Survey results reveal businesses waiting on USPS before implementing Intelligent Mail Barcode System

A survey of more than 294 executives and IT managers in the high-volume mailing industry shows that 42 percent of respondents are waiting on the announcements regarding further mailing discounts from the United States Postal Service (USPS) before making major purchasing decisions on how to implement the new Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMB) system. The survey was conducted jointly by Pitney Bowes Group 1 Software and Mailing Systems Technology on March 18, 2008 as part of a webinar on the business impact of IMB.

Starting in May 2009, mailers will be required to use the Intelligent Mail Barcode to earn the greatest automation discounts on postage, according to the latest USPS proposal. This barcode will replace the current POSTNET and PLANET barcodes. IMB will have a tremendous impact on business operations depending on whether companies strive to meet the minimum Intelligent Mail requirements, or reach for maximum efficiency improvements by making the most of this mandate to add value to the mailstream.

The results of the survey show that companies are already thinking about migrating to the new Intelligent Mail Barcode, but they require more information and discount incentives to help guide the investments in the technology that will enable them to meet the new postal mandate in 2009.

Intelligent Mail Barcode Top of Mind with More Than 294 Executives and IT Managers from the Nation’s Top High-Volume Mailers

A survey of more than 294 executives and IT managers in the high-volume mailing industry shows that 42 percent of respondents are waiting on the announcements regarding further mailing discounts from the United States Postal Service (USPS) before making major purchasing decisions on how to implement the new Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMB) system. The survey was conducted jointly by Pitney Bowes Group 1 Software and Mailing Systems Technology on March 18, 2008 as part of a webinar on the business impact of IMB.

Starting in May 2009, mailers will be required to use the Intelligent Mail Barcode to earn the greatest automation discounts on postage, according to the latest USPS proposal. This barcode will replace the current POSTNET™ and PLANET® barcodes. IMB will have a tremendous impact on business operations depending on whether companies strive to meet the minimum Intelligent Mail requirements, or reach for maximum efficiency improvements by making the most of this mandate to add value to the mailstream.

The March 2008 survey asked 294 respondents to provide feedback on current mailing operations and future plans for Intelligent Mail Barcode implementation.

– Average mailing volume per year: 23 percent of respondents handle more than 25 million pieces of mail per year, and 40 percent handle less than one million pieces of mail per year. Given the wide range in annual mailing volumes, the new postal mandate should offer more options for both large and small businesses.

– Average spending on mailings: 28 percent of respondents spend more than $5 million on mailings, and 35 percent spend less than USD 250,000 annually.

– Intelligent Mail Barcode options: 42 percent of respondents are awaiting future announcements regarding USPS postal discounts before deciding on an Intelligent Mail Barcode option (basic vs. full service). Only nine percent of respondents plan to continue using the POSTNET barcode until it is officially phased out in 2010.

– Timeline for implementation: 39 percent of respondents will begin Intelligent Mail Barcode implementation over the next 12 months. Only six percent do not have plans to implement Intelligent Mail.

– Biggest benefits outside of mail operations: The top three business areas that are expected to benefit from implementation of the Intelligent Mail Barcode—outside of mail operations—include marketing (45 percent), financial (23 percent) and billing (22 percent).

The results of the survey show that companies are already thinking about migrating to the new Intelligent Mail Barcode, but they require more information and discount incentives to help guide the investments in the technology that will enable them to meet the new postal mandate in 2009.