- Marketing and Sales, International Business, 1-11-01
ICM UPDATE International Customized MailOn November 21, 2000, the United States Postal Service (USPS) amended an International Customized Mail (ICM) service Agreement dated January 23, 1998. The Agreement was published on page 42 of Postal Bulletin 21991 (2-11-99). The Amendment modifies the Agreement to extend the termination date of the Agreement, to clarify language regarding percentage discounts for Global Package Link (GPL), and to include universal labeling in the Agreement. In accordance with International Mail Manual (IMM) 294, the Postal Service previously announced entering into an International Customized Mail service Agreement with this qualifying mailer and hereby makes public the following information regarding this Amendment:
- Marketing and Sales,International Business, 1-11-01 ICM UPDATE International Customized MailOn December 12, 2000, the United States Postal Service (USPS) amended an International Customized Mail (ICM) service Agreement dated May 19, 2000. The Agreement was published in Postal Bulletin 22026 (6-15-00). The Amendment modifies the Agreement to add an acceptance site to the existing Agreement. In accordance with International Mail Manual (IMM) 294, the Postal Service previously announced entering into an International Customized Mail Service Agreement with this qualifying mailer and hereby makes public the following information regarding this Amendment:
- Marketing and Sales,International Business, 1-11-01
Poster 51, International Postal Rates and FeesThe January 2001 edition of Poster 51, International Postal Rates and Fees, is now available from the Topeka Material Distribution Center (MDC). All previous editions of that poster are obsolete, so please recycle them. Any postal installation seeking to obtain copies of the updated Poster 51 for lobby displays, employee work areas, or dissemination to postal customers can requisition them by one of the following means: · Touch Tone Order Entry: Call 1-800-332-0317,Option 1, then Option 2. · cc:Mail: Send a F3 Fill-completed PS Form 7380, MDC Supply Requisition, to MDC Customer Service @TOKS001L. · Official Mail: Mail a completed PS Form 7380, MDC Supply Requisition, to the Topeka MDC at the following USPS location: SUPPLY REQUISITIONS The relevant ordering information for Poster 51 is as follows: PSN: 7610-01-000-9149 - Marketing, International Business, 1-11-01 International Rate RestructuringThe following items - Clerk Reference Card, Retail Talks, Frequently Asked Questions - are provided as a reference to help understand the structural changes in international mail. The Clerk Reference Card, which highlights the major changes in international mail, can be used by Window Clerks as a quick reference (see the Clerk Reference Card). The Retail Talks can be used by supervisors to explain in-depth the changes in international mail. Finally, the Frequently Asked Questions will help to answer customer questions about the changes. The international mail restructuring will be implemented at the same time as the domestic rate change. SERVICE TALK - LET'S TALK RETAIL INTERNATIONAL MAIL RESTRUCTURING FIRST OF THREE SERVICE TALKS In order to make International Mail Service similar to Domestic Mail Service and to keep rates and regulations simple, International Mail is being restructured. International mail rules and regulations have been difficult for retail clerks as well as customers to understand. Soon the service you get will depend only on the speed your customers want their items to be delivered. Customers will now have simple choices to mail internationally. THE CATEGORIES AND THE NAMES WILL CHANGE · Priority Mail Global Guaranteed is now called Global Express Guaranteed (GXG) · Express Mail International will now be called Global Express Mail (EMS) · Global Priority Mail (GPM) will remain the same · Air, LC, and AO Airmail will now be called Global Airmail with two sub-categories: · Letter-post · Parcel Post · Surface Categories will now be called Global Economy with two sub-categories: · Letter-post · Parcel Post HOW DOES IT WORK? For Global Airmail, content distinctions were eliminated by merging Air Letter Class (LC) and Other Articles (AO) into one group called Letter-post. Now for Airmail there will be only two sub-categories, Letter-post and Parcel Post. The one-half ounce rate is eliminated for Letter-post making the starting weight just like domestic. The Economy rate will begin at one pound for Letter-post and five pounds for Parcel Post. For single piece sales there will no longer be a category of service for small packets, printed matter, sheet music and books. CUSTOMER SATISFACTION Now prices for services will conform to the speed of the service. The fastest service is most expensive, while the slowest is cheapest. QUESTION: What is the fastest most reliable service that we can offer our customers? ANSWER: Global Express Guaranteed is not only the fastest, but it is tracked, insured, and guaranteed. With an alliance with DHL, delivery is guaranteed. Look for additional information in upcoming issues of the Postal Bulletin, retail coach website, supervisor Straight Talk, and PSTN broadcast. NEW RATES AND SERVICES WILL GO INTO EFFECT THE SAME TIME DOMESTIC RATES CHANGE.
