What is US Postal Address Verification & Why is it Required?

Postal address verification validates and ensures the deliverability of addresses within a database. It involves comparing addresses with the USPS databases. This verification ensures the validation and correctness of mailing addresses before dispatching any mail. Initially, addresses undergo parsing and standardization. If an address is located, it is verified for accuracy; otherwise, it is considered invalid. Businesses can choose an accurate postal address verification software, like Compu-Mail, to implement this process. The businesses should focus on the quality of service and regular maintenance of addresses and mailing lists.

What is Postal Address Verification?

The US Postal Address Verification ensures that all the database addresses are valid and can be delivered. In this process, the addresses are compared with the official database of the USPS or any trusted data sources.

Initially, the addresses are analyzed and standardized, matching the standard format. When an address is found in the database, the details are checked and verified. However, if any address is not found, it becomes invalid. In most cases, the address is available but is incorrect. Then comes the role of Postal Address Verification which helps in correcting the address as per USPS guidelines to make it ready for mailing.

With the validation and updation of postal addresses, businesses can enhance their effectiveness. When the rate of undeliverables reduces, mailing becomes cost-effective, and the customer experience also improves. Once a business is into postal address verification, it can avail the full potential of direct mailing, achieve return on investment (ROI) goals, and build a strong connection with the target audience.

How Does Postal Address Verification Software Work?

Address verification software verifies the accuracy of addresses used during direct mail campaigns. During the process of address verification in direct mail, we follow the following steps:

1. Data input

In the first step, the business inputs the recipient’s mailing addresses to the address verification software. The list of addresses can be extracted from customer databases, mailing lists or entered manually (if required).

2. Standardization

The software then ensures that the addresses mentioned in the lists are consistent, formatted and there are no inconsistencies.

3. Parsing

Further, the standardized address is parsed into individual components. For e.g., after parsing an address, the house number, street name, city code, etc., will be available separately. Every component is then validated independently.

4. Validation

The individual components are then compared with the updated database, which is handled by the postal authorities (USPS). The software checks and verifies the deliverability of the address, i.e., whether the address exists or not.

5. Correction

When the software detects any error in the address, it automatically corrects it as per the details provided in the authorized database. It can add the missing components in the address, correct the misspellings, and update the outdated details in the address.

6. Output

After the verification process is complete, the software provides a validated and standardized address that is ready to use during direct mail campaigns. This verified address is printed on the direct mail.

Importance of using authoritative address databases and reference data

1. Data Integrity and Quality

When you use authoritative address databases, it ensures data integrity along with quality. The databases have standardized data which is accurate and complete. This data is provided by government authorities. Due to this, the data has reduced errors in address records resulting in the reduction of undeliverable mail. With data integration, the targeted audience can be easily reached, enhancing the business.

2. Enhanced Customer Experience

For trust-building, a positive customer experience is always required. When you are using authoritative address databases, your orders and customer requirements are fulfilled on time with the correct delivery address. The efficient services improve customer experience, leading to repeat orders and brand building.

3. Logistics and Supply Chain Efficiency

When your business is into logistics and supply chain management, it becomes important to use the correct address of customers for successful deliveries. By using authorized addresses, the shipment becomes easy with optimized delivery routes and reduced timeframes of delivery. This efficient supply chain will not only reduce operational cost but enhances your brand and image.

4. Risk Mitigation

By using an authoritative address database, your business will follow regional postal standards, data protection laws, and anti-fraud measures. Also, it can help in identifying the areas that are at high-risk in terms of shipping and preventing deliveries in restricted areas.

5. Targeted Marketing

In today’s competitive business world, it is essential to know and understand your customers. With authorized databases, your business can perform by understanding the regional trends in the targeted areas. This information is very valuable for marketing and targeted campaigns.

6. Scalability

By integrating authorized addresses into your existing systems, you can scale your business. Whether it is a start-up or a multinational company, the chances of business scalability increase when growing geographical areas are targeted with accuracy.

7. Real-time data updates

Authoritative address databases reflect real-world changes with regular updates of new streets, buildings, or address modifications. With a real-time database, you can guarantee a successful delivery.

Why is Address Verification important?

Every business needs valuable customers. For this, the mails should reach the designated recipients and it is only possible with the correct addresses. Learn to know about the importance of address verification and why a business must have an updated mailing address list.

1. Avoids Undeliverable Mails

Implementing postal address verification in your direct mailing services will reduce the rate of undeliverable mail. The main reason for unsuccessful delivery is incorrect or outdated addresses. With undelivered mail, not only does the postage cost get wasted, but you might lose the opportunity to reach potential customers.

