The United States Postal Service has finally decided that drastic measures are required to save the floundering department. Among the much-publicized moves is the closing of over 250 processing facilities, and the reduction of the USPS national transportation network. The average consumer has not had much to say about the department’s woes; much to the chagrin of the industry, mail is one of those things that few people would care about until it is gone. Now, that fact is changing. Consumers are starting to express anguish toward the USPS’s cost-cutting solutions, and marketers should be taking notice.
One side effect of the shrinking department will be an increase in delivery time. Specifically, First Class Mail delivery will change from a 1-2 day delivery schedule to a 2-3 day schedule. Will this fundamentally change mailing strategies? Probably not, though marketers will need to consider the fact that mailers on tight deadlines, or those with time-sensitive information, will require a shift in planning. The real struggle, for the time being, is that the USPS has not confirmed any of these proposals yet. In the unlikely case of a Federal financial solution, or heavy consumer backlash, these changes likely won’t take place.
For now, marketers should plan for both eventualities, and prepare a system for either outcome. If October comes and goes without changes, the extra effort may seem like a waste, but there is rarely a reason to go unprepared in the face of potential disaster.
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The Tray PML Way is the blog for Tray, experts in the printing, mailing, logistics and promotional products. You can learn more about our organization's capabilities by visiting our website, as well as our Facebook and Twitter pages.
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