The Statement of Accuracy (SOA) is a certificate showing the percentage of addresses in your mailing list or database that are valid matches against the New Zealand Post Postal Address File (PAF). Source records against which the SOA is generated must all be active addresses in the database or mailing list. New Zealand Post defines active addresses as any address record that will be included in a bulk mail lodgement within the 12-month validity of the SOA.
From 1 July 2008, bulk mail customers are required to have an SOA of 85% to continue to receive full bulk mail discounts. The portion of mail below the 85% threshold will be charged at a different rate to the bulk mail rate. For example, where an SOA of 80% is achieved, 5% will be charged at the separate rate.
How to obtain an SOA
Only software certified by New Zealand Post can produce a valid SOA.
SOA's are available from SendRight™ certified data solution providers.
Alternatively your business can purchase the SendRight™ certified software directly or develop software inhouse. Data services providers and in-house software developers can apply to have their software SendRight™ certified. Find out more about the SendRight™ programme and SendRight™ certification.
An SOA is valid for 12 months. Over the 12-month lifetime of an SOA, your actual address accuracy will change gradually as records are added and deleted to your mailing list or database. If this 'churn' exceeds 5% within the SOA validity period, it is recommended that you apply for a new SOA.
What addresses can be excluded from your SOA?
You have the option of filtering out any inactive addresses or lapsed source records. The following address types may be excluded optionally from SOA calculations for the period 1 July 2008 through 30 June 2009.
- Community Mail Box
- Poste Restante
- Overseas/International
- Counter Delivery
- Private Bags with no number
- Addresses maintained by other postal operators. e.g. DX, Mail Boxes Etc
- Un-numbered rural addresses - these are excluded while local authorities complete street numbering programmes in rural areas.
Quality addressing - benefits and guides
Quality addressing (as demonstrated by achieving a SOA of 85% or more) creates a range of benefits for your organisation.
- What's in it for you? - boost your organisation's good name while improving your bottom line
- Business benefits - check out how quality addressing can help your business lower the cost of customer data management while improving both market insight and service delivery. Find out more about these and other benefits that flow from quality addressing
- Planning for quality addressing - useful guides on how you can achieve more accurate addresses
- Examples and scenarios - make quality addressing real for your organisation.
Want to know more?
For more information:
- Contact your New Zealand Post account manager
- Call us on 0800 501 501.