Encourage and Develop New Mail Applications

The Postal Service will encourage and develop new applications for mail by working with companies seeking to integrate mail with their market opportunities. Vote by Mail and the games and movie rental market are examples of how customers have been able to use postal products to meet emerging needs. The new law supports a greater simplification to add new and experimental services. It allows for more rapid product testing and introduction. The Postal Service intends to take full advantage of this flexibility and will reach out to customers and business partners, exploring strategic alliances to encourage innovation and identify new applications.

The Postal Service will explore additional ways to capitalize on the complementary nature of mail and the Internet, and will work further with online merchants to increase the value of postal shipping solutions for order fulfillment. eBay and DVD rentals by mail have demonstrated that the convenience of mail can be successfully combined with the convenience of online services. The Postal Service will continue to leverage the benefits of delivery and pickup at every address to create new applications for the mail.

Help Customers Better Manage their Business with Intelligent Mail

With Intelligent Mail, the Postal Service is laying a solid foundation that will transform the value of mail by helping customers manage business processes, track cash flows, and build and maintain customer relationships. Intelligent Mail allows customers to track their mail as it moves in the mail value chain. Data about this movement will be available at every step so that mailers and the Postal Service will know when advertising pieces arrive at their destination, when customer remittances are mailed, and when problems such as inaccurate addressing or unreadable barcodes need correction.

Since introduction of the Intelligent Mail (IM) barcode in 2006, nearly 200 mailers have successfully begun integrating the barcode within their operations. Mailers seeking automation discounts must use intelligent barcodes starting January 2009. The Postal Service is working with the mailing industry to finalize requirements for discounts while actively encouraging customers to adopt the IM barcode as soon as possible. Established industry forums like the Mailers‘ Technical Advisory Committee, National Postal Forum, and Postal Customer Councils make it easy for all businesses to receive information, express concerns, and start using the IM barcode. The Postal Service will continue working with all mailers, small businesses in particular, to promote the benefits of Intelligent Mail, electronic payment, and information-based indicia technology.

New products are being developed around the Intelligent Mail infrastructure and the value it adds to the mail. Multiple information services may be provided consistent with the range of customer needs. Some customers, for example, will want only induction and delivery data. Other customers will want full tracking and tracing.