Pitney Bowes expands use of Volly digital mail service

US mail services giant Pitney Bowes has sealed two more strategic alliances to expand the use of its digital mail service, Volly. As it continues working towards a consumer launch for the digital mailbox service next year, it has signed agreements with customer communications companies Allison Payment Systems and Immediate Mailing Services (IMS) to expand the use of the service by mailers.

The partnership with transactional document management and mailing specialist Allison Payment Services will allow its 300 commercial customers in the financial services, healthcare, insurance and utilities industries to make use of Volly to communicate with consumers.

IMS, also a physical and digital transactional document management specialist, will open up Volly for use by their business customers in the financial, medical, retail and collection industries.

Chuck Cordray, president at Pitney Bowes’ Volly unit, said the new alliances would help more business customers to use Volly to deliver brand communications to consumers while they make use of Volly to manage and pay their bills.

“Customers are looking for partner companies that can bridge the gap between their business demands and technology capabilities,” he said.

Volly

The Volly service will comprise a cloud-based digital mailbox for US consumers, through which they will be able to opt in to receiving statements and bills from various service providers in a single platform.

The free service will allow consumers to pay bills online, manage their documents within an online archive and access coupons or other direct marketing materials.

Volly is set to compete in the increasingly sophisticated US digital mailbox market with the likes of Zumbox and Hearst Group’s Manilla service, as well as various online account consolidators like Doxo, which may not include a direct communications element.

John Mashia, president and chief operating officer at New York-based IMS, said his company had evaluated the Volly system, and believed it had the ability to be “transformative in people’s lives”.

He said: “We believe this platform will enhance our assortment of products focused on improving customer communications.”

Joseph P Thomas, president and CEO at Indiana-based Allison Payment Systems, said forming the alliance with Volly was part of his company’s 120 years of innovation, having evolved from a coupon payment booklet manufacturer..

“We are eager to augment our e-payment services to our customers with the Volly secure digital delivery service,” said Thomas. “The Volly service provides another avenue for our clients to migrate from traditional print to online bill pay presentment.”