Transactional Print and Mail Processing During the Height of COVID-19 – Lessons Learned from a Global
Pandemic
As the pandemic raged on supply chain issues persisted, causing material shortages in various industries. One industry that was particularly impacted was the envelope manufacturing industry, which is a critical component of the transactional print and mail processing world. With more people working and shopping from home, the demand for online shopping skyrocketed, leading to a surge in the need for corrugated packaging.
To meet this demand, some envelope manufacturers shifted their operations to corrugated packaging, leaving the transactional print and mail processing industry scrambling for alternative solutions. The shortage of envelopes caused significant challenges for transactional processing companies, as they had to find alternative sources for their supply needs. Some companies turned to stockpiling envelopes and other materials, while others were forced to rely on alternative suppliers or even use different types of envelopes that were not ideal for their needs.
Industry scrambling for alternative solutions
The shortage of materials was not the only challenge that transactional print and mail processing companies faced. With many businesses shut down due to COVID-19 restrictions, there was a significant reduction in mail volumes, leading to lower revenues for transactional processing companies. Many companies were forced to make difficult decisions, such as laying off employees, reducing hours, or cutting back on services to stay afloat.
As restrictions began to lift and businesses started to reopen, transactional processing companies faced a new challenge – allocating resources and staffing appropriately to meet the demand. The reopening of businesses was not uniform, with some areas opening up faster than others, and some industries recovering faster than others. This made it challenging for transactional processing companies to predict the volume of work that they would receive and to allocate resources accordingly.
Navigate the supply chain constraints
Despite the challenges, transactional print and mail processing companies were able to navigate the supply chain constraints and staffing issues to continue providing critical services to their clients. The pandemic highlighted the importance of having a networked and functional multi-site transactional processing partner and the critical function of handling returned mail, which was often ignored in the past.
The pandemic also highlighted the importance of standardization of stock materials, as supplies were depleted and manufacturers were shut down. Transactional processing companies were forced to be more creative in their approach, finding alternative solutions to meet their clients’ needs while also staying within their budget.
Content Critical – Ability to adapt
While the pandemic caused significant disruptions, the transactional print and mail processing industry was able to adapt and evolve to meet the changing needs of its clients. Moving forward, it is essential that the industry continues to innovate and evolve, utilizing the lessons learned during the pandemic to improve resiliency and flexibility in the face of future disruptions.
