With each stage of development in high-definition IP cameras, as the megapixels increase, there is a greater emphasis on tailoring solutions to avoid major impact on network bandwidth and storage. As camera features are improved and enhanced, so is the need for greater bandwidth and storage. While H.264 compression enabled widespread use of megapixel resolution, bandwidth and storage are still a major concern for many customers.

More industries and organizations have an increased need for greater details and features when purchasing high-definition cameras. From a cost standpoint, storage has an impact on customer purchasing. While storage may seem inexpensive relative to other technology, when a customer adds up the amount of storage needed for a full megapixel deployment, it is not necessarily cost-effective. This results in the purchase of fewer cameras. Fewer cameras may result in security incidents being missed, which can directly impact a business.

Face detection is a new technology that significantly combats bandwidth and storage costs. A camera’s ability to detect a face in a scene and send an alarm without increasing bandwidth and storage is key. Superior high-definition cameras can detect a face and increase the bit rate around it, while still being able to see the surrounding areas in the scene. Think of this as an intelligent region of interest.

Customers concerned about bandwidth are generally on “shared networks.” Shared networks are those where traffic from the security devices coexist with traffic from other business functions, as opposed to dedicated networks where only security traffic travels. This situation can occur anywhere; however, this issue is largely seen in the healthcare and education markets.

In applications where capturing quality facial imagery is important, choosing the right camera can make a difference. With some surveillance cameras, you have no choice but to set the resolution and quality high enough to capture the faces with ample clarity. But when those settings are used all the time, whether there is a face in the scene or not, this wastes bandwidth and storage on video that is not important. In other cameras, you might have to crop the image in order to save bandwidth and storage, but this often loses important scene information. The best option is an intelligent surveillance camera which can be set at a lower overall bit rate but one that will boost the quality around faces detected in the scene. This captures high quality face images, but reduces overall bandwidth and storage consumption by not wasting it on less interesting parts of the scene. But those parts of the scene are still available so that important information is not lost.

For more information on the Security Solutions that are right for you, contact MCC today for a consult and free demo.

Did you know the Standard Rate postage difference from an automation letter to a non-machinable letter can be 15 to 23 cents per piece? For First Class mail, it is even worse (around 35 cents each). With loads of new (and not-so-new) postal regulations in effect, there are some pretty easy ways to make a design or production misstep that can cost lots of money. In most cases, a little design planning and communication could have prevented the errors.

Lots of these mistakes may or may not have be caught in the past because the United States Postal Service (USPS) employees who check the mail when it is presented at the Bulk Mail Entry Unit either missed a previous error, were recently reminded of some of the postal regulations by auditors, recently received in-service training session on a specific rule category, or are new to the job.

However, it is only a matter of time before an infraction is cited, mail is charged more, and you have an unexpected budget buster that could reduce or eliminate any return on your mailing investment.

Here are the most common faux pas that can cost thousands, but can also be eradicated with proper pre-planning:

1. Failure to Use the Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMB) on Reply Mail
USPS rules dictate that any discounted mailing that has a reply vehicle inside must bear the proper IMB on the reply piece. This means that a business reply envelope or card that bears no barcode, or the old version of a barcode, is subject to non-automated postage rates for the entire outgoing mailing. Savvy inspectors will open a mail piece and check for reply mail inside. If it does not meet regulations that will bump your postage up to “non-auto” rates … a big increase. Make sure your reply vehicle complies with the new IMB rules.

2. Designing a Folded Self-Mailer Using the Old Rules
January 2013 ushered in new rules for folded self-mailers (not booklets) that reduced the allowable size, altered folding parameters, and increased tabbing requirements.  Now, a folded self-mailer can be no larger than 6″ high x 10.5″ wide and cannot be open along the bottom. The only options are that it is open along the top or the left (trailing edge). Also, tabbing has been changed to require more tabs for a piece that weighs over 1 ounce. Finally, be careful of paper stock: the minimum basis weight for a folded self-mailer is now 70# text (more if the piece is perforated or die cut). Insure mail piece design is presented to your mailing expert prior to finalizing the piece.

3. Nonprofit Issues
The USPS is strict regarding nonprofit (Standard) mail rates. A difference in organization name, return address, content in the mail piece or post office of mailing will—at best—delay your drop date. At worst, you could be forced to pay around 40 percent more in postage. Make sure you have your nonprofit ducks in a row when designing the mail piece and deciding to which post office your mail will be brought.  Remember that a small difference in organization name on the mailer versus what the post office has on file could raise a red flag.

