Aspen Postal Workers Say Mail Deliberately Delayed

Aspen Postal Workers Say Mail Deliberately Delayed
(Colorado) "Local residents are facing extra delays to their mail; staff morale is at an all-time low at the Aspen post office; and some letters are being left in piles on the floor instead of being placed in their correct post office boxes, two postal workers claimed Thursday." Al DeSarro, spokesman for the Postal Service's western region, said it is unlikely mail is allowed to pile up in this manner."(4/29) http://www.aspendailynews.com/articles.cfm?id=2

DHL PRESENTS UNIQUE LINE OF PREPAID, FLAT-RATE PRODUCTS TO INDEPENDENT RETAIL MAIL AND PARCEL CENTERS

DHL PRESENTS UNIQUE LINE OF PREPAID, FLAT-RATE PRODUCTS TO INDEPENDENT RETAIL MAIL AND PARCEL CENTERS

PLANTATION, Fla. -- April 28, 2005

DHL ShipReady(TM) Offers Consumer and Small Business Customers Hassle-Free, Paperwork-Free, Guaranteed Domestic Overnight Delivery

DHL, the world's leading express delivery and logistics company, today presented a unique line of prepaid, flat-rate express delivery products to independent mail and parcel centers in the United States. Beginning next month, DHL ShipReady(TM) products will be available for purchase at participating independent retail shipping locations affiliated with the Associated Mail & Parcel Centers (AMPC) and offering DHL express delivery and shipping services.

The introduction of the DHL ShipReady product line for AMPC-member independent mail and parcel centers is the latest initiative launched by DHL as part of an ongoing commitment to better serve the express shipping needs of consumers and small businesses everywhere, while increasing the company's street-level footprint and helping independent retail shipping locations to grow their own business. Independent retail mail and parcel centers were introduced to the DHL ShipReady line of products today as part of the AMPC's National Sales Convention in Nashville, Tennessee.

"DHL ShipReady offers customers the most unique and innovative prepaid, flat-rate express shipping solution in the market place," said John Pearson, executive vice president, commercial, for DHL. "ShipReady addresses a specific customer need for convenience in shipping, and we expect it will be overwhelmingly accepted by both the independent mail and parcel centers and their consumer and small business customers. Through this product, DHL is greatly enhancing its portfolio of services offered through independent retail shipping locations across the country, providing their customers with increased and simplified access to DHL."

DHL and the AMPC
Last year, DHL launched a nationwide program with AMPC-member independent mail and parcel centers and current licensees of the group's cooperative buy program and consumer brand, the Neighborhood Postal Center (NPC). Under DHL's Preferred Provider Program, participating retail shipping stores adopted DHL as their preferred transportation provider for express delivery and shipping services, and promote DHL services to their customers. To date, more than 1,600 independent retail mail and parcel centers are participating in the program.

DHL ShipReady Benefits
DHL ShipReady products are available in three sizes ? Express Letter Envelope, Express Legal Envelope, and Express Pack ? and will be available for purchase at a flat-rate price with no hidden charges at participating independent retail shipping locations. Customers may also order ShipReady products directly from DHL and review DHL's standard terms and conditions of carriage at www.dhl-usa.com.

Customers can use ShipReady products to ship door-to-door, to and from anywhere within the 48 contiguous United States. Customers can simply complete the pre-printed address label on their ShipReady package and call DHL to schedule a free pick-up, or drop off their shipment at their nearest DHL drop box, service center, or retail shipping location. Customers can visit the DHL drop-off locator at www.dhl-usa.com to locate their nearest service center, drop box, or retail shipping location.

ShipReady products have no weight restrictions, as long as the envelope or pack can be sealed safely and securely, and no expiration date, so they can be used by customers anytime.

DHL ShipReady products are guaranteed for next-day domestic delivery by 12:00 PM, and offer customers total visibility into the delivery status of their shipments via DHL's global tracking system.

Photo Stamps are back......

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USPS: TRACKING INTERNATIONAL FORGERS

TRACKING INTERNATIONAL FORGERS. More than 3,700 counterfeit postal money orders were intercepted from October to December, exceeding the total for the previous 12 months, according to the Postal Inspection Service, with most of the forgeries originating in Nigeria, Ghana and Eastern Europe. Inspectors are warning financial institutions to be vigilant and are working to intercept packages containing bogus money orders as they enter the country. Arrests of 160 individuals have been made in the U.S. Find tips to help identify counterfeit postal money orders at the Postal Inspection Service site.

Picture Stamps Could Return As Early As Next Month

U.S. POSTAL SERVICE SEEKS CUSTOMIZED POSTAGE VENDORS
Request for proposals reflects USPS commitment to meeting customers' needs

Washington, D.C. - Personal photos on postage could return as early as next month as the Postal Service moves into the second phase of an extensive test of this popular product that debuted last year.

Customized postage allows a customer to personalize postage with pictures or images using PC Postage® technology. The United States Postal Service today began looking for qualified PC Postage® vendors able to produce customized postage to be used on First-Class Mail, Priority Mail and Express Mail for personal use only.

