Memo to Mailers - May 2003 (Text)
UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
VOLUME 38 NUMBER 5
MAY 2003

WHAT'S INSIDE
PMG AT NPF
AWARD WINNERS
KEEPING POSTED
INDUSTRY TASK FORCE
REGIS, KELLY AND USPS

IT'S A HIT
Small businesses and other Web surfers are riding the Click-N-Ship wave with gusto. A year old this month, this online shipping solution is going - and growing - strong. More and more customers, especially small businesses, are getting hooked on its cyber convenience, and the Postal Service is working to provide them with more ways to bring the Post Office into homes and offices.
Click-N-Ship at www.usps.com allows customers to prepare and print shipping labels - with or without postage. Volume is growing, reflecting its usefulness to customers. In addition, Click-N-Ship is a good example of the Transformation Plan - the Postal Service's blueprint for the future - in action, increasing access to postal products and services in a way that makes them easier and more convenient for customers. If time is money, Click-N-Ship can help you save both.
Click-N-Ship recorded its highest number of labels printed - with and without postage - to date on May 5, during the week before Mother's Day - over 35,000. Customers are averaging 12 labels per log-in session.
Customers are more than happy to sing its praises. As Gary Bisonett, owner of Freebears.com, points out, he saves time by turning to Click-N-Ship to print labels and pay for postage online, which enables him to put his packages in a collection box instead of waiting in line at a Post Office. "This saves us one to two hours a day, which can be spent doing marketing and improving our website, which results in more business and more USPS
shipments," he says. Click-N-Ship is fast, easy and available 24 hours a day. Here are some of the new features that will be added in the months ahead:

Address book import/export - Customers will be able to easily import addresses - both domestic and international - from an Excel file or other online application, up to a total of 500 addresses.
Credit card storage - Customers, if they wish, will be able to store their credit card information on the secure site for faster check-out and payment processing.
E-mail shipment notification - Recipients may be notified that a package is on its way.
Multiple labels per credit card transaction - Customers will be able to charge up to 25 PC Postage labels per credit card transaction, instead of paying for each label individually.
Batch shipping - Customers will be able to quickly print labels for identical items of identical weight, for shipping up to 25 different addresses.
My Shipping History/Account - Customers will be able to go online and view details of their labels and shipments, and link to Track & Confirm information.
KEEPING FOCUS ON MANAGING THE BUSINESS
At a time of historic opportunities to revitalize the mailing industry and modernize the Postal Service, USPS will keep its focus on delivering record service performance, sound financial management and innovation, says Postmaster General John E. Potter.
"We in the Postal Service will build on our success and continue to implement the Transformation Plan," a blueprint for the future, Potter told members of the mailing industry at the National Postal Forum held April 13-15 in New Orleans. "We will not lose our focus."
Potter commended the support of the mailing industry in gaining congressional passage of legislation that changes how USPS pays into the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). Without this legislative change, the Postal Service risked overpaying its CSRS obligation by $78 billion, costs that would have to come from postage and fees paid by customers. The legislation, signed into law by President Bush, is an important tool to help maintain the financial stability of USPS, said Potter.
USPS and the mailing industry can now focus on recovering from the recession and growing the mailing business, he said.
The Postmaster General told mailers that USPS productivity has climbed for the third straight year. "Service is at an all-time high - First-Class Mail hit 95% and we are providing better, more reliable service on every class of mail," he said. "We are well on our way to taking $5 billion out of our costs by 2006." Potter said USPS also has focused on innovative changes within the limitations of current legislation - from new and enhanced technologies that let customers track their mailings, to increased customer access and convenience through initiatives like the recent USPS partnership with Hallmark.
Potter acknowledged that the Postal Service still faces challenges in the years ahead. "We still face an uncertain economy, stiff competition and the reality of electronic diversion. We have an old business model that is flawed, and that won't serve us much longer," said Potter.
Joining Potter at the NPF was Peter Fischer, Under Secretary of the Treasury for Domestic Finance, who coordinated the formation of the President's Commission on the U.S. Postal Service to study the future of USPS. Also there was James Johnson, co-chair of the commission.
The commission, said Fisher, is taking a pragmatic, practical look at what USPS should be doing in the 21st century. He said all parts of the federal government, including the Postal Service, "recognize that what was good enough in the past just isn't going to be good enough in the future with the challenges we face."
Johnson said he did not want to foreshadow what the commission might recommend in its report to the president, due July 31. "We're trying systematically to look at every dimension in the functioning of the Postal Service," he said, adding, that the commission's report will be "delivered on time."