4. Flat-Size Address Placement
This is a biggie, because the USPS charges First Class rates to any mailing that does not comply, even a nonprofit mailing. The rule is that any flat-size mail piece (magazines, catalogs, etc.) requires the address to be entirely in the top half. This is regardless of copy position or graphics. Generally, the top half is defined as the upper part when you hold the piece with the stitching to the right. The “top-half rule” is why you see so many magazines delivered with the address upside down in relation to the cover. (This rule does not apply to First Class Mail.)  

5. Postcard Design
First Class postcards enjoy a low postage rate with speedy First Class service.  However, there are many limitations on the design of these pieces and, while they are an awesome medium in which to convey a message by mail, failure to properly design them can result in some big postage penalties. Here are some rules to keep in mind:

• The maximum size is 4 ¼” x 6″, and it has to be a single card (unless the second-half is a reply card).
• Designers must allow enough room (around 3.5″ wide x 2″ high) for the barcode and address.
• The USPS mandates that either the entire right half or the entire top half be reserved for the return address, indicia/stamp and outgoing address.  Technically, no other copy is allowed in that area. If you violate this rule, you could be charged higher “letter-size” rates.
• Do not design vertically (6″ high x 4 ¼” wide).
• There is no “postcard” rate for Standard Mail. If you are a commercial mailer (not a non-profit), you should mail First Class when mailing a postcard. You will actually save a couple of cents and get faster, more predictable service.

6. Poor Merge/Purge or List Hygiene
Most folks want to believe their databases are clean and free of duplicates or other trash. Data processing (DP) experts in direct mail testify otherwise. It is a huge waste to mail two pieces to one person or to be mailing to outdated or bad prospects.  Mailers should be allowing time for the DP team to process the list and provide results so that issues can be corrected before the mailing. In many mailing environments, DP work is done the day before the mailing and National Change of Address (NCOA) results are not even examined nor merge/purge results checked. Each piece of wasted mail can easily cost 50 cents to $1 each in plus the missed opportunity of sending non-deliverable mail. Allow more lead time for data processing if you want to make changes to your database prior to mailing. 

Here are some examples of questions raised in the data processing step:

• Do I want to mail to folks who have moved out of my service area or out of range of my locations (common in retail, nonprofit)?
• Which deliver-ability indices do I delete? Can I get a listing of those records deemed “undeliverable”?
• How do I handle borderline deliverable records (e.g., records missing apartment numbers)?
• Do I want to dedupe by last name/address, full name/address, address only (different strategies for business files, residential files, etc.)?
• Do I want any extra DP steps taken to update my database (DMA Mail Preference, Deceased Processing, additional address hygiene steps, etc.)?

Wasted money in direct mail can be attributed to poor mail piece design and sloppy data management. And often the dollars are not seen directly (since lots of undeliverable mail pieces are usually discarded). Postage is an ever-increasing cost, so it pays to be vigilant about getting the most bang out of every buck spent.

These are the top six mistakes. Any of the first four will be huge budget breakers should the USPS check your mail (which they usually do). The sixth item will be a more invisible cost, as you have fewer pieces delivered and more mailers trashed.

Contact MCC’s Mailing Solutions Division today to help plan for your next direct mail campaign.

There are a lot of different AV tool kit applications developed for the Android and Apple markets that address just about every A/V need. From lighting to audio, and everything in between, you can guess they have an app for that. However, there are also a lot of apps that are fine-tuned for a specific purpose. Whether you are measuring a throw distance for a specific brand of projectors or trying to measure the decibel output of a newly staged speaker system, purpose-specific apps are out there and most of them are very accurate.

Below are twelve Android and Apple audio apps for audio spectrum analysis. These apps cover a range of audio measurements, some measure RTA and others FFT, they also range in data presentation — some display 2-D graphs, both logarithmic and linear, and others display 3-D content with waterfall graphs. Regardless of the differences, similarities or unique qualities of each of these apps, they are designed with the A/V professional in mind.

• Audalyzer
• bs-spectrum
• FFT
• iGram Spectral Analyzer
• RTA Pro Analyzer
• SignalScope Pro
• SpecScope Spectrum Analyzer
• Spectral Audio Analyzer
• SpectralPro Analyzer
• Spectrogram
• Speedy Spectrum Analyzer
• Waterfall Spectrum Analyzer

MCC’s Audio Visual Solutions Division is your leader for any and all Audio Visual needs. For a free consult and demo on the right equipment for your organizations needs, contact us today.

