Tag: USA

US Postal Service in review

Posted by | Oct 9, 2008 | |

The US Postal Service (USPS) issued an RFP on October 2 for a contractor to provide strategic messaging services to the media, the general public, and postal employees. The deadline for proposals is November 5.

One important aspect will be crisis communications, noted USPS senior PR specialist Joanne Veto.

“The solicitation would be in keeping with that: To have an agency standing by or on call in case of an emergency to assist where needed or [provide] expertise beyond what we have internally,” Veto said, via e-mail.

For crisis communications, work might include training spokespeople; identifying experts and credible third parties to support USPS messaging; and facilitating interaction with the Department of Homeland Security and other government agencies.

More generally, work by the selected firm could include tasks like providing advice on communicating corporate policy and positions, as well as assisting with business, employee, and community, and media relations.

In addition, the firm might assist the USPS in its efforts to expand its licensing program, which aims to boost employee awareness and overall “excitement and momentum” for the program, according to the “statement of work” issued in connection with the RFP.

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UPS Freight reveals final phase of its 2008 network enhancements

Posted by | Oct 8, 2008 | |

UPS Freight announced the final phase of its 2008 network enhancements, speeding up transit schedules on more than 1,900 traffic lanes in eight western states.

The improvements mark the third round of network enhancements over the past five months by UPS’s heavy freight division.

In August, UPS Freight revised its network to establish two-day lanes from Chicago to Dallas, Boston to St. Louis and Philadelphia to Miami. The enhancements also expanded the next-day footprint of UPS Freight to include Cincinnati to Memphis and Columbus, Ohio, to Charlotte.

Earlier this year, UPS Freight announced new on-time performance guarantees. Those guarantees will be extended to the enhanced transit times announced today at no additional cost.

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FedEx Express introduces Cork flight route

Posted by | Oct 8, 2008 | |

FedEx Express has introduced a new flight route through Cork to provide customers with improved next-business-day access to Continental Europe and the U.S. East Coast.
Customers in the South, South East and West of Ireland will benefit from pick-up times of up to one and one-half hours later on average than previously available and faster service to select destination markets, making FedEx Express the most competitive next-day service in the region. Customers who previously had two-business-day service to select U.S. markets will now be able to reach more than 3,500 zip codes along the U.S. East Coast overnight.

The flight, which originates in Shannon, will now connect through Cork to allow for regional pick-up for next-business-day delivery before proceeding to its onward destination, the FedEx Express hub at Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport. This additional flight segment represents an investment in Ireland’s economy by offering businesses improved service and greater next-day market access from more points within Ireland.

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US Postal workers promote using the US Postal Service

Posted by | Oct 8, 2008 | |

US postal workers are being encouraged to give the US Postal Services marketing department, new leads to business in a cooperative effort to try and boost postal revenues. Workers who know their jobs depend on high volumes of mail are being encouraged to “submit a lead” to the USPS marketing department when they encounter potential customers in their daily lives. If for example they are ordering some goods on the Internet and they don’t have an option to choose that the goods are delivered by the USPS, they are encouraged to pass on that “lead” to the marketing department to follow up and see if it will generate more postal business. One of UNI’s US affiliates, the NPMHU, has joined with the USPS in rolling out a programme to their members to be part of the “Submit A Lead” campaign to help the USPS boost revenues in the very difficult economic environment.

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USPS grows international business

Posted by | Oct 8, 2008 | |

USPS is expanding its international business and is poised to gain additional commercial freedom to negotiate rates with air suppliers in order to reduce transportation costs.

In 2007, USPS increased its international revenues by 13.5 pct to USD 2,036 million, which represented 2.7 pct of its overall USD 74,973 million revenues. Volumes increased 5 pct to 833 million pieces. Packages have grown in recent years and last year represented 59 pct of international revenues, or USD 1,201 million, compared to 38 pct of international revenues in 2000.

Customers, especially small businesses, were seeking cheaper alternatives to the global express companies, Paul Vogel, Managing Director global business and senior vice-president said. “

Last year’s product simplification and re-branding in line with domestic products, improved IT tools such as tracking and tracing, as well as growing online shipping had also increased international business.

Although the depressed US economy was impacting on USPS’ domestic business, and especially mail business from the financial sector, the weak dollar was encouraging more international business, Vogel pointed out. European customers, for example, were doing more online shopping with US websites.

In a significant development, USPS expects soon to gain commercial freedom to negotiate air transportation rates with airlines, Vogel disclosed. Until now, it has had to pay fixed tariffs, which represent about one third of its international supply chain costs. The House of Representatives had recently passed legislation to deregulate tariffs, and the legal change was now awaiting presidential approval, he pointed out.

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