Finance

As part of the Postal Service'sTM ongoing mission to help grow revenue in a competitive market by making it easier for customers to do business with us, increase efficiencies, enhance financial controls, and reduce costs, the Postal Service is eliminating local trust accounts for Express Mail Corporate Account (EMCA) customers. Effective October 1, 2005, no new EMCA local trust accounts may be opened.

Customers who would like to open a new EMCA account should call 800-STAMP-24 (800-782-6724) for an application.

New EMCA customers may use one of two electronic payment methods to fund their accounts. The electronic payment methods are as follows:

• Credit card payment. With this payment option, the customer's card is charged when the Express Mail® account is used for a mailing.

• Automated Clearing House (ACH) payment through the Centralized Automated Processing System (CAPS). With the ACH option, a debit is sent to the account holder's bank account of choice at the time of the mailing.

These payment options not only increase convenience to our customers, but also make Express Mail service more competitive in the marketplace. By using an electronic payment option, customers will no longer have to go to a Post OfficeTM to make deposits into their EMCA trust accounts in order to use Express Mail service. In addition to providing increased convenience for our customers, this new payment option also enhances financial control by reducing risk and eliminating the administrative costs of pursuing negative balance or delinquent EMCA accounts.

Existing EMCA customers will be transitioned to electronic payment methods during the next year. Corporate Treasury, Finance, will publish details of this effort in future Postal Bulletin articles.

— Corporate Treasury,
Finance, 10-27-05