Direct mail performance depends on more than creative and targeting. It depends on operations, especially the stretch between production and the mailbox where timing, quality, and visibility can quietly drift. If you are not monitoring what happens after you hit send, you often discover issues only after delivery windows slip and teams are left explaining results without clear evidence.
A weekly KPI review gives you an early signal on production and delivery health. This guide covers the metrics worth tracking in Lob’s Production + Tracking, how to interpret what you are seeing over time, and what to do when something starts to move outside your normal range.
When you run direct mail at scale, small issues can compound quickly. Weekly monitoring helps you spot drift early enough to protect timing, quality, and delivery reliability.
The goal is simple: make sure your dashboard signals match what is happening in the mailstream. If scan visibility slows down, if delivery timing spreads out, or if acceptance issues appear at induction, you cannot coordinate follow-ups confidently or explain performance shifts cleanly. Weekly reviews keep the focus on operational health so problems get addressed before your next drop.
Scan latency is the delay between when a mail piece is scanned and when that scan appears in your dashboard or via webhooks. Latency matters when you coordinate mail with email or SMS, report status internally, or use scans to inform pacing.
Watch for sustained changes across campaigns. One spike can be noise. A pattern usually means something in your entry or visibility workflow needs attention.
In-home variance measures how close actual delivery timing is to your expected window, and how tight delivery timing is within a campaign. This KPI becomes critical when a wider window undermines time-sensitive offers or coordinated journeys.
If variance widens consistently, treat it as a signal to revisit timing assumptions and how you plan follow-ups around delivery.
Reprint rate is the share of pieces that require reprinting due to production errors, damage, or data issues detected during the workflow. Reprints create two problems: added spend and disrupted timing.
If reprints rise, look for repeat patterns tied to specific creatives, templates, or data fields.
Acceptance rate measures how often mail is accepted by USPS without rejection or holds at induction. Acceptance issues often indicate problems upstream, such as formatting, barcode readiness, documentation, or presort preparation.
If acceptance drops, tracking can become less reliable and delivery timing can become harder to predict.
On-time delivery rate reflects whether mail arrives within the delivery window you planned for. Stakeholders understand this metric immediately because it maps to a clear expectation about when mail should land.
If on-time performance slips, investigate whether it is isolated to a campaign type, format, or entry pattern before you adjust timelines broadly.
Mail piece delivery rate is the share of pieces delivered versus returned. When delivery rate drops, list hygiene is often the first place to look.
If this KPI moves, tighten list readiness, including stronger address verification before your next send.
One week can be noise. Two or three weeks moving the same way is usually a real signal worth action.
A lightweight way to do this is to record weekly KPI values and add one line of context, such as a new campaign type, new creative, or a shift in audience geography.
Operational KPIs shape performance. Late delivery misses the response window. Reprints disrupt timing and create unplanned spend. Poor acceptance or delayed visibility makes coordination harder and measurement less reliable.
Pair weekly KPI monitoring with a consistent approach to measure the performance of direct mail campaigns so you can connect timing and delivery realities to outcomes.
Ready to monitor production and delivery in one place? Book a demo to explore Lob’s Production + Tracking capabilities.
FAQs about direct mail production KPIs
FAQs
How do you access production KPIs in Lob’s dashboard?
Lob’s dashboard displays production and delivery metrics in a unified view. You can filter by campaign, date range, or mail type to focus on specific KPIs, and set up webhook notifications for automated alerts.
What is the difference between scan latency and in-home variance?
Scan latency measures how quickly scan events become visible after they occur. In-home variance measures delivery timing consistency compared to your expected window.
How often should you review reprint rate compared to delivery metrics?
Review reprint rate weekly alongside delivery KPIs. Quality issues caught early can prevent downstream delivery problems and wasted spend.
Can you export Lob production data to business intelligence tools?
Yes. Lob integrates with major CRMs, CDPs, and analytics platforms, allowing you to export tracking data via API or webhooks and combine it with your other marketing metrics for unified reporting.
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