Uphill Battle
By Larry Riggs
The U.S. Postal Service came out with its five-year plan earlier this month saying in which it said it wants to keep improving service while cutting costs and further automating its operations.
Much of this means coming up with new products, fostering profitable partnerships and finding new ways to use existing assets like post offices.
Likely alliances include those with other government agencies like the State Department which offers passport applications in post offices.
The USPS also may tailor products to different customer groups, something allowed under the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act of 2006.
“We must increase the loyalty of current customers while developing relationships with younger people who, compared with earlier generations, increasing view mail as less relevant or important,” notes the Vision 2013 report.
By its own admission, the agency sees the next five years an uphill battle. It remains to be seen just how tough it will be.
In December the Postal Regulatory Commission is set to report to Congress about universal service and the USPS’s mail monopoly. Mailers fear just what this might mean.
