Mailing Systems Technology - September/October 2008 - (Page 40) Management FUTURE The value of mail in a dynamic and evolving marketplace By John L. Campo The Benefits of Mail The benefits associated with mail as a critical communications medium and driver of the economy have remained consistent since its inception. In fact, the US mailing industry is associated with approximately eight million jobs and $1 trillion in revenue. The mailstream is also the most frequently used form of communication for businesses, both large and small, to attract new customers and retain existing ones. For example, according to a 2007 Pitney Bowes/DMNews survey, 44% of consumers say they have started a relationship with a business because of a direct mailpiece, while 33% have started a relationship with a non-profit because of the mailstream. In addition to a connection with the marketplace, the value of having something delivered right to your door, free-of-charge is infinitely vast. Because of the interstate nature of mail, the USPS is given national authority over it, which ensures a single postal system with one set of standards and one set of prices. The USPS regulates everything about the mail: its form, size, addresses and postal rates. This means all citizens, no matterwhere they live, or their socio-economic background, have access to this communications medium. In other words, mail is a universal communications medium that offers ultimate choice for customers. The mailing industry is also expanding its environmental stewardship activities and adopting best practices for mail that can benefit the environment and enhance customer value. According to a new study, “The Environmental Impact of Mail: A Baseline,” published in June 2008 by Pitney Bowes, mail makes up only a small fraction of most consumers’ carbon footprint and is from an increasingly renewable resource: trees. Despite mail’s small carbon footprint, a concerted effort is already underway within the mailing industry to foster stronger collaboration to expand the environmental sustainability of mail and deliver continuous improvement in this area. In addition to the “Greening of the Mail” task force, a coalition of industry partners with the aim of making mail “greener,” individual companies, the Postal Service and industry associations are launching and expanding environmental campaigns to address the sustainability of mail. Overcoming Challenges Increasing public awareness about the environmental benefits of mail is critical to overcome existing consumer misperceptions. According to a 2007 Pitney Bowes/ DMNews Survey, 48% of consumers incorrectly guessed that advertising mail from US households constituted more than half of the PREPARING FOR THE he U.S. Postal Service (USPS) and mailing industry are undergoing a series of strategic changes right now as regulated events, consumer misperceptions and the economic slowdown continue to shape a dynamic, evolving marketplace. New, impending regulation, such as the Intelligent Mail Barcode, continues to hold great promise in providing end-to-end visibility into the mailstream for the Postal Service, mailers and customers. However, several unanswered questions remain and could delay some mailers’ response in getting on board for the full implementation proposed for May 2009. In addition, consumer perception of the mailing industry and its environmental impact is requiring careful attention and increased communications from our industry on the environmental benefits of mail. A slowing economy and low levels of consumer confidence and spending have also led to concerns over a decline in mail volume. Despite these events, the Postal Service and mailing industry are well prepared to promote the benefits of mail, overcome the challenges and explore the opportunities presented by today’s mail to ensure its relevancy for the future. T 40 SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2008 | WWW.MAILINGSYSTEMSTECHNOLOGY.COM http://www.MailingSystemsTechnology.com
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