USPS launches intelligent mail
The U.S. Postal Service launched a new, proprietary service that will allow businesses to track mail and speed service to customers. Called “Intelligent Mail,” it’s like having a global positioning system (GPS) for mail, says Postmaster General John Potter, noting that the technology’s centerpiece is a standardized barcode for use on letters and large envelopes as well as each mail container.
Intelligent Mail is being tested by three companies and is expected to be fully operational by 2009. One large mailer improved its “scan rate” (automated reading) to 99%, ensuring 140,000 pieces a day were processed by postal equipment instead of manually.
The agency said the system also provides real-time data to improve service measurement, enabling the Postal Service to pinpoint problems immediately. The USPS won a 2004 PIA/GATF InterTech Technology Award for its barcode-scanning Confirm Service, a mail-tracking program that has allowed many printers offering fulfillment to quantify proof of mailing. www.usps.com, www.gain.net
