Tag: North America

USPS proposal will simplify International Mail products

Posted by | Dec 21, 2006 | |

The U.S. Postal Service is proposing changes to make its International Mail products easier to use. The changes will introduce the most familiar and trusted USPS domestic product names — First-Class Mail, Priority Mail and Express Mail — into the International product portfolio, making it easier for customers to mail cards, letters and packages worldwide.

The proposal will reorganize eight International Mail products now offered at postal outlets and online at usps.com into four simplified groupings: Global Express Guaranteed, Express Mail International, Priority Mail International and First-Class Mail International.

Online tools already are available to make mailing easier, combining customs forms and address labels into one document for many International Mail products. Soon, online shipping will be easier on the budget too, with discounts for postage purchased using Click-N-Ship at usps.com or through authorized postage vendors. Popular flat-rate shipping options also will be added.

Customers will be able to use many of the same recognizable packaging supplies — available free from USPS — for both domestic and International Mail shipments. Online customers also can request Free Package Pickup for certain International parcel services at their home or office for even more convenience.

Along with the product name changes, USPS is proposing to restructure International Mail prices for the first time in more than five years, resulting in an average increase of 13 percent.

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FedEx reports solid revenue and earnings growth

Posted by | Dec 20, 2006 | |

FedEx Corporation today reported earnings of USD1.64 per diluted share for the second quarter ended November 30, compared to USD1.53 per diluted share a year ago. The quarter’s results included costs associated with the new pilot labor contract at FedEx Express. The net effect of this agreement reduced second quarter earnings by approximately USD0.25 per diluted share. Excluding these costs, second quarter earnings were USD1.89 per diluted share, an increase of 24% from last year’s second quarter.

FedEx Corp. reported the following consolidated results for the second quarter. Revenue of USD8.93 billion, up 10% from USD8.09 billion the previous year.
Operating income of USD839 million, up 6% from USD790 million a year ago.
Operating margin of 9.4%, down from last year’s 9.8%.

Net income of USD511 million, up 8% from USD471 million the previous year
Total combined average daily package volume at FedEx Express and FedEx Ground grew 7% year over year for the quarter, led by ground and international express package growth.

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Direct Mail spending surges 7.5% in 2006, more growth ahead

Posted by | Dec 20, 2006 | |

Despite rising postal rates, higher raw materials costs and the advent of numerous alternative channels, marketers continue to seek out the return on investment benefits of direct mail. spending USD60.6 billion on the channel in 2006 – according to a white paper released today by Winterberry Group, a leading strategic consulting firm serving the marketing industry.

The white paper, entitled Vertical Market Trends in Direct Mail and the Impact on Production Service Providers 2006, is the New York-based consulting firm’s third annual study of the direct mail production sector.
Winterberry Group forecasts continued growth in direct mail through the 2009 timeframe.

The white paper further outlines three macro trends and five vertical market trends which should play significant roles in shaping the direction of direct mail use in 2007. The macro trends include:

– Complex, high-volume multichannel campaigns become the industry standard, driven by enhanced marketing database segmentation tools and widespread CRM adoption

– Forthcoming postal rate increase, combined with new delivery point validation
regulations, drive the need for advanced data hygiene and postal optimization services

– Strategy and creative service providers move to integrate analytics and consumer
targeting services with their existing portfolios, in order to counteract the threat of service commoditization in the agency space.

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President Bush Signs New Postal Law

Posted by | Dec 20, 2006 | |

President George W. Bush today signed into law new postal legislation that will benefit both residential and business customers by ensuring predictable price increases tied to the rate of inflation.

The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act is the first major change to the Postal Service since 1971. The law enables the organization to continue its transformation efforts and cost-cutting measures.

This is the culmination of a 12-year effort by Congress to secure changes to the laws governing the Postal Service. It will link future rate increases to the Consumer Price Index and give the Postal Service more flexibility for pricing competitive products. The Act also reconstitutes the existing Postal Rate Commission into a regulatory body with greater authority and responsibility. The current rate case under consideration will proceed as scheduled. The Postal Service will be able to file one last rate case under the current rules.

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FedEx seeks improved software testing

Posted by | Dec 19, 2006 | |

Believing current software testing approaches are antiquated, FedEx is working with the University of Memphis to take testing to its next steps.

The package delivery company has commissioned the university to research a number of topics pertaining to the matter, through the FedEx Institute of Technology program at the school. The testing project, called the Systems Testing Excellence Program (STEP) could result in the largest testing organization in the country.

Specifically, FedEx seeks methodologies to make testing processes shorter while ensuring that applications are high-quality. Current testing practices are basically the same as they were in the 1980s, said Dave Miller, vice president of information technology at FedEx. Code is written and then turned over to unit testing; testers look for defects and send that detail back to the development team, Miller said. Determinations are made on whether an issue actually is a defect or requirements shortcoming.

“We sort of believe that testing as a discipline has probably not kept up pace,” with other areas of IT, Miller said.

FedEx’s focus is on testing of large, complex, integrated software systems, on both mainframe and distributed systems.

“We want to make sure we’re in the forefront of the testing space,” Miller said.

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