Direct mail is a vital marketing channel for a small business. The way you utilize it as part of a multifaceted strategy will make it an even more powerful tool. Here are some ideas to increase its effect and extend its reach. 

Observe Your Competition – Check out what your competitors are doing — and connect with businesses outside of your area to exchange ideas. You’ll find ways to integrate their promotional strategies into your marketing plan, and even to improve upon them.

Client Referral Programs – Word-of-mouth is one of the best ways to generate interest in your products or services. And your existing clients are often the best source for referrals. Create a referral rewards program to give them an incentive to recommend you to friends, family and colleagues. Rewards can include discounts, coupons, gift cards, etc.

Search Marketing – Advertise your website with Pay-Per-Click (PPC) marketing through Google Adwords, Yahoo Search Marketing and other sites. If you bid wisely, you can position your business on the first page of keyword search results. Google and Yahoo even allow you to specify which geographic regions your ads will appear in.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – Increase your online exposure by moving your company to the top of the search list. A search engine marketing consultant can help improve your website’s ranking on major search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing.

Newspapers – Neighborhood and community newspapers are becoming more and more common. These are an ideal marketing opportunity for a small, locally-based business.  Consult with local real estate agents for pointers: they typically have a handle on the best places to advertise.

Public Relations – Add a dose of public relations to your marketing program. Create a press release for your local paper about newsworthy events like upcoming products and services or new employee announcements. Be sure to publish your press release on your website as well. Also, consider using your expertise to write articles or blogs, which can also do double-duty in newspapers and on your website.

Television – Local TV affiliates and cable channels will often run segments on local businesses, where they feature new products/services or general business news. Think about topics related to your business where you could offer some insight and newsworthy perspectives. Then, contact your local stations to pique their interest.

Brochures & Collateral – A good capabilities piece is still an invaluable overall representation of your company.  Brochures about specific products and services are valuable as well. Printed versions can be used as follow-up mailings to introductory letters and postcards. PDF versions can be posted on your website, and used as part of email campaigns.

Online Directory Listings– Make sure you’re included in online web directories. And don’t forget to include a link to your website. Test out several and retain listings in the ones that work best.

Chamber of Commerce – Your local Chamber of Commerce can be a great source of referrals. Get out there and network.

Create A Schedule – Develop a marketing schedule and try to do at least one thing each day to promote your business. Consistency and persistence is key.  Also, experiment by adding new ideas on a regular basis.

MCC’s Mailing Solutions Division is dedicated to helping organizations with all of their mailing needs in the most practical and economical way possible. Contact us today for a consult and free demo to show you how your business can run smoother with our solutions.

If you haven’t examined your postage costs in the past year, you’re probably spending more than you need to. If you’re still processing mail manually — or making regular runs to the local post office — an automated postage meter is the first step to streamlining the process. If you’re already using a meter, you should still re-evaluate your current contract to ensure you’re getting the maximum value for your postage dollar.

Here are more tips to lower the cost and improve the efficiency of your mailing process:

1. Avoid hidden fees. Since the USPS® tightly governs postage meters, everyone must rent from one of four approved manufacturers. There is a specific postage meter for every business — even small offices with low mail volume. However, the meter rental fee is just a starting point for a price comparison. Read the fine print carefully before signing any mailing system rental agreement. Avoid vendors who assess unnecessary hidden costs, such as reset and download fees.

2. Be automation-ready.  You can save substantially with mailing envelopes that can be automatically processed by postal service machines. The USPS has published shape-and-size pricing to encourage businesses to do so. These postal rates are based on the size, thickness and weight of the mail piece.

For example, a non-standard 6″ by 6″ envelope requires the same postage as a large flat envelope — and cost you up to 30% more. You also pay a premium when using large flat envelopes, even if the weight is less than 3.5 ounces. However, just by folding those documents to accommodate a 6″ x 9″ or standard #10 envelope, you can reduce postage costs significantly.

If you’re unsure about the cost of particular size or shape of mail, visit the USPS website, or contact a mail piece design analyst (MDA), located in larger local post offices.

3. Adjust content accordingly. If you have room to spare in an envelope — within weight and thickness limits — add a supplemental marketing piece. For example, if you’re already sending monthly statements to clients, consider adding promotional content, like flyers, brochures and inserts, to cross-sell other products or services.