"We're combining the trust people have in the Postal Service with the technology and efficiencies of the private sector to bring customized postage to our customers," said Nicholas Barranca, Vice President of Product Development. "Customized postage allows us to make mail more valuable and more meaningful to people."

Customized postage will have two parts: a customer-supplied image and a state-of-the-art secure bar code. All customized postage is compatible with the Postal Service's automated mail processing systems.

Like postage meters, PC Postage® facilitates customer access to postage payment and use of the mail. PC Postage® is not a stamp and the use of customized postage will not affect the Postal Service's production or commitment to postage stamps, Barranca said.

Customized postage will be limited to personal use only during the one-year test. This is the second step in the Postal Service's testing of the product to determine its appeal to customers and the value it may add to postal services.

To become an authorized PC Postage® provider, applicants must be able to prove the ability to generate high quality, computer-based postage or metered postage and demonstrate they routinely use secure encryption technology to protect postal revenue.

"We want to make sure that anyone we authorize has the ability to produce postage in an efficient way," Barranca said. "While we continue to strive to meet the needs of our customers, we want to make sure that any product also meets our standards for quality and security."

USPS will require vendors to produce a product that meets current postal regulations and conclusively prove that all images produced and services provided abide by all federal laws, including copyright laws.

Authorized vendors will determine pricing and are expected to price their products based on the value provided to the consumer. The Postal Service's role is to authorize and monitor qualified providers.

The formal request for proposals from qualified vendors will be advertised in the Federal Register on April 27.

The year-long test is expected to last through May 2006. Vendors may begin offering PC Postage® within 20 days of being authorized by the United States Postal Service.

Woman Hurt Getting Mail Goes to Court

The Supreme Court will consider the case of an injured postal customer that slipped and fell on mail delivered to the porch of her home instead of to her mailbox.

Barbara Dolan, is suing the United States Postal Service for the back and wrist injuries she suffered. She is suing for negligent mail delivery.

USPS: NEW BARCODE MOVES FORWARD

NEW BARCODE MOVES FORWARD. A new postal barcode is being tested. The four-state barcode — named for its four vertical bar types — is being tested at the National Customer Support Center in Memphis, TN, to ensure that barcode sorters can read, decode and transmit data correctly. The four-state code contains more data than current codes, with the potential to benefit both mailers and USPS.

USPS: Carrier Pickup reaches 8 million mark

An online company that sells blue jeans worldwide — usedblue.com — has shipped the 8 millionth package collected as a result of Carrier Pickup Online Notification.

Akron, OH, North Hill Station Letter Carrier Rita Shook takes package number 8 million from customer Julie Godfrey-Cornish Saturday.

Julie Godfrey-Cornish of Akron, OH, started her company about a year ago and now ships about 500 Priority Mail parcels a month to U.S. addresses — plus another 60 internationally.

A competitor’s service was “very expensive and not very convenient,” says Godfrey-Cornish. “With the Postal Service, I’m saving $2,000 a month in shipping costs.”

Part of that savings is in Godfrey-Cornish’s use of Priority Mail envelopes and flat-rate boxes supplied free by USPS.

“Carrier Pickup Online Notification is helping us grow package revenue,” says Northern Ohio District Manager Kathy Ainsworth. “Business customers like usedblue.com appreciate the value and reliability of shipping packages with the Postal Service, especially with an option like Carrier Pickup to make their business models work.”
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Congratulations to usedblue.com from Fast-Pack.com !

Shipping Basics for Auctions - Thinking Inside the Box!

Shipping Basics for Auctions
How thinking "inside" the box can dramatically boost revenues!
Courtesy of BidBoosters.com

Thinking outside of the box isn't always a good idea. At least not when it's the shipping box we're talking about. Most sellers spend a good amount of time preparing for an auction, but pay little attention to the revenue potential after the sale. If that's you we're talking about, then you're potentially leaving a lot of money on table.

Order fulfillment is a lot more than just getting the product into the buyer's hands. Once you have made a sale to a buyer, you have the potential to continue selling to them. When people are satisfied with a purchase they are more likely to buy from the same seller again. All you have to do is make that process easy for them to do.

It doesn't matter if you do the shipping yourself, or use a fulfillment house, when your package arrives on the customer's doorstep, it's the last chance you'll have to make a good first impression.

In "normal" bricks and mortar shopping, your customer has a chance to judge the quality of a business by the look and location of the store, the appearance and behavior of sales people, and the way that products are merchandised. As an online seller, you do not have the chance to dazzle your customer with any of those quality indicators. In fact, all you have is your shipping box and what's inside of it. This represents your entire physical presence in the real world, so let's put your best face forward.

Appearances count, so make sure that you look good. Use professional shipping boxes or envelopes. A used avocado box, from your local grocery store, wrapped with duct tape, doesn't motivate the customer to want to do business with you again. You can buy perfectly acceptable boxes, and professional, padded shipping envelopes, at any office supply store. If you make a lot of shipments, then consider buying wholesale. Check your Yellow Pages under the heading of "Boxes - Corrugated and Fiber", or "Office Supplies - Wholesale".

