Every month, mortgage companies and debt collectors send out a large number of statements and notices. Digital reminders might ping an inbox in seconds, but a paper statement still carries weight. It sits on a kitchen table, demands attention, and can’t be deleted with a swipe. Yet the journey from your office to someone’s mailbox often feels like a maze. Pages jam in the inserter, envelopes are returned with incorrect addresses, and your phone rings with calls about “I never received my bill.” Those glitches cost time and money, and they frustrate everyone involved.
VariVerge takes a more innovative approach, transforming every mail piece into a trackable, visible item you can follow from data upload to mail delivery. At the core of that visibility is the USPS Intelligent Mail barcode (IMB), printed on the first page of each document and visible through the window envelope. While the IMB enables USPS to sort and track mail through its distribution network, we also apply a separate internal 2D barcode to guide our printing, folding, and inserting processes with precision. This dual-barcode system eliminates guesswork and minimizes errors, delivering both operational confidence and real-time insight into every piece of mail.
The Power of the Intelligent Mail Barcode
A few years ago, the USPS combined two old barcodes, one for routing mail and another for basic tracking, into a single, powerful symbol: the Intelligent Mail barcode. Instead of two separate stripes, you now see 65 thin bars of different heights. Those bars pack in routing instructions, tracking info, and service requests all at once.
VariVerge goes beyond basic mailing by adding layers of precision and quality control. The USPS Intelligent Mail® barcode (IMB) is printed above the mailing address on page one of the statement—visible through the window envelope, or directly on the envelope if no window is used. While the IMB is essential for USPS tracking, it’s our internal 2D barcode that drives accuracy in production. Printed on each page, this barcode is read by our inserting equipment to verify that every sheet is present and correctly assembled. If a page is skipped, the machine rejects the document, flags it, and it is reprinted before the entire job is mailed.
How VariVerge Personalizes Mailing with Variable Data Printing
Printing a 2D barcode on every page at high speed requires more than just fancy scanners; it necessitates innovative printing technology. That’s where Variable Data Printing (VDP) comes in. With VDP, we start with a clean list of names and addresses. Then, we merge each person’s details, such as their name, account balance, or due date, into a template specifically designed for your company.
While each page rolls through our digital press, it picks up its own set of words and its unique barcode. Think of it like making a batch of cookies, but every cookie has a different sprinkles pattern. Even though they come out of the same oven, they’re all unique. On a busy day, we can process up to 30,000 pieces in an hour, and each one receives the correct data and barcode.
This means your mailing can include a mix of documents, statements, notices, special inserts, without slowing down. Whether you’re sending a few hundred or hundreds of thousands, the same system makes sure each piece is perfect.
Keeping Addresses Accurate
One significant cause of wasted mail is bad addresses. If someone has moved, your statement comes back, and you pay postage twice to resend it. VariVerge stops that waste with a two-step cleanup.
First, before anything prints, we run your list against the USPS National Change of Address (NCOA) database. If someone has filed a move, we identify the updated address and provide a report for your team to review and apply the changes. This helps reduce undeliverable mail before it even leaves our facility. Then, after mailing, we utilize the USPS Address Change Service. If mail gets forwarded or returned, that information is made available to you via our VariTrack portal for download and import into your system, so the next mailing is even cleaner.
Over time, this back-and-forth keeps your list fresh and up to date. You spend less on wasted postage, and your customers never miss a statement.
Staying in the Loop with Real-Time Tracking
Tracking mail used to mean waiting days and guessing. With VariVerge, you get live updates every step of the way. As each 2D barcode passes through the folder, the inserter, and the postal presort facility, cameras capture a scan of it. Those scans are fed into our online VariTrack portal, where you can see exactly what happened and when.
Your team can check the portal for real-time updates. No need to chase down information or wait for customer service. Need a representative with a delivery time? It’s all right there. They pull it up in seconds. An operations manager wanting to catch delays early? They spot a hold-up in real-time and adjust the schedule before mail piles up. This kind of transparency turns mailing from a black box into a dashboard you control.
Security You Can Trust
Sending mortgage statements or collection notices means handling sensitive personal information. VariVerge protects that data with advanced security protocols. We maintain SOC 1, Type II, SOC 2, Type II, and SOC 3 certifications under SSAE 18, demonstrating our commitment to rigorous industry standards. All file transfers happen over encrypted channels, and access to our production floor is strictly limited.
Our equipment performs live checks to ensure each printed page matches the original digital file. If there’s a mismatch, we catch it before it ever leaves the building. The result? Consistent accuracy and total peace of mind.
Why VariVerge Leads the Way
VariVerge didn’t start yesterday. For more than thirty years, we’ve refined our mailing services in tandem with USPS changes and advancements in printing technology. We know how to manage barcode sequences, so you always get the deepest postal discounts. We’ve built a smooth workflow that integrates address cleansing, VDP, IMB encoding, and quality checks into a single seamless system.
The result is a mailing process that minimizes the risk for errors: no more reprint surprises, no piles of returned envelopes, no endless status calls. Instead, you see clear savings on postage and labor, faster payments from customers, and a polished experience that builds trust.
Every mailing run with VariVerge shows what smarter mail looks like. By combining the USPS Intelligent Mail barcode with modern printing and cleaning tools, we turn each statement into a trackable digital asset. If you’re ready to ditch mailing headaches and step into a new era of clarity, accuracy, and security, let VariVerge guide the way. Contact us today for any questions or comments!