Postage Due 11/25
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Harte-Hanks to host online seminar to help marketers plan for proposed postal rate structure
CINCINNATI, OH To help U.S. commercial marketers understand the new postal rate structure and plan for new rates when they are anticipated to take effect next spring, Harte-Hanks, Inc. (NYSE: HHS), a worldwide direct and targeted marketing solution provider, will host a complimentary, scheduled one-hour Webinar on Thursday, December 7, at 2 p.m. EST.
To register, visit: http://harte-hanks.com/Webinar
“Marketing organizations have many questions about how they are going to cope with increases that — as proposed — are striking in some niche categories,” said Robert J. Colucci, corporate officer and vice president, Harte-Hanks. “This is a difficult rate case. Marketers need to understand that whether or not a mail piece is a letter, flat or parcel, and whether or not existing postal automation can accommodate that mail piece, create a huge difference in what mailers will pay once the new rates take effect as early as May next year. We know that marketers are making decisions now about their media mix, mail design, and how they plan to leverage the mail medium in mid-2007. This Webinar is intended to give clear, proactive direction on how marketers can optimize their direct mail resources.”
Experts scheduled to address the Webinar audience are Colucci, who also serves as a member of the Board of Directors for The Mailers Council, a coalition of more than 50 corporations, non-profit organizations and major mailing associations who represent for-profit and non-profit mailers and rely on the U.S. Postal Service to deliver correspondence, publications, parcels, greeting cards and payments; Charley Howard, vice president, postal affairs, Harte-Hanks, and Sharon Daniel, manager, mailing standards, U.S. Postal Service (USPS). Howard also serves as an industry representative on the Mailers’ Technical Advisory Committee, an advisory group on postal issues that includes USPS representatives.
Postage Due 11/24
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Flexible Spending Account Calculator
Open season for postal employees to set up Flexible Spending Accounts for 2007 runs through December 31. While an FSA is usually a good deal for everyone, it can be difficult to know for sure how much money to contribute. Wageworks offers an FSA calculator that will provide an estimate of your covered medical expenses. (via LifeHacker)
Postage Due 11/23
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Mail Services, Inc. Opens New Washington/Dulles International Mail Processing Facility
Press release:
Mail Services, Inc., a Baltimore-based international mailing company, today announced the expansion of its international mail processing network in response to increased volume and customer demand. A new Washington/Dulles processing facility will handle publications, parcels, direct mail and corporate mail destined for Canada and locations worldwide beginning January 2, 2007.
“Our new processing location will benefit our growing customer base tremendously by improving service quality while reducing international transportation costs. We will gain almost unlimited access to international flights worldwide at significantly reduced costs,” said Chris Taylor, President & CEO, Mail Services, Inc. “By constantly optimizing our international transportation network and processing costs, we are able to generate cost management advantages for our customers, while assuring exceptional international delivery.”
In an effort to provide rapid access to international mail markets at an affordable cost to all customers, MSI is developing a network of new processing facilities in major markets around the United States. Currently, two other processing facilities are planned for 2007: Chicago and Los Angeles.
The new Washington Dulles facility is located in Sterling, Virginia, about 5 minutes from Washington Dulles International Airport. It features full-service international processing capabilities for mail, parcels and publications distribution to any destination worldwide.
Postage Due 11/22
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Roll your own stamp contest
Worth1000.com invites you to create some new postage stamps- it’s their sixth stamp contest- check out some of the past entries too…
GAO- Transforming USPS Business Model a Priority for New Congress
Comptroller General David M. Walker has provided Congressional leaders with a list of priorities for the upcoming session of Congress. Among the fifteen ‘Near Term’ recommendations from the GAO chief is “Transform the Postal Service’s Business Model”.
Here’s what Walker had to say:
The U.S. Postal Service is under increasing financial pressure as the Internet, electronic bill payment, and growing competition from private delivery companies change the nation’s communication and delivery sectors and negatively impact mail volumes. These changes raise questions about the role of the federal government in providing postal services and whether the Postal Service can remain a self-financing government provider of affordable universal postal services in the 21st century. The Postal Service’s business model, established when it was reorganized in 1970, relies upon growth in mail volume to cover the costs of its ever-increasing nationwide delivery network to all homes and businesses. This business model is increasingly outmoded as First-Class Mail volume declines and the changing mail mix provides less revenue contribution, which has put the Postal Service’s financial viability at risk. The Service is working to cut costs, improve productivity, reduce its workforce, and make other changes under its existing authority. However, comprehensive postal reform legislation is needed to provide the necessary incentives and flexibilities needed for the Service to transition to a modernized business model so that it can continue providing high-quality, universal postal services.
Key Topics Needing Congressional Oversight
- Ensure that the Postal Service maintains services consistent with its standards as it implements changes to reduce costs related to providing postal services.
- Assess the Postal Service’s changes to its mail processing and transportation networks to ensure that they are reasonable, transparent, and coordinated with affected stakeholders, and that they achieve intended cost savings and efficiencies.
- Adopt flexible, performance-oriented, and market-based compensation systems for postal employees.
Postage Due 11/21
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