MAILERS HONORED FOR SUPPORT OF MARROW DONOR PROGRAMS
The Postal Service recognized 22 mailers for their support of marrow donor recruitment efforts.
At the National Postal Forum in New Orleans, Social Awareness Awards went to 3M Federal Systems Department; A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc.; American Express Co.; Bank of America; Comerica, Inc.; Communications Workers of America; The Cummins Foundation; Daimler Chrysler; Ford Motor Co.; General Motors Corp.; IBM Corp.; KeyCorp; Lockheed Martin Corp.; May Department Stores; Medtronic, Inc.; MetLife; NASCAR, Inc., Northwest Airlines, Inc.; Siemens Dematic Postal Automation LP; UAW-General Motors Corp.; UAW-National Ford Department-Ford Motor Co. and Verizon Communications.
The Social Awareness Award was created three years ago to honor companies or organizations in the mailing industry that have worked closely with the Postal Service to increase awareness of an important social issue.

CONGRATULATIONS!
National Postal Forum, New Orleans, LA, April 13-15
Spring 2003 Award Winners

PARTNERSHIP FOR PROGRESS
John Cochran, Jr.
Postal Consultant
MBNA

Peter Fisher
Under Secretary of the Treasury
for Domestic Finance
U.S. Department of the Treasury

MTAC Leadership Award
Joe Lubenow
President
Lubenow & Associates

Joseph Schick
Director of Postal Affairs
Quad/Graphics, Inc.

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Nick Basford
Director, Marketing and
Communications
Lynx Express Limited

Robert Blackman
Vice President, Administration
and Operations
AmazingMail, Inc.

Martin Bernstein
Media Transportation/Small Package and Postal Relations Manager
JCPenney

Chiqui Cartagena
Senior Director
Club Musica Latina/Columbia House

Scott DeMayo
President, Certified Mailing
Operations Consultant
DeMayo Mail Management
Consultants

Tom Dillon
Vice President, Operations
Netflix

Angela Fox
Postal Project Manager
Moore Integrated Business
Solutions Group

Carole Fox
Vice President, Operations
National Wildlife Federation
Joe Incognito
Owner
Creative Management Services

Sandi Kleeman
President and CEO
Lee's Marketing Services, Inc.

Andy Mandell
President
Data-Mail, Inc.

Fred Montoya
Vice President, Worldwide Logistics
Dell Computers

Carol Murzyn
Director, Mail Services
University of Hartford

Pat Peick
Marketing Development Supervisor
3M Corporation

James Prevost
Senior Vice President,
Value Development
DST Output

Anita Pursley
Vice President, Postal Affairs
Quebecor World

Ernest Shaw
Supervisory Computer Specialist
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Joe Tague
Operations Manager
Archer Management Services

Bill Terry
Senior Manager, Domestic Logistics
Distribution Fulfillment Services, Inc. /Spiegel

Andrew Waites
CEO/Owner
Inventory Procurement Services

Isaac Webb
Distribution Services Manager
Booz Allen Hamilton

Larry Whalen
Director of Mail Services
Christian Broadcasting Network

GROUP AWARDS
Chris Bennett
Technical Business Unit Leader
Axciom, Inc.
Brad Rappaport
Vice President, Operations
Bank One Card Services
Sue Taylor
Postal Liaison
Prudential Financial

Don Cato
Senior Vice President, General
Manager Customer Operations
Bear Creek Corp.
Joe Foley
Senior Vice President Operations
Shaklee Corp.

