May 20, 2008

CLEANER, LEANER, GREENER

How Mail Is Meeting The Needs Of Today's Businesses

Mail and technology help businesses connect with customers on their terms, and drive business results. At a session today at the National Postal Forum in Anaheim, CA, Deputy Postmaster General and COO Patrick Donahoe and Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President Anita Bizzotto explained how the Postal Service is making it easier for mailers to do business.

“Direct mail has more than held its own. You can target it and personalize it,” Bizzotto said. “We have more tools, knowledge and technology to meet our customers’ needs and keep them coming back to the mailbox.”

“And all of our employees have done a tremendous job improving service,” Donahoe added. “That's really important to our customers.”

They had customer testimonials to back them up — from AFLAC’s Eric Seldon, who saved his company $230,000 by cleaning up its mail lists, to Mike Sexson from Colorado, who collaborated with other Colorado agencies to save $2 million annually by improving address quality.

Attendees also learned about variable data printing — a new way to customize each mailpiece — and trans-promotional mail. Trans-promo, as it’s called, allows mailers to do things like combining billing statements and direct mail into one mailpiece.

The Intelligent Mail barcode is one of the hottest topics at the forum. On hand at the session were customers who already are seeing the benefits of using this revolutionary technology.

“We use the Intelligent Mail barcode for our small- to medium-sized businesses who wouldn't ordinarily be able to use it on their own,” said Arnie Cohen of Modern Postcard. “It improves our deliverability.”

Many businesses are making the change to “green” for the sake of the environment and their customers. Surveys show that many customers think direct mail is responsible for a significant amount of all landfill, but “research reveals it’s actually only 2 percent,” says Bizzotto.

Donahoe closed the session with Army Col. David Ernst, who praised the new APO/FPO Priority Mail Flat Rate Box as being a morale booster. “It’s been well received,” Ernst said. “It’s a huge success.”

POWER TO THE PACKAGE

Package Symposium Highlights Pricing Flexibility

There’s a new package delivery player in town — the U.S. Postal Service.

That’s the message the Postal Service’s Expedited Mail Vice President Gary Reblin and acting Ground Services Vice President Jim Cochrane had for attendees at the Package Symposium at the NPF.

“Our goal at this symposium was to get shippers to understand that we have a suite of services available for them at prices that are incredibly competitive,” said Cochrane. “We want them to think of us when it’s time to ship a package.”

“No one delivers to every household, every day, like the Postal Service,” said Reblin. “And we’re expanding our expedited delivery network to reach even more overnight destinations. Our Express Mail and Priority Mail products offer the value and the shipping speed today’s shippers need.”

New pricing flexibility allows the Postal Service to offer volume-based discounts, online savings and rebates. For the first time in history, the Postal Service will offer loyalty rebates and growth rebates for ground shippers. The flexibility to create competitive products at competitive prices gives the Postal Service the power to customize solutions for a multitude of shippers and consumers.

COMMITTED TO A GREENER FUTURE

Postal Service Announces Vice President Of Sustainability

Postmaster General John Potter has named Sam Pulcrano, a 33-year Postal Service veteran, as the organization’s first vice president of sustainability, responsible for coordinating energy and environmental programs. One of Pulcrano’s first goals will be to complete an inventory of greenhouse gas emissions and create an action plan to reduce emissions.

“We continuously strive for sustainability, discovering better ways to deliver long-term value to our customers, employees and to the communities we serve,” Potter said. “This new position simply puts a more formal structure in place at an organization that has been environmentally smart and friendly for more than 200 years.”

Earlier this month, USPS launched an online resource for consumers to make environmentally friendly decisions about their mail. From eco-friendly products and services to recycling ideas and ways to help marketers create greener advertising, usps.com/green contains hundreds of facts, suggestions and programs to help improve environmental awareness and make it easier for consumers to go green — including a way to calculate carbon footprint savings by conducting Postal Service business online.

The Postal Service is committed to environmental stewardship. USPS empowers consumers to “go green” through a comprehensive approach to mail production, delivery and recycling that enhances sustainability, meeting the needs of the present without compromising the future.

In addition to eco-friendly packaging, recycling, use of bio-based oil and alternative fuel and other initiatives, USPS delivers mail in the most energy efficient way possible — a third of all deliveries are made on foot.