Increase in Australia Post posted return mail

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Within the last six to twelve months, many customers have reported an increase in return mail, even when those addresses are verified Australia Post delivery addresses as recorded within the Australia Post Postage Address File of over 15 million unique … Read More

Changes to Unaddressed Mail during peak

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Australia Post is making some temporary changes to their Unaddressed Mail service. Bookings will be accepted for contract or government customers only. All bookings for delivery between 23 November 2020 and 08 January 2021 must be placed by 09 November … Read More

Australia Post’s last lodgement dates for Christmas delivery

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Christmas lodgement dates for deliveries within Australia In the lead up to the traditionally busy peak period, Australia Post has released their dates earlier than before to help plan for what will be our biggest and most unpredictable period to … Read More

Australia Post’s change to letter delivery schedule

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Australia Post have change how letter deliveries are scheduled. Key points: Until 30th June 2021, Australia Post will deliver letter every second working day rather than every working day. Delivery frequency in rural or remote lations will not be affected. … Read More

Effects of Covid-19 on business

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If we can just for a minute, suspend the sad reality that everyday, still thousands of people are losing family members, all over the world from this virus, we can take a step back and look at the effects on … Read More

Suspension of Priority Mail by Australia Post – Updated 2020/06/01

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Australia Post on Wednesday 22nd April, 2020: It has been announced this afternoon that the Priority Mail Service will be suspended from today and delivery service standards extended. The full text of the notification on our website is below – … Read More

Business Continuity Planning

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Over the coming months, should I become unavailable for any reason, I have business continuity plans in place to ensure that website enquiries and quote requests will be redirected to a trusted mail house partner. Because I am a sole … Read More

Important Australia Post Information

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With significant measures being taken across the country to combat the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus), I want to reassure you that Australia Post remains fully operational across Australia during government restrictions on non-essential activity. Our posties, delivery drivers and Post … Read More

Coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) Health Alert

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As of Monday 16th March 2020 I am taking proactive measures to slow person to person transmission, flatten the curve, protect the most vulnerable members of our community and ease the burden on our world class health care system. I … Read More

Paying for online ads? I have some bad news for you.

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Are you pouring money into online ads and wondering why you’re not getting much return on your investment? That’s because more and more people are discovering how easy it is to block online ad’s and unwanted pop ups, from web … Read More

Update on Basic Postage Rate and business letter price increases

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Effective 2 January 2020 The ACCC has indicated, on 14 November 2019, that it does not object to Australia Post’s draft notification proposing increases to Ordinary Small and Large Letters prices, which will increase the Basic Postage Rate from $1.00 … Read More

Why sending data via email should concern you

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Hi. Mark here. If you are a customer of mine and I’ve sent you this link, then I highly recommend you take a few minutes to read the following article and take any action appropriate to you. Data breaches are … Read More

Privacy breach at Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation

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Disclaimer; Markis did not complete this work for the Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation. At the time of this artical, a job of this nature would have been too massive for our current production equipment. It would have been completed by a … Read More

A woman in Maine, USA receives 500 letters from United Healthcare within five days

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Interesting story I came across tonight; A woman in Maine, USA receives 500 letters from United Healthcare within five days I work with and process very large, complex databases regularly, and the article had me speculating about how this could … Read More

Print supplier no longer meets standards

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Ten years I’ve been using a large two state print supplier and unfortunately my current experience is their standards have dropped dramatically in the past three years. This printer phones maybe twice a year asking how they can see more … Read More

Landline phones are currently down

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Transferring over to the NBN. It has taken a month to transfer over to the NBN; two NBN technician visits, new cable install, new modem and router hardware. Our ISP technician visited yesterday to connect the landlines but unfortunately due … Read More

2019 Australian Data Breach List

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I take data protection and privacy very seriously. 2019/06/03 Markis implemented Data Erasure Standards to Australian Government Standards; https://markis.com.au/implementation-of-data-erasure-standards-to-australian-government-standards/ 2018/12/03 Markis implemented a custom air-gapped production facilities for minimising and effectively eliminating any hacking and malicious cyber activities for processing, … Read More

Implementation of Data Erasure Standards to Australian Government Standards

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Many governments and companies have industry standards for software-based overwriting that removes data from storage devices. From Monday 3rd June, 2019 Markis has implemented Australian Government ICT Security Manual 2014 – Controls as set out by The Australian Cyber Security … Read More

Do you sell my data?

