A view from the US National Postal Forum: Part two

Post&Parcel features the second installment of Lawrence Chaido’s review of the National Postal Forum. To read part one, click here.

The sustainability of USPS was also addressed during three one-hour sessions at the National Postal Forum. The key information was to provide the delegates attending these sessions the information they need to address the evolving economic climate, requiring sustainability to become one of their business imperatives.

Through this education programme delegates will be given insights into what a “green economic recovery” means to their company as they interact within the postal industry.  Through the integration of lean and green initiatives will generate bottom line savings. The Postal Service is leading the way by establishing a goal of a 30 % reduction of energy within their 33,000 facilities. This goal combined with a desire to educate and generate a culture of conservation among the 600,000 employees of the Service as well as suppliers and partners within the mailing industry.

These sessions also examined how the Postal Services stakeholders make use of the mailing services purchased from the Postal Service. Through USPS’s commitment to managing resources wisely in order to minimise mail’s environment impact, it is leading by its example to meet the needs of the stakeholder, without compromising the future of the environment. This was a key trend that was expanded upon within these sessions.

Another key session that was attended by an overflow of delegates keyed in on Direct Mail and how the value of this avenue is known to the mailing community. In this session delegates were told that the success of previous “temporary price reduction” would be continued and how the USPS would continue to invest in programmes to aid the profitability and success of the mailing community.

The “2010” summer sale is designed to build upon the success for two previous temporary price reductions that were offered to the mailing community. These sales and future sales are designed to reward customer loyalty and growth while retaining established volumes of previous years.

This current offering will provide a 30% reduction of tariff in the form of a rebate to mailers of Standard Mail letters (Advertising Mail) and flats above an individual predetermined threshold that exceeds 5% of the mailers volume for the same period in 2009.  This period is between 1 July and 30 September 2010.  Participation is by invitation.  This program may be expanded to other products and participants as these pricing incentives move forward.

In addition to this announcement, Robert Bernstock, president of Mailing and Shipping Services pointed to new programmes (APPS) that would enable the mailing community at large to suggest products and modifications aimed at their specific class of trade, and that would increase the business of the mailer, as well as the Postal Service. Several such applications were announced.  One product is where the Hallmark Company will offer a “Postage Paid Greeting Card” making use of the USPS Intelligent Mail barcode to track and identify postage Hallmark will pay to the USPS for each card sold within this test. In addition to this product Bernstock also presented the USPS programme where by the Consumer purchasing and taking advantage of a home delivery program at Wall Mart would receive delivery of prescription drugs, via the USPS, throughout the United States. This programme was designed from ideas generated by the relationship between the USPS and Wall Mart.

In addition to this programme, there will also be a joint venture with the Walt Disney Corporation as well as a new test program whereby companies will be able to test market “free samples” through the USPS. The initiative was designed by the USPS to share the marketer’s cost and drive mail revenue. The product “Sample Showcase” is only in test, however studies will be made to determine the cost effectiveness and value of this product to both manufacturers and consumers.

The Intelligent Mail Program of the United States Postal Service will be the last major issue that I will address in this overview of the Nashville 2010 Postal Forum. This subject matter was the centre of one five hour presentation, one three hour presentation and one of hour duration.

During these presentations, the delegates were exposed to the success of the hundreds of commercial mailers that are using the USPS’s Intelligent Mail Full Service and confirm products to pinpoint delivery dates, coordinate marketing campaigns, improve customer service, track vendor performance, improve target marketing and test creative concepts. This use of a unique bar code developed by the USPS can do this on each document that is coded with a unique code.

Through this unique product, there is available not only a “start the clock” point as well as a true end to end trail. This is unique to each piece of mail and different and more cost effective than the RFID quality of service measurements used by other Postal Administrations and the government. This product will permit those that make use of this Full Service product to cut labour hours within their plants as well as improve accuracy and accountability for their mailings. Technology will replace a variety of manual processes thus increasing bottom line profits.

I would like to thank you for your attention.  In the event that you have any questions or require additional information on the subject matter above please feel free to address your comments Post&Parcel. They will be then collected and transmitted to me to answer or provide additional information.

Lawrence Chaido is a director of TransGlobal Consultants.

Please comment below…