So, it becomes important to validate the address before posting the physical mail. When you check and validate the address, you are increasing the efficiency of the mailing campaigns.

2. Cost-effective

By using postal address verification, you will not only reduce the cost associated with undeliverable mail but manage the overall cost efficiency of your business. When you target the validated addresses, you can easily optimize and strategize the mailing budgets. You can ensure that whatever you spend on postage and printing gives you the best return on investment (ROI).

3. Improves customer experience

When you send direct mail after validating the postal address, it will enhance the customer experience. Most of the customers appreciate receiving the relevant mail on time. Direct mail helps in getting the customers involved with the business content.

Contrary to this, when you send direct mails to invalidated addresses, it leaves a negative perception about your company. The receiver might assume that your company doesn’t pay attention to small details like postal address verification.

How to Implement Postal Address Verification?

As you know, postal address verification is important for business marketing and targeting the right customers; therefore, you should know its implementation. Here are the steps involved:

1. Integrate address verification software into existing systems

To use postal address verification, you need to integrate the software into your existing systems. Most of the address verification services are available through APIs or plugins, allowing integration with CRM software, e-commerce platforms, or mailing systems.

2. Data cleansing and standardization process

Before you input the data into the address verification software, you need to clean and standardize your existing address details. You need to remove the duplicate entries, correct the formatting issues, and ensure the validation of addresses.

3. Validating address in real-time or batch processing

If an address is validated through real-time address verification, there will be more accuracy. In real-time verification, users get instant feedback on the entries, reducing data entry errors.

4. Considerations for international address verification software

International address verification needs special attention due to varying address formats, languages, and postal systems across the world. It is important to choose a service that covers the verification of global addresses. You must ensure that the verification service covers all the countries where you are conducting business. It must have multilingual support, delivery point validation, country-specific validations, etc.

Best Practices for Address Data Management

If you need to maintain accurate and reliable customer information with optimized logistics and improved customer experience, address data management is required. Some of the best practices for the address data management are listed below:

1. Capturing accurate addresses at the point of data entry

In your business, there should be clear guidelines for the address data input. There should be a standardized format for entering the street names, city names, postal codes, and country names. For consistent and accurate data entry, you must implement the data validation rules.

2. Regularly updating and maintaining address databases

Your address database should be up-to-date with regular validations and updated records. You should stay informed about any changes in the street names, postal codes, or any other address component. By keeping the address updated, it becomes easy and convenient to manage the address databases.

3. Conducting periodic data audits and verification checks

To have an address database that is free of errors and inconsistencies, you need to conduct data audits and address verification checks. If you encounter any error, update it, as it will give accurate addresses.

4. Implementing data governance policies and procedures

If you need consistent, accurate, secure, and error-free addresses, you must implement the data governance policies and procedures. With this service, your databases will have a list of valid and deliverable addresses.

Address Verification and Data Privacy in Postal Address Verification

Address verification and data privacy are important for postal address verification to maintain accurate customer data while ensuring data privacy. Here are some factors that have an impact on verification and data privacy:

1. Compliance with data protection regulations

Address verification requires linking to the data protection regulations, for e.g., the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in the United States.

You must ensure that the address verification process must follow the rules and regulations.

2. Safeguarding customer data during the verification process

In the process of address verification, customer data is accessed. So, it becomes important to follow security measures to protect data from unauthorized access or misuse. This can be done using secure authentication protocols.

By protecting the data, you are not only following the data protection laws but building trust with customers that their personal information is handled responsibly.

3. Ensuring secure data transmission and storage

During the address verification process, the customer data is shared with the third-party verification services. The data transmission must be done through secure channels to avoid unauthorized access. Similarly, the address data should be stored securely.

Measuring the Impact of Address Verification

By measuring the impact of address verification, you can understand its effectiveness for business. You can measure the impact of address verification with the following steps:

1. Tracking and analyzing key metrics

• Mail Deliverability Rates: You need to compare mail delivery rates before and after the implementation of address verification. You can calculate the percentage difference in the successful delivery of emails to the right customers. A higher delivery rate shows improved accuracy.
• Return Rates: You must check for the number of emails returned as undelivered. With the decrease in return rates, address verification is a success.
• Cost Saving: By measuring the cost reduction related to returned mail, postage, and reprints, you can easily evaluate the cost efficiency of address verification.

