Tag: USA

AT&T delivers 5,400 BlackBerrys to USPS

Posted by | Nov 20, 2007 | |

The Postal Service hopes that the updated smartphones will help make it more competitive with private shippers.

In one of the largest government mobile-device rollouts ever, AT&T is deploying 5,400 BlackBerry devices, equipped with specialized mobile applications, to United States Postal Service employees. The BlackBerry 8800 and 8820 models will go out to executives, IT staff, and high-level managers in the 800,000-person organization, replacing older devices that the USPS first purchased in 2001.

The 8800 models are being delivered now and the Wi-Fi enabled 8820s will go out in a second-phase deployment later this year, said George Wright, VP and acting CTO at the USPS.

The first is BMC Software’s Remedy help desk application, which allows IT staff to wirelessly respond to and close troubleshooting tickets. The second is an in-house “e-approver” application that enables managers to view and approve purchase orders and the like while on the go. Once the more advanced 8820 models are in the field, the USPS will field trial the delivery over Wi-Fi of brief training videos that are already being pushed out to desktops, Hill said.

The BlackBerrys are going out to 750 USPS executives plus around 5,300 operations managers and IT staff. Total cost of the deployment, including the engraving, will be around USD 200,000, says Wright. The Postal Service will likely eventually push mobile e-mail devices out to additional employees, he added, but “so far we have not identified the rationale.”

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USPS financial results for 2007

Posted by | Nov 19, 2007 | |

The Postal Service announced its financial results for Fiscal Year 2007, which ended Sept. 30. The Postal Service concluded the fiscal year with a USD 5.1 billion net loss, attributable to mandatory funding requirements in the Postal Act of 2006 (see chart). The year-end loss is about USD 300 million less than projected earlier in the year.

“It’s important to note that we not only achieved our plan, which had to be adjusted to reflect the new law, but we overcame a slow start and did better than our mid-year projection,” said Potter. Without the financial impacts of the law, the Postal Service would have ended the year with net income of USD 1.6 billion.

Total revenue in FY 2007 was USD 74.9 billion and expenses totaled approximately USD 80 billion. Mail volume was 212 billion pieces.

The Postal Service recorded an eighth consecutive year of productivity growth in fiscal 2007. Total Factor Productivity, which measures the relationship between workload and resource usage, was up 1.7 percent over FY 2006. Productivity was aided by a reduction of 36 million work hours, which is equivalent to USD 1.2 billion.

Record On-Time Performance

National on-time performance scores for the delivery of First-Class Mail hit all-time highs in the fourth quarter of FY 2007 for all three categories the Postal Service tracks. National overnight performance was 96 percent on-time in the final quarter —a first for the last quarter and for two consecutive quarters.

National two-day and three-day performance also hit all-time highs of 94 percent and 93 percent respectively.

First-Class Mail performance is measured independently by IBM Global Business Services. The process measures First-Class Mail from the time it is deposited into a collection box until it is delivered to a home or business.

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Western Union extends Multi-Year Agreement with Kroger

Posted by | Nov 19, 2007 | |

The Western Union Company announced it has renewed its agreement with The Kroger Co., one of the nation’s largest grocery chains, to offer Western Union(R) services.

The multi-year agreement will ensure that Western Union Money Orders, Money Transfer and bill-payment services continue to be available to consumers at stores nationwide, including Kroger, King Soopers, Ralphs, Fry’s, Fred Meyer, Smith’s, City Market, Gerbes, Dillons and Loaf n’ Jug.

The Kroger Co., which has offered Western Union services for 22 years, has more than 2,400 locations in over 30 states nationwide. The company operates supermarkets and price-impact, warehouse, multi-department, convenience and jewelry stores under nearly two dozen banners. The company’s longstanding relationship with Western Union has led to a number of successful ventures and pilots at Kroger stores.

“Western Union owes much of our success to our outstanding agents,” said Royal Cole, Executive Vice President, Western Union Payment Services. “Our longstanding agreement with Kroger is just one example of how teaming with trusted local businesses provides our diverse consumer base with the greater convenience and higher service levels they desire.”

Western Union is a leader in global financial services, enabling millions of individuals and businesses worldwide to transfer money quickly, easily and securely. Western Union services are offered through trusted local businesses that are an integral part of the communities they serve. By continuing to expand and diversify its range of services and its unparalleled agent network, Western Union’s vision is to become the financial services provider of choice to people across the world.

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Online bargain hunters clogging up mail depots

Posted by | Nov 17, 2007 | |

Canadians empowered by a strong dollar and faced with long lines at border crossings have turned to the Internet as a way to do their holiday shopping in the United States.

But a consumers’ agency said this week that online shoppers are already facing a “bottleneck” that will only make delays longer as the Christmas season approaches.

Canada Post reported seeing cross-border parcel traffic increase 15 per cent in October compared to the same month last year, and noted a similar jump in September.

Francois Legault, a spokesperson for Canada Post, said the jump is likely related to an increase in online shopping at U.S. stores.

“We have noticed that the parcels that we have received, the majority of them are from U.S. retailers,” Legault told CTV.ca.

After the loonie hit parity with the U.S. dollar, reaching a value of USD 1.10 at one point last week, Canadians began flocking across the border to take advantage of lower prices and stronger buying power.

But in the lead-up to the Christmas season, the number of parcels and mail received from south of the border has jumped as well.

The Canadian Border Services Agency reported seeing a notable increase in the amount of packages sent to Canada from the U.S.

Canada Post and the Canadian Border Services Agency routinely increase their staff to handle the extra traffic during the holiday season.

Your package is in the mail

Mail flowing from the U.S. is checked by border services at one of three mail centers, located in Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal, before being returned to the chain of delivery.

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FedEx Corp. Announces quarterly dividend

Posted by | Nov 16, 2007 | |

FedEx Corp. today announced that earnings for the second quarter ending November 30, 2007 are expected to be in the range of USD 1.45 to USD 1.55 per diluted share, compared to the previous forecast of USD 1.60 to USD 1.75. For the full fiscal year, the company now expects earnings of USD 6.40 to USD 6.70 per diluted share, compared to the previous forecast of USD 6.70 to USD 7.10.

“Since we provided earnings guidance for the second quarter in September, our fuel costs have increased more than eight percent, or USD 85 million,” said Alan B. Graf, Jr., FedEx Corp. executive vice president and chief financial officer. “While we have dynamic fuel surcharges in place, they cannot keep pace in the short-term with rapidly rising fuel prices. In addition, less-than-truckload freight trends in the FedEx Freight segment remain weak, despite economic signs that the decline in U.S. industrial production has hit bottom. We are taking prudent steps to reduce expenses, and are reviewing our capital investment plans for further reductions.”

Separately, the Board of Directors of FedEx Corp. today declared a quarterly cash dividend of USD 0.10 per share on FedEx Corp. common stock. The dividend is payable January 2, 2008 to stockholders of record at the close of business on December 12, 2007.

FedEx will provide additional financial and operating details when the company releases second quarter earnings on December 20, 2007.

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