Mailing Systems Technology - May/June 2008 - (Page 38)

Operations Intelligent Mail Editor’s Note: For the latest on IMB releases, visit www.MailingSystemsTechnology.com the Barcode A collaborative approach to getting it right By John L. Campo ernard Baruch, a 20th Century Wall Street ﬁnancier and wartime presidential adviser, had a saying about how he planned for the future: “We can’t cross a bridge until we come to it; but I always like to lay down a pontoon ahead of time.” That notion holds true for mailers as well as moguls, and never more so than now as the industry prepares for the full implementation of the Intelligent Mail Barcode (IMB). Getting it right will be even more critical than getting it fast. Why the IMB Is So Important The IMB, a height-modulated barcode that encodes up to 31-digits of mailpiece data into 65 vertical bars, is a critical tool for the Postal Service to continue with its transformation plan and to reduce undeliverable as addressed (UAA) mail by 50% by 2010. The ultimate vision is to deploy information-rich barcodes on all mail and packages so that the USPS and its customers can obtain end-to-end visibility into the mailstream. This unprecedented visibility will also help capitalize on the value of information about mail; better manage resources; reduce operating costs; and anticipate, adapt and respond to present and future market conditions. How mail producers implement the IMB could have long-term implications for their organizations. For example, the USPS’s “Full Service” Option will provide access to the full range of IMB beneﬁts and services, including the lowest postal rates, track-and-trace capabilities, address change services, cleaner-looking mailpieces, improved scanning and the ability to participate in the USPS Seamless Acceptance program. This option will require special barcodes on letter trays, sacks and other containers. The mailpiece identiﬁer will need to remain unique for each 45-day period. Plus, mailers will be required to submit their postage statements and mailing documentation electronically. The “Basic” IMB Option will require that mailers use the new barcode and 31-digit data payload, but added requirements for trays, sacks, pallets, reporting, unique identiﬁers, do not apply. B As the ﬁrst mandated barcode change since the USPS invented POSTNET in 1980, some organizations may ﬁnd themselves in uncharted territory. In addition to new data and processing requirements, the graphics, fonts, coding and print speciﬁcations for the IMB are diﬀerent from any existing barcode used today. Organizations will have to create the new barcode plus phase out any current barcodes, such as POSTNET or PLANET Code. An Evolutionary, Collaborative Approach First announced in 2003, the IMB became available in 2006 and hundreds of mailers are already taking advantage of IMB-enabled intelligence. Industry-wide implementation has been pushed back to May 2009, and the story behind this delay is an interesting indication of the Postal Service’s commitment to collaboration. In January 2008, the USPS released an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the Federal Register, which stated that mailers would be required to use the IMB to access automation prices for letters and ﬂats as of January 2009. What this meant was that beginning with the new year, automation discounts would no longer be available for mailers who use the POSTNET barcode. To qualify for the lowest postal rates, mailers would have to implement the new IMB. At the same time of this advance notice, the USPS welcomed feedback from the mailing industry. They received an unprecedented response and interest, indicating there was an increased willingness to work together to ensure that the IMB was a success for all parties involved. The USPS took this feedback under account and recognized the existing challenges for mail producers 38 MAY-JUNE 2008 | WWW.MAILINGSYSTEMSTECHNOLOGY.COM http://www.MailingSystemsTechnology.com http://www.mailingsystemstechnology.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Mailing Systems Technology - May/June 2008

Mailing Systems Technology - May/June 2008 Contents Editor’s Note Peer to Peer It’s an Inside Job Greening Your Mail Center Adopting an Automated Document Factory Intelligent Mail and Address Quality 7 Steps to Combat “Do Not Mail” A Successful Resolution Q&A with Dan G. Blair, Chairman, Postal Regulatory Commission The Intelligent Mail Barcode Developing High-Performance Teams Simple Strategies to Save You Money A Powerful Social Network With Change, Comes Opportunity Increasing the Deliverability of Mail Kate’s Slate Products & Services People of Distinction Advertiser Index Sho Time

Mailing Systems Technology - May/June 2008

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