2. Assessing customer feedback and satisfaction

• Customer Surveys: You can conduct customer surveys to get feedback from the customers of direct mail. You can inquire about the correctness of their address, timely deliveries, and overall satisfaction.
• Customer support interactions: You can analyze the customer calls related to address issues. When the issues decrease, accuracy has already improved.

3. Making data-driven adjustments

• Segmentation and Personalization: You must compare the customer responses from different segments in the mailing list before and after implementing address verification.
• Campaign Performance: You should analyze the performance of campaigns after the implementation of address verification. To compare, you can analyze the open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates.

Choosing an Address Verification Solution

It is very crucial to choose the postal address verification solution that impacts the correctness and efficiency of direct mail campaigns. Here are the steps to help you guide through the process:

1. Evaluating different address verification providers

• Research and Compare: You need to research and find the providers of address verification. Then, compare their offers, reputation, and customer ratings.
• Industry Experts: It is always good to consider the industry experts and use their expertise for address verification.
• Customization: You should also assess if the solution can be customized according to business needs.

2. Key features and capabilities to look for

• Real-time Verification: You must ensure that the solution is offering real-time address verification to avoid incorrect data.
• Global Coverage: The solution provider must have accurate addresses for the regions where you conduct business.
• Delivery Point Validation: It is good to have a solution that offers delivery point validation to ensure the accuracy of the location.
• Bulk Processing: You need to find a solution that can process bulk address verifications.

3. Scalability and compatibility with existing systems

• Scalability: You must choose a solution that can help you scale your business, working on the increased address verification demands.
• Integration: The solution you choose must integrate with your existing database for data transfer.

4. Pricing models and support options

• Pricing: You need to understand the pricing structure. You can check the features and benefits of the solution.
• Support: You must check customer support, including the response times.
• Training and Resources: You should evaluate how helpful the training materials, user manuals, and guides are.

Why invest in Postal Address Verification with Compu-Mail?

By implementing postal address verification in direct mailing, you can have an effective marketing strategy to reach the targeted customers. At Compu-mail, we provide you with this service for a successful business with direct mail marketing. Our experts will help you enhance the mail deliverability rates and cost-effectiveness and improve customer experience using this tool of USPS postal address verification.

Compu-mail will assist and guide you about updating the address databases for maximum effectiveness. Address verification builds trust and confidence in customers with data accuracy and customer satisfaction. As we are linked with USPS and Canadian postal service address validation, your direct mail will be delivered on time and to the correct recipients.

Contact us at Compu-Mail to learn more about address verification and how we can help you with your address databases.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How do I check postal address verification?

A. To check the postal address verification, you can follow these steps:

1. Choose an address verification service that fulfills your business needs.
2. Enter the address you need to verify in the tool.
3. The address is then validated with its accuracy and formatting.
4. The tool then shows the result, whether the address is deliverable or not.
5. Finally, you can use the verified address in direct mail campaigns.

Q. What is address verification for direct mail?

A. It is the process of validating the postal addresses before sending the marketing mail. Here are the key aspects:

1. Data Accuracy
2. Cost-effective
3. Better deliverability rate
4. Personalization
5. Efficiency

Q. How does the post office verify an address?

A. The post office verifies the address as mentioned below:

1. It uses standardized formats for addresses. The customer name, street name, postal code, and other components are placed properly.
2. It uses the Coding Accuracy Support System (CASS), which is a USPS program for evaluating the accuracy of software used for correcting and standardizing addresses.
3. The National Change of Address (NCOA) Link allows businesses to update the new addresses that have moved. The post office database has a regular address update for address change entries.
4. The post office then matches the addresses using the software. It automatically corrects minor errors.
5. Then comes the delivery point validation, which ensures the correct deliveries of mail.
6. In case of undelivered, the post office might return it to the sender with the reason for non-delivery.

Q. What happens if USPS can’t verify my address?

A. In case your address is not verified by USPS, there are maximum chances of non-delivery of mail. When an address is unverified by USPS, it means the address does not match the records or the validation criteria.

Q: How to verify postal addresses?

A: Follow these steps for postal address verification:

1. Address standardization
2. Use the postal service tool
3. Address parsing & matching
4. CASS Certification
5. Delivery Point Validation
6. Regular updates

Q: What is the national change of address data cleansing?

A: National Change of Address (NCOA) data cleansing involves updating and correcting mailing lists by comparing them against the USPS NCOA database. This database contains information on individuals and businesses that have officially submitted a change of address to the USPS.