Shawn Childs
Director, Outbound Transportation
Mike McKenna
Manager, World Wide Logistics
Matt Thompson
Operations Analyst
Amazon.com

Marla Cosby
Ray Wajbel
Agency Mail Managers
Centers for Medicare and
Medicaid Services

Kyle Huebner
Vice President,
Marketing and Strategy
Craig Ogg
Vice President, Research
and Development
Stamps.com

Peter Glenn
Director of Postal Affairs
Bank of America
Laurel Kamen
Vice President, Government Affairs
American Express Company
E.C. Nix
National Manager of Presort
Operations
DST Output

Mail Center Manager
Eric Dabney
Shipping Manager
America's Collectibles

John Craig
Division Manager, Packaging
and Distribution
The Los Angeles Times

Raymond Cross
Logistics Manager
John H. Harland Company

Lianne Fenn
Director, Mail Operations
and Printing Services
University at Albany

Kenneth Hoyle
Mail Center Manager
Houston Community College

Douglas Kowalchuk
Director of Transportation
Henry Schein, Inc.

Pam Lepping
Direct Mail and Bindery Manager
VALASSIS

Kraig Rule
Manager
Minnesota Life Insurance Company

Brent Thomas
Director, Transportation
Park Seed Company

KEEPING POSTED
News from and for Postal Customer Councils
www.usps.com/nationalpcc

BUILDING STRONGER PCCS LOCALLY
The purpose of Postal Customer Councils (PCC) is to strengthen the working relationship between the Postal Service and its valued customers. Each PCC is an established postal organization of business mailers and postal officials who work together at the local level.
Today, there are more than 250 PCCs nationwide representing over 100,000 active members. Mailers who join their local PCC often report that they learn new ways to reduce postage costs, increase sales, improve customer loyalty and improve mail service. Being a PCC member also presents an excellent opportunity to network and establish important postal contacts.
As the Postal Service continues to execute its transformation strategies, it becomes even more critical that PCCs grow stronger at the local level. PCCs provide a major source of valuable information in developing and bringing new postal products and services to market. Also, PCCs provide an opportunity to establish best practices that can be shared will other PCCs to improve mail processing and delivery efficiencies.
Local PCCs offer a unique working relationship to ensure that USPS fully understands its mailers needs and that our mailers fully understand the comprehensive array of products and services that meet their mailing requirements. At the end of the day, the purpose of building stronger PCCs locally is to provide mailers and USPS a mutual opportunity to grow their businesses.
To find your nearest PCC, contact your local postmaster or log on to www.usps.com/nationalpcc.

POSTAL CUSTOMER COUNCIL AWARDS
These awards recognize industry and postal PCC members and PCCs that have made extraordinary contributions during 2002:

BEST SINGLE PCC EVENT
Greater New Jersey PCC
James Lombard
PCC Industry Co-Chair
Redi-Mail Direct Marketing

Eugene Rear
PCC Postal Co-Chair

BEST MULTI-PCC EVENT
Jackson Greater Metro Area PCC
Scott Day
PCC Industry Co-Chair
Advantage Business Systems

Gayle Nicholson
PCC Postal Co-Chair

Mississippi Gulf Coast PCC
Robert Prevost
PCC Industry Co-Chair
DMS Mail Management