[Back of Clerk Reference Card] In order to make International Mail Service similar to Domestic Mail Service and to keep rates and regulations simple, International Mail is being restructured. International mail rules and regulations have been difficult for retail clerks as well as customers to understand. Now the service you get will depend only on the speed your customers want their items to be delivered. Customers will now have simple choices to mail internationally. THE CATEGORIES AND THE NAMES WILL CHANGE · Priority Mail Global Guaranteed is now called Global Express Guaranteed (GXG) · Express Mail International will now be called Global Express Mail (EMS) · Global Priority Mail (GPM) will remain the same · Air, LC, and AO Airmail will now be called Global Airmail with two sub-categories: · Letter-post · Parcel Post · Surface will now be called Global Economy with two sub-categories: · Letter-post · Parcel Post HOW DOES IT WORK? For Global Airmail, content distinctions were eliminated by merging Air Letter Class (LC) and Other Articles (AO) into one group called Letter-post. Now for Airmail there will only be two sub-categories, Letter-post and Parcel Post. The one-half ounce rate is eliminated for Letter-post making the starting weight just like domestic. The Economy rate will begin at one pound for Letter-post and five pounds for Parcel Post. For single piece sales there will no longer be a category of service for small packets, printed matter, sheet music and books. For customers who used our printed matter rates, for books, sheet music, and related merchandise samples theM-Bag option will be offered with no minimum weight restrictions. Maximum weight is still 66 pounds per bag. GXG - now accepts both documents and non-documents (merchandise). Special services that were eliminated are - Special Delivery and Special Handling. LET'S TALK RETAIL INTERNATIONAL MAIL RESTRUCTURING SECOND OF THREE SERVICE TALKS The current content-based structure of international mail service is confusing to both customers and postal employees. A customer could send a four-pound package under the current system by 12 different services. By simplifying the services offered, customers will have a better understanding of what service they will receive. So, the content-based system is being replaced with a speed-based system of mailing. GLOBAL AIRMAIL The most significant change is for letters and printed matter which will now be called Global Airmail. For letters one major change is in the weight category. The one-half ounce rate is eliminated. Now all international letter mail will be based on a one-ounce rate. The other major change is the addition of two more rate groups for international mail for items weighing over one ounce. There is a rate for Canada and Mexico, Japan, Australia/New Zealand, Europe, and the rest of the world, a total of five rate groups. TWO CATEGORIES There are only two sub-categories of Global Airmail: Letter-post and Parcel Post. Letter-post can contain letters as well as merchandise and letters. Be sure to check the International Country Listings (ICLs) in the International Mail Manual (IMM) to be certain that letters and merchandise can be mixed to a particular country. Custom forms will not change. You will still use the PS Form 2976 (green) for Letter-post mail, as required for customs and Aviation Security. As previously mentioned there will no longer be a content specific rate. Small packet, printed matter, publisher's periodicals, books, and sheet music have been eliminated. Those specific items can use Letter-post or Parcel Post to mail. In addition to that, customers who mail publisher's periodicals, sheet music or books can still use the M-Bag if they wish. The minimum weight for the M-Bag has been eliminated. Parcel Post is primarily designed to accommodate larger shipments that exceed Letter-post size and weight limits. It also allows the sender to obtain optional services such as insurance coverage and return receipt, which are otherwise not available. The conditions for parcel post are unchanged. SPECIAL SERVICES The regulations and requirements for some special services will not change. Registered mail, Recorded Delivery, etc. will still be available for Letter-post. Insurance will be available for Parcel Post. Restrictions apply. Please consult the IMM. Special Delivery and Special Handling for international mail have been eliminated. CUSTOMER SATISFACTION With the restructuring of international services the price of service will be in line with the actual cost of service. These changes will eliminate different sub-classes of international mail that took time to explain and understand. No longer will we need to use endorsements for "small packets" or "printed matter" to identify the contents of the mail. QUESTION: What is the main difference in service that restructuring has allowed us to provide our customers? ANSWER: Restructuring of international mail now allows us to charge for the speed of service instead of the contents of the article mailed. This provides our customers an easier to understand explanation of the service options available to them, and allows them to choose the most convenient and economical service to meet their mailing needs. They can now choose what they need by speed and price, getting the best value for their mailing needs. NEW RATES AND SERVICES WILL GO INTO EFFECT THE SAME TIME DOMESTIC RATES CHANGE. LET'S TALK RETAIL INTERNATIONAL MAIL RESTRUCTURING THIRD OF THREE SERVICE TALKS WHY THE CHANGE? The structure of international mail has changed to