On the other hand, if your mail piece is slightly over the limit for a particular pricing level, converting a two-page document to a two-sided document can reduce the weight just enough to make the difference.

4. Use postcards instead. Postcards yield outstanding return on investment, as they’re less expensive to produce, print and mail than a standard letter. A letter not only carries the cost of printing but also the production cost of stuffing the envelopes. Postcards can also be mailed for as little as $.28 in postage, whereas letters cost $.44 each.

5. Update mailing lists regularly.  An undeliverable address is not only lost money from wasted postage. Greater than that, it’s a lost sales opportunity for your marketing piece. Yet, the USPS reports nearly 25% of mail contains some sort of error. It’s also not uncommon for an organization to have a 5% returned-mail rate. These expenses add up, including returned mail fees and additional postage for re-mailing.

USPS-approved address validation tools can eliminate these negative impacts. They can also qualify your mail for presort automation discounts. For instance, a licensed company can compare your list against the current USPS database for a reasonable fee. You’re provided with a report of any changes — as well as a cleaned, updated copy of your list. Merge/purge software can also combine your mailing list while eliminating duplicate addresses.

MCC’s Mailing Solutions Division is dedicated to helping organizations with all of their mailing needs in the most practical and economical way possible. Contact us today for a consult and free demo to show you how your business can run smoother with our solutions.

Studies clearly demonstrate why marketers can still rely on direct mail to deliver results. Some of these results are driven by direct mail’s unique, established attributes: It’s portable, it’s measurable, it’s tangible, and you can manage it. But direct mail’s ability to support and enhance new marketing techniques is making it even more successful. Direct mail is now a significant component of the most effective marketing approach called integrated marketing. Integrated marketing simply means that direct mail is partnered with its digital counterparts to reinforce the message in a unique way. Examples of successful integrated marketing efforts include businesses sending a mail piece that includes an offer redeemable on a web site. The direct mail piece and the web site have been designed to perform as two parts of the same campaign. Today’s direct mail can be as attractive and interactive as any of its digital counterparts especially with newer tools developed to reinforce the integration.

While integrated marketing has changed the rules slightly, it’s important to keep in mind the tried and true key components of a strong and successful direct mail campaign. The key components of an effective direct mail campaign include:

Clear Objective: The objective and goal of your direct mail campaign will greatly influence the messaging and the offer. The objectives can vary from building awareness, lead generation, or thanking customers for their loyalty. Each of these objectives has a different goal, and needs tailored marketing messages and offers to get the best results.

Marketing Message: With objective and goals understood, the next step is to define the marketing message. As an example, if the objective is to generate leads, the marketing message needs to convincingly state the competitive advantages and benefits a customer will receive when they choose to do business with your company.

More Than One Mailer: A single direct mail piece can’t be counted on to meet all your objectives. Seasoned direct marketing professionals rely on a series of direct mail pieces to reinforce the messaging, and to give it time to achieve the best results. The Direct Marketing Association tests show that a mail campaign must be delivered at least four times to pull the desired rates.* DMA Study June 2010.

Offer and Distribution: A strong offer included in the direct mail piece has to be compelling and ideally demonstrate the value of your business. If it’s designed to bring new customers to your pizza shop, a coupon for 10 percent off the first visit is an example of an offer to potentially convert prospects into—at the very least—trial customers. Another option is to utilize integrated marketing techniques to send the direct mail readers to a specific landing page with the coupon offer details.

The other key to ensuring that your offer is well received is the distribution of your mail piece—the list. The more targeted the mail piece is to your ideal business customers, the better its performance. Understanding your audience by shopping habits, location, or other demographic data will ensure that your message reaches the most receptive audience possible. The mail list is the most important part of all the direct mail components, and merits the maximum time and budget on its selection.

Metrics: Identifying how the results will be measured and defined a success is important in planning the direct mail campaign. The measurements can include tracking of the sales or responses received from the specific mailing. Totaling the sales from the mailer divided by the direct mail execution costs will provide the campaign’s Return on Investment (ROI). 

Let MCC set your organization up with the tools necessary to help implement your next direct mail campaign. Contact us today for a consult.  

1. Why and how do Postal Rates change? Like all businesses, rising USPS® operational costs can result in occasional price increases for Postal mailing and shipping services. By law, price increases are carefully considered and reviewed. Under the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act (PAEA), increases are capped to the change in the annual CPI inflation index and subject to approval by the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC).

