Stop the Presses: Lee Enterprises Moves to BCC

A newspaper chain seeking a more affordable mailing technology solution switches to BCC Mail Manager and trades top dollar for top results

Lee Enterprises is a growing chain of 53 newspapers operating across 23 states. Because their distribution costs are absorbed into overhead and not directly passed on to customers, the company must leverage a thorough understanding of United States Postal Service regulations (especially those pertaining to Periodical and Standard Flat mailings) to achieve maximum postal economy.

"Newspapers are not very standard when it comes to getting papers out the door,” says Ken Miller, Lee Business Systems Analyst. “Walk into a newspaper distribution facility and you'll find a million different situations that all need to be dealt with individually."

The Old Solution: Too Little Support at Too High a Cost

Until a few years ago, Lee had depended on a well-known but expensive software solution to satisfy the company's mail technology needs: encoding, presorting and preparing daily and weekly newspapers for the journey from regional printing centers through the mailstream to their eventual destinations. Productivity and efficiency were as sured by coordinating these processes through a central computer network, with Lee employees conducting extensive customization of the program to properly integrate its functionality within their system.

However, as their distribution operations evolved from an AS/400 platform to a more complex but flexible client-server environment, Lee decision-makers realized they needed a new software partner. From a cost perspective, their existing solution was "way out there," Miller says, and the company's technical support—a vital consideration, given Lee's customization needs—was disappointing: "a big call center" that offered little in the way of personalized attention.

BCC Mail Manager: A "Hands-On" Improvement

Enter Bell and Howell, whose mail-preparation solution BCC Mail Manager was recommended to Lee by a corporate partner that had used it successfully for years. BCC Mail Manager's price point—a fraction of that of their previous solution—made it attractive to Lee management, but price could not be the sole trigger factor. In reviewing the software during an introductory trial, however, Miller discovered an unrivaled combination of power and value, and perhaps even more important, the advantages of Bell and Howell's unlimited technical support.

"Calling Bell and Howell is like talking to regular people," Miller says. While integrating BCC Mail Manager's processing engine into Lee's existing server-based system, extensive "hands-on conversations" with Bell and Howell's lead programmers enabled the customer to accelerate the process with few workflow roadblocks. (Newspapers, after all, can't wait to be mailed.)

Meeting Today's Needs and Tomorrow's Growth

Saving money alone would not have been reason enough to switch to BCC Mail Manager, Miller says—but Bell and Howell sealed the deal with a fullfeatured product with the potential for modular growth, plus "superior customer service" that proved responsive to any situation.

As Lee programmers progressed along their abbreviated learning curve, calls to Bell and Howell have lessened—but staff know they can rely on BCC sales and support to supply them with the tools for ongoing success. Today, Lee Enterprises enjoys "an excellent working relationship with Bell and Howell," Miller says. "They are always available and they seem to go out of their way to help. I am encouraged by our relationship and hope we can be partners for years to come."

At a Glance

Client

• Lee Enterprises

Headquarters

• Davenport, IA

Specialization

• Newspaper

Bell and Howell Solution Set

• BCC Mail Manager with premium options
  √ TaskMaster
  √ Palletization Suite
  √ Firm Packaging
• ZIPFOURce