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Occasionally, new customers will ask what do I do with their data. In my mind it would be IRRESPONSIBLE for a new customer NOT to ask. It is a fair question and I am always happy to answer it. I … Read More

Automation of mail house processes

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Picture this: Walking into a production room and saying, “Ok, let’s start a mail out.” Lights switch on, machines switch on, servers and computers boot, software looks for a database and begins processing it, a digital job folder is created, … Read More

12,000 Pages Per Hour Production Upgrade

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Earlier this year I upgraded our digital laser monochrome production to facilitate quicker turnaround times, complement and enhance our current mail house services for my customers. Previously our capacity was limited to 2,000 pages per hour, single sided at 1200dpi. … Read More

Markis protecting your data

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If large corporate companies like Marriot, Google, Yahoo, Equifax, eBay, JP Morgan Chase and so on cannot prevent data theft and hacking attempts, what chance does a small company like ours have? In November 2018, Markis took all customer data … Read More

Unsolicited advertising material (junk mail)

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We rarely send unsolicited or junk mail (>1%). We work with businesses, charities and other organisations who distribute newsletters, information and offers to their customer base; that is consumers who have already elected to receive such communication. Businesses need our … Read More

Best Practices for managing Return Mail

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Believe it or not, return mail is an opportunity to reconnect with your customer while also cleaning out your database and updating details. When an envelope comes back to you hopefully these three simple tips to help you turn dead … Read More

Sending businesses email that complies with the Australian spam laws

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This is provided for informational purposes only. This business does not partake in or offer any email marketing services. This law only applies to sending emails. Mailing physical letters to anywhere in Australia and Worldwide does not contravene any laws, … Read More

Direct Mail vs email

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Direct mail vs email is arguably one of the longest standing debates in marketing, this could be down to the constant evolving industry and it’s audiences. Today 70% of consumers reportedly feel like they receive too many emails, something we … Read More

Hosking Price Increase

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Dear Valued Customers, Despite several price rises in raw materials, Hosking has not reviewed our prices for some time. As a result of more increases in recent months we have no choice but to pass some of these costs on. … Read More

QLD Government Mentoring for Growth Program

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  The Office of Small Business Queensland offers small business owners an opportunity to meet with industry leaders and discuss various aspects of their business. The process is very simple; Go to; https://www.business.qld.gov.au/running-business/growing-business/mentoring-growth/register-business You’ll need to complete an application form … Read More

Small steps travel great distances.

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Recently I had a customer ask me how long I had been in business for and it left me wondering. If someone was to ask me how I felt about the last nine years of being in business I would … Read More

Outlook for 2018

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Today I start a new year with expectations for the business with continue to achieve year on year mail volume growth that the business has maintain since its inception in 2008. There is much to do with the new website; … Read More

Bad days in the office…

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  Maybe now isn’t the right time to be writing a blog, especially since I’m very new to blog writing and don’t feel 100% comfortable doing it. But one thing I can take comfort in is the fact that not … Read More

How dodgy trades people become an inspiration for my business success.

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When my wife and I purchased our first 1960’s era house in 2006 we embarked on some very small-scale renovations such as installing robes, repainting interior and exterior, updating the bathroom and remodelling the kitchen. While we attempted to do … Read More

Why I left Social Media

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I didn’t join Facebook until around 2011. Everyone was talking about it and I felt like I was missing out on something so I signed up. Within a few months I was making contact with old friends, family – distant … Read More

Shock Crisp on Creek Liquidation

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Tonight I came across this ABC Article on one of my favourite Fruit Shop’s in Mt Gravatt, just 15 minutes down the road. I knew they had closed down, and unexpectedly more than a few weeks back but only learned … Read More

ProPrint Magazine Feature

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I was very lucky to have the Merge Print Mail re-branding to markis featured in the online version of the ProPrint Magazine recently. For the past nine years I’ve been working quietly and diligently away not asking for anything. But … Read More

Online Shop Update

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Hello! Not sure if anyone will be reading this but while the online shop is being loaded with products, if you have a print or direct mail enquiry please use the online form or via email or phone. I’ve managed … Read More

Scam ATO Automated Phone Calls

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Just moments ago I received an automated call from (03) 4309 4130 playing a pre-recorded voice message. Unfortunately, from the accent of the voice in the recording I immediately suspected a scam call and thought about hanging up. But out … Read More

Merge Print Mail is re-branding to Markis!

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  Merge Print Mail began in 2008 and has seen year on year growth in Direct Mail letter volumes since its inception. While this positive result will carry that over into the new business, by removing ‘print’ and ‘mail’ from … Read More

The Speed Of One Man

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Running a small business for the last nine years has been rewarding and fraught with fear at the same time. Being the sole owner and operator I’ve found that I can’t just be a good mail house operator, I have … Read More

Website In Development!

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Yes, I’m launching as is at the moment as the website will require thousands of hours to implement in it’s final vision. A full shop with online ordering and customer account log in. Plus the ability to make edits on … Read More

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