2. When do rates change? Postal Service mailing and shipping services divide into Competitive and Market-Dominant products. Competitive products include Priority Mail™ and Express Mail™ – shipping and expedited delivery services that compete against other carriers like UPS® and FedEx®. The Postal Service™ generally times such price increases to coincide with the annual shipping increases enacted by UPS® and FedEx® in January.

Market-Dominant products include Mailing Services like First-Class Mail® and Certified Mail® that other carriers are prohibited by law from offering to the public. Although the USPS® usually changes prices for all of its products in January; price increases for such products are not always implemented on the same schedule as shipping products. In recent years, First-Class Mail® price increases have taken place in April and May.

3. What is a rate update? When the Postal Services enacts price changes for its mail and parcel delivery services, the postage rate table in your mailing equipment must be updated to ensure that the correct postage is applied to your letters and parcels. Most postage meter providers require that you update the rate software so that the equipment will automatically calculate the correct postage when metering mail on and after the date that new Postal rates take effect.

4. Why should I update my postal rates? Your mailing equipment works best and saves you money when rate tables are kept up-to-date. Correct, accurate rating eliminates the needless overpayment of postage and the return of mail because of short-paid postage.

5. Does each postal rate update also include an update to the USPS® Zip-to-Zone table? Yes. Because the postage paid by mailers who ship Zone-dependent parcels from or into reclassified ZIP codes may decrease or increase based on changes, most rate updates also include Zip-to-Zone changes that the Postal Service implemented since the last rate update.

6. How is the rate table software in my mailing equipment updated? Some of older mailing equipment requires simple installation of a rate chip before the scale or mailing machine will correctly rate mail. Other equipment requires insertion of a smartcard; once loaded, the mailing machine automatically switches to the new rates on the day they effect. The most advanced mailing equipment connects online and remotely downloads the update in a matter of minutes!

7. How the general public is told about the upcoming rate changes? Mailroom managers rely on industry trade publications to keep current with the latest Postal developments. Smaller mailing operations and professional offices however, may need to rely on the press and informative newsletters like these to keep abreast of the latest developments. The mandated USPS® rate-filing process ensures advance notification of all impending changes but some price increases may not be broadly reported by the press.

8. How do I know if a rate change will impact my equipment and my mailing operation? You should make it a regular practice to periodically check the usps.com and your mailing equipment provider’s web sites for advance notice of scheduled price increases. If your equipment is not already covered by a Rate Change Protection contract, you will also receive a letter indicating that a rate increase has been announced by the Postal Service™ and that new rate updates are available for your equipment.

9. What is Rate Change Protection (RCP)? An annual Rate Change Protection (RCP) contract covers the cost of purchasing an individual update each time the Postal Service implements a price increase. The cost of the annual contract is substantially lower than the cost of buying multiple updates for your equipment separately and coverage ensures automatic shipment and on-time delivery of the new rates.

10. My equipment is covered by a Rate Change Protection (RCP) contract? When should I expect to receive my rate update? The Postal Service may not finalize its new rate schedule until shortly before the date the new rates are scheduled to take effect. It takes several additional weeks to program, test and manufacture the rate updates. In all cases, your rate update will be shipped to arrive prior to the date upon which the new rates take effect.

11. If my mailing machine is covered by Online Rate Protection. How and when should I expect to download rate updates into my mailing machine? Updates are made available for download into Online-enabled mailing machines weeks before the Postal rates change. There is no need to schedule a visit by a service technician. Simply connect your mailing machine and download the rates by going into the online services menu on your mailing machine and placing a generic call to the server. The download should take no more than three minutes

12. Will I get instructions on how to make the required changes to my equipment? Yes. Shipped updates are always accompanied by clear installation instructions, including steps for confirming successful update of the rate software on the equipment. More detailed instructions are also available online at mailing equipment providers websites.

MCC’s Mailing Solutions Division is dedicated to helping organizations with all of their mailing needs in the most practical and economical way possible. Contact us today for a consult and free demo to show you how your business can run smoother with our solutions.

As IP video continues to gain traction in security, the capabilities of the technology are challenging some established guidelines of when to record video and when to monitor live video. Along with the technology, these standards have evolved to encompass a host of different scenarios, satisfying the diverse needs of end users in a variety of applications – from casinos and hospitals to parking garages and sports stadiums, and more.

