Case Studies – Michael Sullivan and Associates
After Adopting Stamps.com as Their Primary Mailing and Shipping System, Medium Sized Law Firm Increases Office Efficiency While Decreasing Expenses.
Customer
Michael Sullivan & Associates is a young, aggressive firm that provides high-quality litigation in defense of workers’ compensation claims, employment issues and insurance litigation. Founded in 1996, the firm has enjoyed rapid growth, and now has three locations throughout Southern California, with more than 30 employees.
Challenge
Because the majority of legal communication is still accomplished via physical mail, Michael Sullivan & Associates regularly mails large volumes of documents and ships packages to clients, government organizations, opposing attorneys and other organizations. On an average day, upwards of 250 confidential pieces of mail are shipped out of each of their three locations, making tracking and certification their top concern.
Prior to using Stamps.com, Michael Sullivan & Associates relied on manual postage stamping and tracking, which required extensive man-hours to execute and left the process open to human error. Because its business relied so heavily on mail communication, office managers initiated a search for an efficient and reliable system for managing the postage needs of their outlying satellite offices.
Solution
Michael Sullivan & Associates evaluated several shipping management systems, but quickly realized that Stamps.com was the most robust solution available and provided the best fit for their organization. Key criteria for their decision included the ability to send certified mail and get return receipts, reference code tracking capabilities, overall cost-effectiveness and ease of use. Stamps.com was rolled out in two of their three offices in October 2007, and has become an integral part of daily business operations for nearly all of their activities.
“Because our clients receive important and sensitive documents from us on a regular basis, it is important that we have the most advanced and capable shipping system available today. Stamps.com has completely revolutionized the way that we mail and track our packages and has brought us to a new level of efficiency and professionalism. I would definitely recommend Stamps.com to any law firm who wants to make their lives easier and a lot less stressful.”
– Jean-Paul Navarro, Paralegal, Michael Sullivan & Associates
RESULTS
Automation and Tracking
By adopting Stamps.com, Michael Sullivan & Associates was able to incorporate all of their shipping processes into one easy-to-use tool. Packages are easily weighed and shipped with postage printed directly from a PC. Reference codes and serial numbers are inserted into each shipment to easily track which client they they should be billed to. Certified mail pieces are automatically prepared with no additional effort by the paralegal. Every package is date stamped and logged into the system for proof of shipment. A current address book is automatically generated from entries made, making recurring shipments much faster and more efficient. USPS and FedEx pickups can be requested and scheduled without picking up a phone or leaving the tool. Postage and address can be printed in one easy step. Stamps.com has automated nearly every aspect of Michael Sullivan & Associates’ shipping processes, making them much more efficient, accountable and professional.
Cost Savings
Stamps.com has dramatically reduced overall shipping expenses incurred by Michael Sullivan & Associates by creating a highly efficient and organized process that is able to exceed requirements without adding additional infrastructure or personnel. With Stamps.com, there is no need to write postage by hand, no need to do multiple scans when duplicate shipments are being sent and no need to run to the store or the Post Office for additional supplies. There isn’t even a need for customized envelopes, as Stamps.com can easily print Michael Sullivan & Associates’ logo on the front of each envelope in order to give it a polished and professional look. In the end, man-hours spent on shipping are kept to a minimum with one person able to manage the entire process.
Reporting
Because all expenses incurred by Michael Sullivan & Associates are tracked back to the specific clients they represent, it is essential that their shipping system has the capability to associate postage with their customer reference codes. Stamps.com has the ability to label every postage bill with a reference code and automatically keep a detailed record of all transactions. The Accounts Receivable Department can easily access the system at any time and run reports detailing transactions over any time period they see fit. This capability dramatically increases the accuracy of internal as well as client-facing reports, and ensures that the organization has a record trail for audits available at a moment’s notice.
Overview
Founded in 1996, Stamps.com provides easy, convenient and cost-effective Internet-based services for mailing or shipping letters, packages or parcels. The PC Postage service allows individuals, home offices, small businesses or corporations to print U.S. postage using any PC, any ordinary inkjet or laser printer and an Internet connection. With over 400,000 customers, Stamps.com is the market leader in online shipping tools. Common stock is listed on the NASDAQ exchange under the ticker “STMP.”
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