. Click on their account and uncheck the box to Send postcard reminders.
If a client has any concerns about which address the postcard was mailed to, or should have been mailed to, please submit a support ticket and we will be happy to review the NCOALink list that was provided for the batch from which the client received the postcard, to discuss a solution for future mailings.