There is little argument that the decision to monitor live video vs. record for forensic purposes should be based on the value of the assets being protected. In casinos, for example, the high cash value of potential losses makes it an easy pick for live monitoring, whereas your average commercial office building generally relies on recorded video.

Depending on the specific needs of the application, another important factor to consider is the deployment of video analytics, which can add more sophisticated levels of efficiencies and automation.

As such, many employ video recorded on motion, which reduces bandwidth consumption and the high storage costs associated with storing hundreds of hours of continuous recording each week. In some scenarios, however, this could negatively affect your security operations.

Take this example of a large urban hospital. With about 1,600 cameras all set to record on motion, the video management system was logging in excess of one million events per day. The sheer number of alarms overwhelmed security staff, and became a waste of time to attempt to clear them all, rendering the information useless.

While it’s true that a scene with little activity will produce a very small amount of data, there are a lot of variables to take into consideration. Take the difference between a camera view of an empty asphalt parking lot vs. that same parking lot shaded with many surrounding trees. The empty scene, where changes from frame to frame would be minimal, would typically produce a camera stream of as little as 0.5Mbps. In contrast, moving objects, such as leaves blowing in the wind as in the tree-filled scene, as well as low-light or shadowy conditions even during daylight hours, can have significant ramifications on the use of motion detection, increasing the amount of data streamed to up to 10Mbps.

Lighting is a key consideration when employing video motion detection to save on storage costs. Modern mini-dome cameras, with their own on board IR illuminators, are typically able to counteract low-light conditions. The additional cost for the IR functionality will be more than compensated by the savings in storage and potential equipment wear and tear that can be a consequence of inadequate lighting.

As in the hospital example, trying to manage and record such a significant flow of information, particularly from high-resolution cameras, can have serious ramifications on equipment health. Triggered by factors such as poor lighting or improperly configured equipment, these large and sporadic rushes of data sent to a recording device, known as thrashing, cause it to repeatedly start and stop writing, which can significantly shorten the hard drive’s life span. Over time, this weakens the recorder’s ability to function properly.

For the hospital, an analysis of the facility’s alarm activity showed the best solution would be a hybrid approach – using motion-based recording on a scheduled basis only during certain times of the day and only on certain cameras.

In areas where analytics are deployed, the same hybrid approach can also apply very successfully. A large sports stadium that sees more than 50,000 people enter its gates within a 12-18 hour window on game day can also be easily overwhelmed with event alarms from the video management system. Simply by identifying on which cameras it was necessary to continuously record as well as monitor and during what time periods, situations of excessive alarm events can be avoided and managed successfully.

Striking that balance between continuous and motion-based recording takes a little more setup on the front end but can save in the long run on hardware wear and tear – and, ultimately, lower your cost of ownership.

Memphis Communications Corporation can help you determine the right Security Solutions for your organization. Contact us today for a free consult and live demonstration.

You need black and white, but you’d like to add color. Now they’re both available in a compact size at a sensible price, thanks to the new e-STUDIO407cs series from Toshiba. Copy, print, scan and fax with the MFP that does it all, for less.

Small and medium sized businesses, from healthcare to education to finance, can now take advantage of everything Toshiba MFPs have to offer, in a surprisingly small package. The new e-STUDIO407cs series prints black and white or color at speeds of up to 42 ppm for letter size paper and 34 ppm for legal size. It incorporates leading LED technology that reduces the overall size and simplifies the design. An e-BRIDGE Universal Print Driver, the single driver for all Toshiba e-BRIDGE series models, includes plug-ins for the simple addition of a variety of productivity enhancing options.

A long list of impressive features and benefits are available on the e-STUDIO407cs series. Toshiba e-BRIDGE technology provides consistency across our family of MFPs. After you’ve learned one, you can operate many. You’ll find the same operability, user interface, open platform connectors, cloud and mobile printing and scanning, and management utilities as the current e-BRIDGE lineup. It features a small footprint, light weight and quiet operation. Maintenance is simpler than ever because of replacement units that can be easily installed by anyone. The color output is incredible, with enhanced image quality and vivid, glossy colors.