provide our customers with simple choices to mail their international letters and packages. Instead of a content-based mailing system, which charged the customer by the contents of the mail piece, the system was changed to reflect speed-based pricing. The new restructuring also recognizes the costs of mailing to different destinations so additional rate groups were added. For expedited services, Global Express Mail (EMS) offers great value - combining tracking, insurance and expedited handling for a reasonable price. Customers needing a guaranteed service should use Global Express Guaranteed (GXG). For impactful economical delivery, customers should use Global Priority Mail (GPM). GLOBAL ECONOMY (SURFACE) Global Economy mail is sent by surface transportation (i.e., boat). Global Economy includes Letter-post and Parcel Post and are subject to the same requirements and conditions of mailing as Global Airmail Letter-Post and Parcel Post items. Economy is a service to recommend when delivery time is not a factor in the shipping decision. The major change for Global Economy mail is that single piece Parcel Post rates begin at five pounds. Customers can send any weight item they want, realizing that Parcel Post rates begin at five pounds. The single piece rates for Economy Letter-post service begin at one pound. We encourage you to recommend to customers who wish to send items - weight five pounds or less - to use Global Airmail. They will get better service at a competitive price. CUSTOMER SATISFACTION Our customers now have simpler and easier choices to make when they mail their letters and packages to foreign destinations. EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION Now customers can present an article to mail to a foreign country and you won't have to ask numerous questions to find out what's inside their piece or to find them the best rate. With just a very few inquiry questions, you will be able to explain to the customers their options of mailing and special services. Then the customers can decide in a very short time the service(s) they want and how fast they want the article to arrive. It will take less time to complete an international transaction because the customers have fewer and clearer choices to make. By keeping the service simple we will improve customer satisfaction, and promote return business. QUESTION: A customer presents a parcel for mailing to an international destination. What service would you offer? ANSWER: By using G.I.S.T. you will be able to determine the needs of the customer. Since our services are based on speed instead of content, you will be able to determine the best service to meet your customers' needs. Use your knowledge of the services to suggest how they could send their article, and then let them decide on the speed that they would like their article delivered. REMINDER: INTERNATIONAL RATES AND RESTRUCTURE WILL BE IMPLEMENTED AT THE SAME TIME DOMESTIC RATES CHANGE. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS INTERNATIONAL RESTRUCTURING QUESTION: Why has the Postal Service changed the classification for international mail? ANSWER: The current content-based structure of international mail service is confusing to both customers and postal employees. A customer could send a four-pound package under the current system by 12 different services. The content- based system is being replaced with a speed-based system of mailing. Customers will now have simple choices to mail internationally based on price and speed, not content. QUESTION: How many classes of service are there? ANSWER: There are now five categories of service:
QUESTION: When I mail an Airmail letter, how will it differ from the way I sent it before? ANSWER: Letters can be sent Letter-post by Global Airmail. One major change is the one-half ounce weight rate is eliminated. The other major change is the addition of two more rate groups for items weighing over one ounce. QUESTION: How will the new one-ounce rate compare with the old one-ounce rate? ANSWER: The new one-ounce rate of 80 cents is actually cheaper than the old one-ounce rate of $1.00. However, the new one-ounce rate of 80 cents is more than the old half-ounce rate of 60 cents. QUESTION: What about content-based services I use now. What will change? ANSWER: Small packet, printed matter, publisher's periodicals, books, and sheet music have been eliminated. These specific items can be mailed via Letter-post or Parcel Post. Customers who mail publisher's periodicals, sheet music, or books can still use M-Bag service if they wish. The minimum weight for M-Bag service has been eliminated. QUESTION: What will change when I send a parcel? ANSWER: The major change in Parcel Post rates is for Global Economy (surface) service. Parcel Post Global Economy rates begin at five pounds. Customers can send any weight item they want, but the Parcel Post rate begins at five pounds. The reason why we have done this is because the cost for lower weight items would price surface parcel service above the faster air service. The single piece rates for Economy Letter-post service begins at one pound for the same reason. QUESTION: Have any Special Services been changed? ANSWER: The regulations and requirements for some special services will not change. Registered Mail, Recorded Delivery, etc. will still be available for Letter-post. Insurance will be available for Parcel Post. However, Special Delivery and Special Handing for international mail have been eliminated. - International Business, 1-11-01 |
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