DID YOU KNOW.......

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FLAT–OUT REFRESHING

ILLINOIS SOFT DRINK COMPANY SWEET ON USPS

From left, Marion, IL, Letter Carrier Steven “Doug” Hancock, an employee from Pepsi Mid–America, and Business Solutions Specialist Ronda Lipscomb–Palm.

When the managers who run Pepsi Mid–America — a Pepsi Cola/Dr Pepper Bottling Company in Marion, IL — wanted to send troops stationed overseas a refreshing message, they asked USPS to help.

USPS Business Solutions Specialist Ronda Lipscomb–Palm met with Pepsi Mid–America to discuss sending soft drinks to Afghanistan and proposed using Priority Mail flat–rate services for the shipment. She also worked with Pepsi employees to install Shipping Assistant, a software package that prints required customs forms and takes advantage of Commercial Base Pricing.

“Packaging the Pepsi products in Priority Mail Large Flat Rate Boxes was the best shipping value,” she said. “It was a smart solution for our customer, and it was great that Pepsi and USPS partnered to do good things for our troops.”

Gateway District employees also volunteered to help prepare the soft drinks for shipment. An assembly line of Pepsi Mid–America employees — including President and Chief Operating Officer Harry Crisp — joined postal employees and ROTC students to box, label and ship more than 275 Priority Mail Large Flat Rate Boxes containing 4,800 cans of Pepsi products to Afghanistan.

“We want our troops to know we support them,” said Crisp, a former Marine. “That’s why we’re shipping the soda and energy drinks in flat–rate boxes to men and women on the front line.”

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CANCEL THAT

USPS BEGINS DEPLOYMENT OF NEW AFCS MACHINES

The new AFCS 200 machine.

The Postal Service has purchased 550 new advanced facer canceler system (AFCS) machines to replace equipment first deployed in 1990.

AFCS machines have long been the backbone of letter processing. They postmark stamped mail and properly orient mailpieces for automation processing. Over the years, the technology has evolved, incorporating such improvements as optical character readers.

The new “AFCS 200” machines have improved control system electronics, circuit boards, gray–scale cameras and phosphorescent indicia detectors. In addition to performing the same tasks as the equipment they’re replacing, the newer models are easier and less expensive to maintain and are more energy efficient.

According to Brent Raney, manager, Technology Development in USPS Engineering, the new AFCS machines are 15 percent faster than the old ones and can handle thicker mailpieces. Another time– and expense–saving benefit is the ability of the AFCS 200 machines to sort mail to eight more separations. “This improvement will reduce downstream handling for about 20 percent of processed mail,” said Raney.

USPS plans to begin deployment next month. All new machines are scheduled to be in place by August 2011.

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WEBINARS BIG HIT WITH CUSTOMERS

BULLISH ON DIRECT MAIL

More than 200 customers attended direct mail webinars last week sponsored by the Postal Customer Council (PCC) Advisory Council — the first time a webinar has been offered by the organization to PCC members nationwide. During the webinars, participants learned how to launch effective direct mail campaigns.

Feedback has been positive, said PCC Advisory Committee Co-Chair Theresa Peterlein. “PCC members are enthusiastic about direct mail and its marketing strengths,” she said. “It’s a powerful way to get your business or product noticed.”

The webinars reviewed the benefits of direct mail, such as:

• Direct mail offers countless formats like invitations, postcards, self-mailers, brochures and newsletters.
• Direct mail is targeted, personal, flexible, tangible and measurable.
• Customers can track the success of their campaigns.
• Direct mail is easy and cost-effective.

Peterlein said webinars make it easier for PCC members to participate in educational opportunities involving the Postal Service. “It’s our goal to expand the reach of the PCC network through webinars like this, especially for customers who can’t attend meetings in person because of time and distance constraints,” she said.

The Postal Service is pleased to be working with the PCC. “This is an important project for the Postal Service and our customers,” said Steve Kearney, senior vice president, Customer Relations. “We are convinced direct mail continues to be a vital and effective communications tool for businesses and for USPS. Based on the turnout for these webinars, it’s clear our customers agree with us on the value of direct mail.”

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SPACE-AGE SOLUTION

USPS USING GPS TECHNOLOGY TO MONITOR MTE

The Postal Service is going high-tech to improve the way it monitors the comings-and-goings of its Mail Transport Equipment (MTE), equipping some of its pallets with global positioning system (GPS) devices. With this technology, the Postal Service will be able to track GPS-equipped pallets whether they’re outdoors, inside buildings or in vehicles.

The Postal Service spends millions of dollars on MTE every year to replenish inventory and to meet the needs of customers. The cost of flat tubs and pallets ranges from $4 to $20 each. So losses can quickly add up.

Jordan Small, vice president, Network Operations, says installing GPS devices in a small percentage of pallets should not affect their use by employees or customers. “The GPS-equipped pallets function no differently than any other plastic pallet,” he says. “They can and should be used to transport mail to designated entry points in the postal network in a normal fashion.”

The GPS solution is the latest measure USPS has taken to reduce MTE losses. The Postal Service already maintains an MTE hotline employees can use to report equipment located outside the network. Employees can call 866-330-3404 to pass along information on the location, type and quantities of equipment to be retrieved.

In addition to the hotline, employees can send information related to equipment recovery to hqmte@usps.gov. Customers can return large quantities of MTE or larger equipment by completing the MTE Return Request Form available on the Facility Access Shipment Tracking website.

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PO BOXES ONLINE

PO BOXES ONLINE

IT JUST GOT EASIER

USPS has incorporated improvements to its PO Boxes website to make it more user-friendly. The changes are based on a USPS usability study and include:

• A note on the search page helps users find a PO Box closest to the address entered, or by ZIP Code, for their delivery Post Office.
• Acceptable forms of ID are more clearly defined so customers know what to bring with them to the Post Office.
• E-mail confirmations include language stating customers can visit their local Post Office to begin the verification process if they are moving to another city or state.

PO Boxes Online has experienced a 50 percent increase in annual revenue compared to last year. Click here to find the Standard Operating Procedures for PO Boxes Online. To learn more about the PO Boxes Online website, click here.

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