The outstanding performance of the e-STUDIO407cs series is due, in large part, to advanced e-BRIDGE technology. This Toshiba e-STUDIO series is available for small and medium sized businesses looking for affordable color. The list of features is impressive, including Universal Print Drivers with plug-ins, web browsing and printing, open platform connectors and mobile printing. Additional features and benefits include:

Compact, lightweight, and packs a punch

This powerful, compact letter and legal sized device saves space and money, offering one of the smallest footprints among comparable MFPs.

LED print head

An innovative LED light source for printing results in low noise, easy maintenance and a smaller, more compact size.

Impressive image quality

Get attention-grabbing gloss output with a greater range of colors. An optional e-BRIDGE Color Profiler and spot-on color matching can help you create output that’s even more impactful.

High performance print engine

A technologically advanced, high performance print engine allows for a faster warm up and First Copy Out Time. Not to mention an overall energy reduction to help the environment and your budget.

Easy to use

Now it’s easier than ever to operate an MFP. Thanks, in part, to a nine-inch display consistent with other Toshiba devices, hard keys or buttons used for main functions, and an e-BRIDGE Open Platform for flexible integration.

Plenty of options

Choose from a variety of options to take greater advantage of the e-STUDIO407cs series. Like a space-saving inner finisher, 2000-sheet LCF or 4-drawer configuration, Job Point for cluster printing with up to 10 e-STUDIO models, Re-Rite for one-touch automatic OCR as well as a Fax Unit, Wireless LAN Module, and IPSec Enabler.

Managed Print Services

Look to our highly experienced Managed Print Experts to help you cut costs, streamline operations, control your output environment, secure documents, and reduce your environmental impact.

And that’s not all the list of outstanding features goes on and on. In fact, it goes something like this: Job Skip allows you to skip to the next job if one job runs out of paper or toner. Omit Blank Page removes all blank pages from all jobs. Outside Erase lets you copy or scan books and 3D objects with the RADF open. Envelope Printing can be done straight from the bypass. One Touch Templates automates complex or frequently repeated jobs. Standard Tandem Printing completes large jobs faster by dividing the work between two printers. And e-Filing lets you print, edit and manage stored documents.

Leading innovation in high security

Data has never been more secure. The e-STUDIO407cs series incorporates propriety Toshiba technology in a number of ways to provide a level of data protection for IT equipment that sets a new standard.

With the need for data security at an all-time high, Toshiba’s leading, innovative technology is at the forefront. Our propriety Self-Encrypting Drive (SED) uses unique Wipe Technology along with a host of other security functions to protect data like never before. If anyone takes the Hard Disk Drive (HDD) from the MFP and attempts to install it into another device, all of the data is automatically erased. If the HDD is removed and then returned to the same MFP, the data remains intact and can be accessed as usual. There’s an encryption key that is safely stored on the HDD. In addition, HDD data is quickly invalidated at end of life so you don’t have to worry about that, either.

To provide even more security, Toshiba has included a secure PDF encryption feature with up to 128-bit AES, IP/MAC address filtering, Role Based Access Control, an SNMPv3 protocol for enhanced security administration and an optional IPSec protocol. There is also a Private Print feature that requires a password for printing. Thanks to all of the advanced security features, the e-STUDIO407cs series is the highest security level.

Technologically advanced, environmentally sound

Toshiba began developing innovative ways to reduce environmental impact long before it became the popular thing to do. In addition to a smaller footprint with regard to size, the e-STUDIO407cs series also has a smaller ecological footprint.

While Toshiba is working to help save the environment, we’re also helping you save money. The e-STUDIO407cs series uses a mono component development method that eliminates waste material. An enhanced Sleep Mode has a 1.5 W power consumption to further reduce energy usage. Other ways in which Toshiba puts environmental responsibility into action include a recycling program, reduction of CO2 emissions, and the recycling of plastics. Reduction or elimination of hazardous materials such as lead and mercury enable the series to comply with environmental standards around the world. Everything together qualifies the series for the new Energy Star Tier 2 compliance.

Memphis Communications Corporation is the only authorized Toshiba dealer in the Mid-South. Let us help you setup your organization with the right equipment for your needs. Contact us today for a consult and demonstration.

Despite the prevalence of all things digital, business mail is here to stay. Businesses rely on the mail every day to send invoices, sales letters, payments, contracts, announcements and direct mail. The issue facing business mailers isn’t whether mail is relevant, but how to select the right mail classes and rates for their mail pieces.  There are so many choices available that understanding which are the most cost effective and convenient for your business isn’t always simple. To help you make the right choices, Neopost USA assembled information from a group of mailing experts  to share insights into how businesses can take advantage of the wide array of options to deliver their mail in the most efficient and cost effective way.  