Timothy Machen
PCC Postal Co-Chair

Greater Baton Rouge PCC
Stanley Braud
PCC Industry Co-Chair
Capital City Press

Paul Edling
PCC Postal Co-Chair

Acadiana PCC
William Lowry
PCC Industry Co-Chair
Lowry Kwik Kopy Printing

Troy Southerland
PCC Postal Co-Chair

New Orleans PCC
Kerry Milam
PCC Industry Co-Chair
Lakeside Mailers

Alan Cousin, Sr.
PCC Postal Co-Chair

Mobile Area PCC
Nolan Johnson
PCC Industry Co-Chair
Direct Mail International

Nathan Logeson
PCC Postal Co-Chair

Montgomery PCC
Bob Parvin
PCC Industry Co-Chair
Action In Mailing

Alfreda Winston
PCC Postal Co-Chair

Pensacola PCC
Daniel Cassidy
PCC Industry Co-Chair
Gulf Power

Stanley Walker
PCC Postal Co-Chair

BEST COMMUNICATIONS PROGRAM AWARD
Houston PCC
Sharon Corriston
PCC Industry Co-Chair
National Mail Advertising

Michael Gaspard
PCC Postal Co-Chair

BEST CO-CHAIR
TEAM AWARD
Greater Atlanta PCC
Jim Conner
PCC Industry Co-Chair (former)
Atlanta Casualty/Windsor Auto

Marjorie Brown
PCC Postal Co-Chair

MVP AWARD - INDUSTRY
Greater Anchorage PCC
Michael Zoske
Operations and Sales Manager
North Mail, Inc.

MVP AWARD - POSTAL
Greater Portland PCC
Ron Anderson
Customer Relations
Coordinator

INFO @ USPS
SMALL BUSINESS TOOLS
Get new customers.
Meet customer demands.
Around town or around the world.
www.usps.com

SIMPLE FORMULAS
Use the mail to grow your business.
Order a Simple Formulas kit.
800-THE-USPS, ext. AD4433
BRINGING THE POST
OFFICE TO YOU
Visit www.usps.com

QUESTIONS?
We have the answers.
Rates and mailing information.
ZIP Codes. Post Office location.
Much, much more.
800-ASK-USPS

SHIPPING INFORMATION
Express Mail, Priority Mail and package support line.
800-222-1811

PRINTING LABELS
Your shipping label is just a Click-N-Ship away.
www.usps.com/clicknship

USPS, MAILING INDUSTRY TASK FORCE HIGHLIGHT ACHIEVEMENTS
The Postal Service and the Mailing Industry Task Force continue to work together to ensure the success of the mailing industry, Deputy Postmaster General John Nolan told the National Postal Forum in New Orleans. "We've shared knowledge, resources and strategic thinking to meet the task force's objectives of better responding to customers needs, making mail more competitive and helping unify this industry."
Progress is being made on task force recommendations to improve address quality, support the development of intelligent mail, build a competitive postal pricing strategy, enhance postal payment systems, design consumer gateway services, standardize mail preparations and optimize the postal network.
"We remain focused on how best to work together with the Postal Service for mutually beneficial results," said Michael Critelli, chairman and CEO of Pitney Bowes and co-chairman of the task force with Nolan.
A task force progress report is available at www.usps.com/strategicdirection/mitf.htm.

AIR CONTRACTS AIMED AT BETTER SERVICE
The Postal Service awarded 18 competitively bid air transportation contracts to 34 airlines. The value of these contracts will be dependent on the individual air carrier's price, capacity and service performance. The contracts take effect June 28 and are expected to increase efficiency and improve service.
Total dollar value of the contracts will not be available until the end of each fiscal year when total mail volumes flown by the airlines is known. Last year, the Postal Service paid the airlines approximately $370 million.
The 18 contracts awarded are: ABX/Airborne, Inc., Wilmington, OH; Air Flamenco, San Juan, PR; American Airlines, Dallas, TX; America West Airlines, Phoenix, AZ; American Trans Air, Indianapolis, IN; BAX Global Inc., Irvine, CA; Continental Airlines, Houston, TX; Delta/United Airlines, Atlanta, GA/Chicago, Il and Denver, CO; Four Star Aviation, San Juan, PR; Frontier Airlines, Denver, CO; JetBlue Airways, Queens, NY; M&N Aviation Inc., San Juan, PR; Midwest Express Airlines, Milwaukee, WI; Northwest Airlines, Minneapolis, MN; Roblex Aviation, San Juan, PR; Southwest Airlines, Dallas, TX; Spirit Air, Miramar, FL; and, US Airways, Washington, DC.

