Did you know that 3-5% of mail is undeliverable in the United States as of today? Where does all of this mail go?
Well, usually if the mail has a return address on it, then it goes back to the sender. If there is no return address, or it is incorrect, the mail goes back to the United States Postal Service (USPS) Mail Recovery Center (MRC) for reprocessing.
This proves to be a barrier for businesses that are counting on mail delivery services to receive payments from customers. Ensuring invoices reach their intended target is easily one of the most overlooked challenges in revenue cycle management (RCM).
After all, lost or delayed mail leads to payment delays, increased work for your billing team, and an overall poor customer experience. Imagine having to follow up with a client to collect on reimbursement and they haven’t even received the statement in the first place? Not ideal.
Proof of delivery isn’t just important to monitor your cash flow but to comply with regulations, too. Today we are going to go over what USPS mail tracking and address verification are. As well as how it enhances your billing process and the hidden cost of untracked statements.
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What is USPS Tracking and How Does it Work?
The USPS Tracking® service allows customers to follow their mail from the moment they send it out to the point of delivery. Real-time status updates are available for senders to view by utilizing their own unique USPS tracking number. Which they receive the moment they mail their package or parcel.
As the mail travels to its destination through the mailstream, it gets scanned several times. Each scan updates your tracking number with new information. The USPS tracking service provides end-to-end updates and information. It includes the specifics of the delivery or attempt of delivery, such as the date, time, and location (mailbox, front desk, etc).
How Does USPS Tracking and Address Verification Improve Cash Flow for Healthcare Providers?
Along with tracking your USPS package, the USPS offers a postal address verification tool. This allows you to check the accuracy of addresses even before sending it.
This is because there are quite a few things that can go wrong when working with addresses, including:
An incomplete address.
Undocumented address change.
Incorrect address format.
False address.
Between this and having the option to track your mail and packages, you gain peace of mind. You also have a better sense of how USPS delivery works, in case you need to follow up or have any support questions. Let's go over 3 more benefits you can expect by utilizing this tracking information.
1. Real-Time Visibility with USPS Mail Tracking Number
As a business and USPS customer, you now can locate statements anywhere in the country. Now, when a client calls claiming they never received a statement, you can eliminate the need for unnecessary reprints and delays. Address the situation directly by simply checking the real-time location of the “missing” statement in question. This means settling disputes over late fees and missed payments faster.
You can also utilize this tracking tool to help time when you send follow-up calls and messages to your clients. Readily available access to tracking information allows you to better communicate with your customers.
2. Preventing Postal Service Return Mail with Address Verification
The use of address verification along with package tracking tools is vital to your bottom line.
This is because one of the largest causes of lost or delayed client invoices is incorrect or outdated addresses. For example, 33.08% of all Undeliverable-as-Addressed (UAA) mail in healthcare is simply due to a change of address.
Validating your client’s address or change of address first can prevent you from having to wait on delayed payments. You can also improve your first-time delivery rates and reduce return mail costs. This simplifies and improves the efficiency of your billing process.
3. Manage Your Mail, Compliance and Documentation
Having invoices delivered to the wrong address can be a huge liability for businesses. This is especially in the healthcare field.
It is a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) violation for protected health information (PHI) to fall into the hands of anyone other than the patient.
That is why being able to track these kinds of documents is so essential in certain professions. The post office offers USPS tracking as a way to document when mail goes out and when it gets delivered. Important information to have to support compliance efforts and provide you with an audit trail.
The Cost of Ignoring USPS Mail Tracking Tools
If your business sends physical mail statements but does not use tracking details, you run into many different risks. Obviously, the first is having lost or delayed bills. Missing statements for your clients can end up as missing revenue for you.
An increased workload for your billing team is sure to follow. With missing bills and more late payments, your team will spend extra time tracking down statements and dealing with client phone calls to try to collect revenue. More time handling disputes and reissuing bills can also lead to higher operational costs, reducing your overall efficiency.
By tracking your mail, you are able to significantly reduce these issues. With a USPS tracking number, you gain real-time tracking updates and notifications that help you monitor the status of your package or mail item at every stage. The postal service process becomes less of a mystery by simply entering your tracking number!
Improve Your Billing with USPS Tracking Information
Untracked mail can lead to revenue loss and increased workload for your billing team. As well as frustration for your customers. But by using USPS tracking tools, your business can gain real-time insight into shipping services. Ensuring every mail item reaches its intended recipient. This system provides your business with detailed tracking information, allowing you to track USPS shipments and monitor tracking updates with ease.
If your company regularly deals with returned mail, consider USPS address verification as well. This tool coupled with tracking not only improves mail and shipping services but also strengthens your company's compliance with industry standards.
Why waste hours contacting USPS customer service or filing a missing mail search request when you can take control of your mail deliveries from the beginning? By using USPS tracking services you gain a seamless tracking experience, reduce lost package rates, and strengthen your communication with your clients. Don't let untracked mail disrupt your revenue cycle. Track your mail and packages, improve your billing processes, and ensure compliance with USPS tracking services today!