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT MAIL RATES, CLASSES, AND EXTRA SERVICES?

Express Mail®, Priority Mail®, First Class®, Periodicals, Packages, eServices, Delivery Confirmation, Certified Mail and more.

The Postal Service divides mail into different services, called “classes.” Each class of mail has different features, service levels, postage prices, and presort requirements.

For most of your mailings, the content of the material and postage will determine the class of the mail you select. To learn more about each class of mail including what can be mailed, the minimum and maximum weights and sizes, and the number of pieces needed for commercial prices, look at the matrix below to determine what class of mail best matches your priorities.

If you are unsure about what class your mailpiece will or should be, contact: https://www.usps.com/business/select-a-mail-class.htm for advice.

First Class Mail® (FCM):   FCM is the most common class of mail because it’s fast and affordable, with reliable national delivery times averaging 1-3 days. Specific mail types that are considered FCM are cards and letters weighing up to 3.5 ounces, and flats (large envelopes) and parcels weighing up to 13 ounces. Other advantages of First Class Mail® are that it’s forwarded free for the first 12 months and it includes return service, which is not an option with other classes of mail. Some items must be mailed as First-Class Mail® (or Priority Mail®). These include handwritten or typewritten material such as a letter to a friend or customer, bills, statement of accounts, invoices, or credit card statements.

Priority Mail®:  Priority Mail® is First-Class Mail® that weighs more than 13 oz. and less than 70 lbs. Priority Mail® is just another type of FCM, so the items that must be mailed using this class are the same as those listed above.

Priority Mail® is the best choice if delivery is needed within 2-3 days. Saturday and residential deliveries are available for no extra cost as these options are a part of the USPS® regular business practices. Also, there’s no additional charge for supplies, boxes, envelopes or fuel surcharges. Priority Mail® can also be sent using the flat rate boxes whose advertising tag line is “if it fits, it ships.” Flat Rate boxes are available for one set price regardless of what is placed in the box. For example, a business can place heavy auto parts, or feathers in the same size box and both will be charged the same postage rate.

One of the special benefits available to Priority Mail® is delivery confirmation at no extra cost. This is a free service for mail that is processed with a postage meter or online.

Standard Mail:   All mail that is not required to be sent First Class can be sent via Standard Mail. The most common types of mail that are sent this way are periodicals, advertisements, circulars, flyers, newsletters, bulletins, catalogs, and small parcels. Standard Mail is used primarily because it has a reduced rate, taking advantage of “bulk” prices. More information on bulk mail will be described in the next section. To qualify for Standard mail pricing, a mailer must have a minimum of 200 pieces or 50 lbs of mail.

Express Mail®:   Express Mail® is an expedited postal service used when you need the fastest delivery possible. Within the U.S., Express Mail® is available in three basic service offerings. The options are: Next Day Service (to most U.S. locations), Second Day Service, and Military Service. Express Mail is also available as Global Express Mail to send expedited mail between the United States and most foreign countries. Pricing for Express Mail® postage varies for each addressed piece according to its weight and the service option chosen by the mailer. 

A key advantage of Express Mail® versus alternative mailers for business mailers is Saturday is included as a USPS® regular delivery day. 

Periodicals:   All periodicals must be a USPS® authorized “type” in order to receive the reduced rates. Periodical mailings are authorized for one of five qualification categories (general publications, publications of institutions and societies, publications of state departments of agriculture, requester publications, and foreign publications).

Packages:   Choosing the right class of mail and type for sending a package depends on a few variables: size, weight, distance, and expected delivery times. For the most cost effective package service, Parcel Post is used most often because it is the least expensive, but the delivery times are between 2-8 days. Packages that weigh too much to be sent via Express or Priority mail are sent by Parcel Post.

Now that the different ways to send your mail are more defined, it’s interesting to see the results of a recent survey (below) taken by Neopost USA Mailing 101 webinar registrants (650) who were asked to select which mail classes and types were used most often in their businesses. The majority chose First Class®, followed by Priority Mail®. Bulk mailing is the most common way to save on postage for your business mail and is a viable alternative to sending mail just First Class® or Priority Mail®.

Memphis Communications Corporation can help your organization decide the mailing solutions that are right for you and for the volume of mail you send out each week. Contact us today for a free consult and demonstration.