What are caging and lockbox services?
Caging and lockbox services (also referred to as lockbox banking) simply refer to a process through which a third party handles the collection, depositing, and processing of an organization’s mail. Most commonly used by non-profit and government entities, caging and lockbox services allow for faster and more efficient mail, payment, and donation processing.

What are the benefits to letting a third party like Merkle Response handle my organization’s mail?
Speed, accuracy and efficiency. By handing over your mail processing responsibilities to Merkle Response, you will ensure that every piece of mail is processed quickly and accurately: we offer deposit schedules from same-day up to 48 hours and maintain a 98%+ on-time deposit rate. You also drastically reduce the time and resources your organization will need to expend on handling mail in-house. This is particularly advantageous for non-profit entities, which tend to have several extremely high-volume cycles of mail throughout the year.

Will my organization be able to access its mail?
Yes. Merkle Response uses state-of-the-art imaging software to scan every piece of mail that your organization receives. Your staff can access the image of any document 24 hours a day via arch-e, a Web-based image archive system.

How do you maintain security of sensitive information?
Merkle Response takes extensive measures to ensure the complete security of your mail, financial transactions, and organizational information. Each of our employees goes through extensive background checks and is insured for up to $10,000,000. We also adhere to strict security procedures throughout all of our facilities. Read more about our security measures.

How can I determine which services my organization should outsource?
You probably already have some idea of what you want to outsource. Merkle Response can help you evaluate your needs and develop the most cost-effective solution for your organization. As a full-service remittance processing firm, we can help you pick and choose which services would benefit you the most, and develop a customized strategy that makes sense for you.

Won’t my customers or donors feel uncomfortable interacting with a third-party?
Your donors and customers will never know the difference between your organization and Merkle Response. Any communication they receive from us—whether it’s a letter, an email, or a telephone call--will mirror your organization’s identity, messaging, mission, and tone. You will have the opportunity to train our staff on specific communication methods and customer service techniques that you use, so that donors and/or customers enjoy a completely seamless experience.

What is ISO 9001: 2008 certification?
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) developed a family of quality standards for a wide range of businesses. Being certified to ISO 9001:2008 means that an independent accreditation/certification body has reviewed Merkle Response and has verified that it complies with the ISO 9001:2008 standard. The standard includes: development of procedures to cover all key processes in the business, monitoring processes to ensure efficiency, detailed recordkeeping, regular review of all procedures, and ongoing efforts to facilitate improvement of services. Merkle Response is the only remittance processor certified to ISO 9001:2008 in the US. For more information about ISO certification, visit the ISO website.

What is PCI DSS compliance and why is it important?
PCI DSS stands for Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. Founded by five global payment Brands (American Express, Discover Financial Services, JCB International, MasterCard Worldwide, and Visa Inc.), the PCI Security Standards Council is responsible for the development, management, education, and awareness of PCI Security Standards. Compliance means that a business adheres to the PCI DSS requirements for security management, policies, procedures, network architecture, software design and other critical protective measures and customers can trust you with their sensitive payment card information. Merkle Response is certified as a Tier 1 processor under PCI DSS and undergoes quarterly scans to ensure our systems remain secure. Click here to see our inclusion on the Mastercard list of PCI compliant companies

What is an SAS 70 Type II audit?
Statement on Auditing Standards (SAS) No. 70 is an auditing standard developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). A SAS 70 audit refers to a comprehensive audit of a service organization, performed according to the SAS 70 standards. The audit evaluates the quality of the organization’s business processes and controls, and provides a summary report. Merkle Response undergoes an annual SAS 70 audit.