Production Guidelines

Working with Blue Star DIRECT – Production Guidelines

Understanding the nature of each and every campaign, Blue Star DIRECT has outlined key requirements attached to the critical components within the campaign life cycle.

Content that Tells a Story

Core to Blue Star DIRECT’s business offering are sophisticated software applications and skill sets to deliver highly personalised documents through a variety of printed and digital channels.

Blue Star DIRECT can accept text in MS Word, text-enabled PDF or plain text files.

Graphics that Provide Impact

Blue Star DIRECT’s preferred format for graphics are:

• Images (Vector) e.g. logos – EPS or AI
• Images (Raster) – TIFF or PSD
• Signatures – TIFF or JPEG
• Gradients/Vignette – EPS or AI
• Graphics should be in CMYK or spot colour where possible, with a minimum resolution of 300 dpi.

Handling your Valuable Data

Working with Blue Star DIRECT often involves the exchange of large volumes of data, the need for strict privacy and security and a high level of co-operation between us and our clients.

Blue Star DIRECT’s preferred formats for data files are CSV, Tab or Pipe Delimited, Fixed Length and XML formats.

We require a full field layout description including field names, field delimiter and field lengths where applicable.

Prior to the first mailing, or if there has been a change to the data structure since the previous mailing, Blue Star DIRECT would prefer to receive a “test data” file. We then check this test data to ensure no irregularities will affect the IT processing when the “live data” file arrives.

Safe and Secure Transmission

Data security is paramount to Blue Star DIRECT’s work. Talk to us about any issues you have in relation to file transfer because we have been accepting data in a myriad of formats from legacy databases for many many years. No matter what the format or the database, we can help.

Secure FTP (SFTP) is the preferred method for file transfer. We can set up an SFTP account within 24 hours  and issue unique Usernames and Passwords or apply your SSH key for automated transfer.

Blue Star DIRECT can also accept files via Email, CD, DVD, or portable hard drive.

File-level encryption via ZIP passwords or PGP  and GPG is encouraged to futher secure the data in transmission.

Bringing your Data to Life

Through its data driven approach, Blue Star DIRECT is at the forefront of assisting its client partners in determining the right messages to be presented across the right channel.

There a few things which should be considered before the magic begins:

• Data should be received in the specified format or layout.
• Additional programming time may be incurred if data is received in a different format or if a variation to the data processing is required.
• The basic IT services to prepare data for mailing are:
• Remove Insufficients
• Line Squeeze
• Case Convert and Upper Case Last Line
• DPID postcode sort.

If a manual correction of “unclean” data is required then additional time and costs may result.

Electronic Messaging

Data files, graphics and HTML files for email campaigns can be supplied to Blue Star DIRECT via secure methods, similar to print campaigns. Blue Star DIRECT’s Account Executives will work with you to ensure we have the right content and business rules to deliver your customer messages via email and SMS.

Blue Star DIRECT will work with you to provide insights and reporting on your electronic campaigns. We can provide live reporting on who has opened and clicked through your emails, as well as manage bounce-backs and unsubscribes. Based on our response reporting, Blue Star DIRECT can deliver communications to your customers, based on their tracked preferences.

Print – The Choice is yours

Blue Star DIRECT’s range of state of the art high-speed continuous colour, digital full colour and mono printers provide you with flexibility and unrivalled choice. Blue Star DIRECT will work with you to determine the right print platform for your communication.

High-Speed Continuous Colour

High-speed variable inkjet colour printing incorporates highly relevant Marketing Communications within the Transactional Mail lifecycle, enabling the creation of trans-promotional opportunities coupled with a reduction in supply chain costs.

Full Colour Digital Print

Blue Star DIRECT’s Digital Colour Printing presses offer versatile, timely, high quality production printing, delivering highly personalized and customized communications.

Mono Print

Essential Communication printed in black on pre-printed offset shells is part of Blue Star DIRECT’s heritage, repeatedly meeting high standards required in the provision of billing and statement processing.

Blue Star DIRECT is happy to test stock samples for high-speed and laser compatibility. Allow 24 hours for stock acclimatisation.

Offset printed stock with considerable block colour coverage or minimal white space areas requires longer drying periods before it can be laser printed. This could extend the traditional stock conditioning time from 24-48 hours to as much as 5 days.

Mail Processing Services

As part of our engagement process Blue Star DIRECT suggest a collaborative approach whereby we review the proposed content of the mail pack to ensure cost effective delivery and machine compatibility.

The preferred fold for high-speed mechanical inserting is a roll fold, sometimes referred to as a “C” fold. Other types of folds are possible, but are more expensive.

Mechanical inserting machines require ‘lick and stick’ envelopes. ‘Press seal’ or ‘peel and seal’ may be inserted mechanically, but  require hand sealing.

Postage Services

Postage savings are a core skill of Blue Star DIRECT. Talking to us in the creative and design stages of your project can result in significant savings in postage costs.

