Mailing Systems Technology - May/June 2008 - (Page 55)

mailing industry, we can educate and influence legislators on the foolishness of Do Not Mail bills. We can convince them they’re a bad idea for the economy. We can mute the environmental arguments with the facts about mail waste (it’s miniscule in the grand scheme of waste) and the use of recycled paper in the mail (it’s large and growing). We, as an industry, need for the Postal Service’s business model to work. We need to find new growth opportunities for mail. If you have an idea, don’t wait for the Postal Service to come to you — take it to them. I’ll bet you there are people at L’Enfant Plaza who would love to hear your idea. In fact, I know they want to hear from us. Just recently, the Postal Service’s senior vice president in charge of strategic planning put a call out to the industry asking for input on the Postal Service’s strategy and vision. One question she asked specifically is, “What do you see as growth opportunities for the Postal Service?” Let’s not ignore this offer of input. If you don’t know how to get started or whom to call at headquarters, start with your association representatives. That’s what we are here for, to help you navigate the postal maze. Pick up the phone, or a pen and paper, and tell the Postal Service what it is your company needs to increase your use of mail. As for overly prescriptive rules and regulations, this is a real danger. Many mailers worry the Postal Service is moving in the direction of tightened mail preparation rules that will help it keep its own costs low, while shoving the costs on to mailers. The industry is all for the USPS lowering its costs, but not at the expense of the industry. “Lowestcombined costs” is the solution. You’ll hear this term “lowest-combined costs” a lot at industry gatherings, and it’s not just the latest management buzzword like “thinking outside the box” — it is the gospel for mailers and their suppliers. I look at that word “combined” and it suggests to me that we have to work together. The Postal Service needs us and we need the Postal Service. The nation’s postal system simply will not survive without one or the other. Sticking together seems a logical solution. Kate Muth is Vice President of the Association for Postal Commerce, a trade association in Arlington, Virginia, that represents the interests of mail-related businesses before Congress, the Postal Service and the Postal Rate Commission. You can reach her via email at kmuth@postcom.org or by phone at 703-524-0096. For more information on the association, visit www.postcom.org. WWW.MAILINGSYSTEMSTECHNOLOGY.COM | MAY-JUNE 2008 55 http://www.postcom.org 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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