POSTAL NEWS BRIEFS
RATE OF RETURN
The USPS Board of Governors approved a filing for a parcel return rate. That means the Postal Service may soon be able to offer reduced rates for shippers participating in a new consumer-to-business parcel return service.
The filing with the Postal Rate Commission seeks an experimental classification for Parcel Return Services. The new service would apply to merchandise that is being returned by a consumer to a merchant.
The merchant, or an agent on the merchant's behalf, would pick up the returned parcels at a designated postal facility, and pay the applicable postage. The prices for the new service would recognize the savings that are generated by the merchant's worksharing efforts.

CAPITAL UPGRADE TO BOOST CUSTOMER SERVICE
A USPS Board of Governors-approved capital investment will go toward upgrading the mail processing computer networks at 62 postal mail processing facilities. Intelligent Mail and Address Quality Senior Vice President Charles Bravo requested funding for the first phase of the nationwide program to install modern, high-speed fiber-optic wiring to transmit data between automated processing equipment and computer systems.
A contract is expected to be awarded in June, with installation to be completed by May 2004.

WELCOME ABOARD
James Miller is the newest presidential appointee to the USPS Board of Governors. Postmaster General John E. Potter welcomed Miller at the Governor's meeting in Chicago in early May.
Miller is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and former Director of the Office of Management and Budget and Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission.

DEDICATED TO POSTAL WORKERS
It's a book about letters, so CBS newsman Charles Osgood dedicated his new book to postal workers. Funny Letters From Famous People is a collection of missives from presidents, authors and artists that, as the CBS publicists say, "just might inspire you to pick up a pen and paper." As for his dedication, Osgood wrote, "This book is about letters and I thought the men and women of the Postal Service certainly deserved that."
To help celebrate National Card and Letter Writing Month, Charles Osgood, anchor of CBS Sunday Morning, gave a reading and signed his new book at an event in Huntington, NY. "I still think there's some special quality about real letters, things that you actually hold in your hand," he said. "The problem with e-mail, I think, is it's so easy and so transient that you push that send button and if you had time to think about it, you might put it some other way."

Volume 38 Number 5
Ilze Sella, Editorial Services
Frank Papandrea, Art Director
David Ostroff, Designer
Alan Valsi, Purchasing Specialist
John E. Potter, Postmaster General and CEO
Azeezaly S. Jaffer, Vice President, Public Affairs and Communications
MEMO TO MAILERS is published by U.S. Postal Service Public Affairs and Communications.
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MEMO TO MAILERS
NATIONAL CUSTOMER SUPPORT CENTER
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memo to mailers
US POSTAL SERVICE
475 L'ENFANT PLAZA SW RM 10541
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fax: (202) 268-2392
e-mail: mmailers@email.usps.gov
Online services:
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PCC website: http://www.usps.com/nationalpcc
Direct Mail Kit: (800) THE-USPS x 2110

REGIS, KELLY AND USPS!
The popular daytime television talkers Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa helped put the Postal Service's NetPost Premium Postcards in the limelight. The online service played an important supporting role in a home
giveaway contest on the LIVE with Regis & Kelly television show.
Viewers were asked to send in postcards with answers to contest clues with a chance of winning a new home and other prizes. They could write and stamp their own - or they could use USPS's NetPost Premium Postcards service to print and mail multiple postcard entries for the contest. There was a direct link from the Regis and Kelly website.
"It demonstrates our commitment and ability to meet customers' mailing needs with creative solutions," said New York Metro Vice President Area Operations David Solomon.
Premium Postcards at www.usps.com/netpost are fast, easy and affordable.
Tens of thousands of postcards were mailed through NetPost Premium Postcards for entry in the home giveaway contest.
Thanks, Reeg!