Postmaster General Champions Value of Mail on National Broadcast

Record 14,000 Participate in National PCC Day Events Across the Country

    CINCINNATI, Sept. 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --- From leveraging
 cutting-edge technology to conducting national elections, mail matters to
 American consumers and businesses and finding ways to make mail more
 valuable is invaluable to the future of the U.S. Postal Service.
 
     That's the message Postmaster General John E. Potter shared with more
 than 14,000 customers and Postal Service officials gathered at more than
 150 sites to participate in National PCC Day today. The Postal Customer
 Council(TM) is a network of community-based business mailers and
 representatives of the U.S. Postal Service, who gather regularly to share
 ideas and resources to create a closer working relationship. On both the
 national and local levels, Postal Customer Councils (PCCs) work to
 continually improve service and communications
 
     Today there are more than 200 local PCCs with approximately 120,000
 members across the country. Regular meetings, education programs, mailer
 clinics and seminars keep members informed of developments in the Postal
 Service. All 200 PCCs participated in National PCC Day.
 
     "We want to continue working with you on building strong and positive
 relationships," Potter said. "National PCC Day is the place where good
 councils add up to great counsel."
 
     The Intelligent Mail Barcode is one way the Postal Service is
 leveraging technology to provide greater value and ease to business
 mailers, he said. Intelligent Mail barcodes provide a wealth of information
 to mailers, including the ability to track mail end-to-end. More than 200
 mailers are using the barcode, according to Potter. Earlier this month, the
 Postal Service recorded a major milestone: the one billionth barcode was
 scanned. One out of every 100 pieces of mail sorted daily now contains the
 Intelligent Mail Barcode -- and use of the barcode is entirely voluntary at
 this time.
 
     Potter was joined during the broadcast by Georgann Dustan of the
 Elections Division of Multnomah County, OR, who praised the security of the
 mail and Postal Service infrastructure that helped make voting by mail a
 success in her state, and by John Greco, president and chief executive
 officer of the Direct Marketing Association. Greco estimated that marketers
 will invest more than $55 billion on direct mail this year.
 
     Greco shared several changes underway by the direct mail industry to
 make advertising mail more personal, more targeted, and a smart business
 decision, saying that marketers receive an extraordinary $12.47 return on
 investment for every dollar spent.
 
     Potter and Greco also addressed the proposals in 15 states that could
 create Do Not Mail legislation, similar to the Do Not Call registry that
 became law more than three years ago. Greco said the industry was stepping
 up to the challenge, adopting a range of business practices that will keep
 mail welcomed by consumers, including a "Recycle Please" program and other
 actions that can have a more positive impact on the environment.
 
     But that wasn't the only legislative issue discussed during the
 national broadcast. Potter spoke of the new competitive environment created
 by the postal law and the ways the Postal Service has been working to
 understand and implement the opportunities, including setting service and
 measurement standards for every class of mail, being profit-driven, and
 redefining the rate and pricing processes.
 
     Potter said that no decision has been made yet on the timing or method
 of the next rate adjustment.
 
     "One of the biggest changes is keeping rates at or below inflation. We
 must manage rates by class and we've never done that before," he said. "The
 goal is to make a profit every year. We are more cognizant than ever of the
 bottom line."
 
     National PCC Day also showcases the work of PCCs and includes a series
 of awards recognizing outstanding service and individual achievement. The
 following award winners were announced:
     -- PCC Industry Member of the Year: Tony Racioppo, president and CEO, SDS
        Global Logistics, Queens, NY
     -- PCC Postal Service Member of the Year: (tie) Laurie Timmons, Northeast
        Area marketing manager; Robin Ware, postmaster of Columbus, OH
     -- PCC District Manager of the Year: Ken McArthur, Salt Lake City
     -- PCC of the Year (two categories): Greater St. Louis (large); South
        Central Minnesota (small)
     -- Communications Program Excellence: Greater New York (gold); Fort Worth
        (silver); Southern Nevada (bronze)
     -- Education Program Excellence: (tie) Buffalo/Niagara and Fort Worth
        (gold); Greater New York (silver); Greater Dallas (bronze)
 
     "I'm bullish on the mail and I'm convinced you are, too," Potter said.
 "I'm also convinced that we have a great future together."
 
     More information on Postal Customer Councils and National PCC Day can
 be found at usps.com/nationalpcc.
 
     Please note: Spelling of all names is CQ.
 
     Please Note: For broadcast quality video and audio, photo stills and
 other media resources, visit the USPS Newsroom at www.usps.com/news.
 
     An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only
 delivery service that visits every address in the nation, 146 million homes
 and businesses, six days a week. It has 37,000 retail locations and relies
 on the sale of postage, products and services to pay for operating
 expenses, not tax dollars. The Postal Service has annual revenues of $73
 billion and delivers nearly half the world's mail.
 
 
 
 

SOURCE U.S. Postal Service