Changes to the weight, size or quantity of articles being mailed can have a considerable effect on the final postage unit cost.

Postage account details should  be provided to your Campaign Coordinator. Postage costs can only ever be an estimate and will fluctuate based on national or state distribution requirements and the final number of articles lodged.

Efficiently & Accurately Managing your Cargo

Stock has to be accurately recorded into our warehouse and made available for production in a timely and accurate manner if we are to meet your production deadlines.

Blue Star DIRECT prefers to receive all stock on plain pallets rather than skids. We are unable to accept deliveries made on Chep or Loscam pallets. Please allow up to 10% of stock overs for spoilage.

Stock Deliveries

It is important that these Delivery Standards are adhered to when delivering stock and materials to Blue Star DIRECT to ensure production timelines can be met.

Delivery Times

Standard hours of operation are:

7.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday.

Urgent Deliveries

Urgent deliveries outside these hours may be arranged by contacting:

Sydney:

Building D, 350 Parramatta Road, Homebush NSW 2140

Warehouse Manager: Phone (02) 8020 4344, Mobile 0466 528 519

Brisbane:

36 Northlink Place, Virginia QLD 4014

Warehouse Manager: Phone (07) 3866 8561, Mobile 0409 549 877

Melbourne:

Unit 2 and 3, 2 Nursery Avenue, Clayton South VIC 3169

Warehouse Manager: Phone (03) 8514 6172, Mobile 0466 321 347

Delivery Standards & Labelling

• All deliveries are to be made on standard plain pallets. No deliveries will be accepted on Chep or Loscam pallets. Skids are only accepted for deliveries of 24 cartons or less.
• All pallets are to conform to the Australian standard of 1170mm W x 1170mm L x 1350mm H max including the pallet.
• Pallet Weight including the stock should <=1000kg.
• Carton weight must not exceed 16kg.
• All pallets should be of a uniform size. Cartons stacked on pallets should not extend beyond the perimeter of the pallet and should be stacked in such a way as to maximise stability.
• The whole pallet and contents are to be shrink wrapped and externally labelled on at least two sides, identifying the:
  • 1.    client
  • 2.    item description
  • 3.    item code
  • 4.    no of items per carton x the no of cartons = the number of items per pallet.
• Different items are not to be mixed in cartons or delivered on the same pallet.
• Pallets are not to be delivered double stacked, to avoid damage to the contents.

Delivery Dockets

All deliveries must be accompanied by a delivery docket containing the following detail:

• Purchase Order number
• Supplier name and phone number
• Client name (if different to the above)
• Contact name at Blue Star Direct Operations
• The item description and product code
• Total quantity per item
• Number of cartons per item
• Number of pallets per item
• Full / Part delivery

Please note:

All goods received are subject to Blue Star DIRECT’s confirmation at the completion of the receiving process.

All deliveries are to be in cartons with labels applied to the side of each, identifying the client, the item description, the item code and the quantity per carton.

All voucher or serial numbered stock must be delivered in sequential order. Paperwork must be supplied with quantity, sequence number range supplied, quantity ordered, quantity delivered, and purchase order number.

All laser based stocks must be received by Blue Star DIRECT two days prior to production, to ensure that the stock is acclimatised prior to laser printing commencing.

Insert Boxing Standards & Labelling

• All Inserts are to be supplied in standard A4 cartons.
• DL Single Page Flyer – All same way up, paper band wrapped in 100mm bundles.
• DL Brochures – All same way up, paper band wrapped in 100mm bundles, spines in same direction. Bundles can be cross-stacked within the carton.
• A5 Single Page Flyers – All same way up, paper band wrapped in 100mm bundles.
• A5 Brochures – All same way up, paper band wrapped in 100mm bundles, spines in same direction. Bundles can be cross-stacked within the carton.
• A4 Single Page Flyers – All same way up, packed flat, un-banded.
• A4 Saddled Stitched Brochures – All same way up, packed flat in un-banded bundles of 100mm with spines in same direction. Bundles can be cross-stacked within the carton.
• A4 Perfect Bound Brochures – All same way up, packed flat, un-banded with spines in same direction.
• Each individual carton is to be labelled with:
  • 1.    The Blue Star DIRECT Client Name
  • 2.    The Client Item Number
  • 3.    The Item Description
  • 4.    The Quantity within the Box
  • 5.    The ‘Box of’ Number
• All cartons are to be packed with equal quantities of inserts. (Blue Star DIRECT accepts 1 carton may contain a varying quantity based on the total supplied).

Letterhead Boxing Standards & Labelling

• All letterhead is to be supplied in uniform size cartons.
• All letterhead must be same way up within the carton.
• Ream wrapped stock must be in units of 500.
• All pre-printed stock must be supplied with all ink coverage completely cured.
• Each individual carton is to be labelled as per the Insert Labelling instructions above.
• All cartons are to be packed with equal quantities of letterhead. (Blue Star DIRECT accepts 1 carton may contain a varying quantity based on the total supplied).