While you are at it, use a typed or printed shipping label instead of scrawling the address in magic marker. You can buy custom-printed labels with your company names for peanuts. It's a small investment and it creates a rich look.

Your next challenge is the packing material. You should avoid Styrofoam "peanuts" at all costs. Not only are the environmentally unfriendly, but they are expensive and many people do not like receiving them. A client of mine received a letter from the Environmental Protection Agency after he had shipped them some software they had ordered.

The letter thanked my client for using shredded paper as packing material, instead of non-biodegradable materials, and assured my client that his company would be their first choice for off-the-shelf software purchases in the future. That turned into a pretty good contract for him and all because he cared about his packing material.

If you have an office shredder you can shred your wate paper and not only keep it out of your dumpster but produce quite a bit of packing material as well. If you have more shipping than waste paper, consider buying corn starch "peanuts". They are 100% biodegradable and they're as sturdy as the Styrofoam ones.

Beside your product and invoice, there are some other important things that need to go inside of the box. Make sure that you have something that clearly explains your return policy. If your return policy is "All sales are final", then be sure to at least say that. If you require a Return Merchandise Authorization, then include one, or include instructions on how to get one from your web site.

Next comes the Thank You Note. Yep, a hand written one, on thank you note paper is best, but you can include a printed one if you have high volume. In it, thank the customer for purchasing from you, invite them to purchase again, and, if possible, include a discount offer for some other product or service. If you have a free giveaway, like advertising specialty items, be sure to include one in the box as well.

This is also the perfect time to offer other sales incentives like your catalog or flyer, special sale items, and any products or services that you might be an affiliate of. This is perfect opportunity to cross-sell, up-sell and convince your customer that you're worth doing business with again. If you have an electronic newsletter, or Ezine, make sure you invite them to subscribe.

In Louisiana, the Cajun people have a wonderful phrase. It's called lagniappe - "lan-yap", and it means "a little something extra". It's a merchant's way of showing a customer how valued they are. In other parts of the country it might be called a "Baker's Dozen" from the days when you would buy a dozen pastries and the baker would thrown in one more.

No matter what you call it, most people are defiantly not used to lagniappe these days. If you find a way to deliver a little "something extra", you can be pretty sure that the customer will notice and will think of you the next time the have a need. A happy customer is most likely to become a repeat customer, give you a top notch auction reviews, and tell everyone how great you are. If you use your auctions as a strategy to sell non-auction items to your customers as well, then "Thinking INSIDE the Box" will bring great rewards!

Printed with permission of BidBoosters.com :: BidBoosters.com helps power sellers and auction newbies save money, increase sales, and boost online auction selling success with professional templates, free embedded item photos, and insightful auction selling information.
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Looking for that lagniappe or "a little something extra" ? How about this for thinking "INSIDE THE BOX!?"

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UPS 115th, FedEx 200th Ranked Largest Companies in the World

UPS - http://www.forbes.com/finance/mktguideapps/compinfo/CompanyTearsheet.jhtml?cusip=911312106

FedEx - http://www.forbes.com/finance/mktguideapps/compinfo/CompanyTearsheet.jhtml?cusip=31428X106

USPS: APWU Drivers End Strike

APWU Drivers Will Continue to Press for Private-Sector Contracts
APWU Web News Article #18-05, April 18, 2005

Approximately 170 APWU truck drivers who work for Mail Contractors of America have concluded their nearly three-week strike, going back to work for MCA in Des Moines, Kansas City, KS, and Jacksonville, FL, but vowing to press on for fair contracts.

The APWU-represented motor vehicle operators, back on the job April 11, are seeking an end to unfair labor practices and policies the privately-owned MCA imposed last September that reduced the pay of some of them as much as $10,000 per year. They held out the option to strike again if MCA refuses to bargain.

“We felt we had no choice but to strike,” said Tony Olson, an APWU steward and MCA employee in Des Moines. The company hired replacement drivers, he said, “but we made our point.”

MCA is one of the nation’s largest private mail haulers; its collective bargaining agreements in Des Moines and Jacksonville expired in September 2003 (Kansas City drivers are trying to negotiate a first contract). Among the conditions MCA imposed on workers in all three cities last fall was that it stopped paying a portion of health insurance premiums, forcing drivers to assume the costs if they wished to maintain their coverage.

The company also began denying the drivers pay for required rest breaks – breaks they were paid for in the expired agreements. “We were tired of working under the imposed conditions,” said Russ Gallion, president of APWU’s First Coast Local, which represents MCA truck drivers in Jacksonville. “When we saw that Kansas City and Des Moines went out, we decided to go out along with them.”

Another large private mail-haul firm, Pat Salmon & Sons, has returned to negotiations with APWU-represented drivers. Hundreds of drivers and their families had their eligibility for health insurance cut off March 1 by the company as a collective bargaining agreement lapsed.

The drivers, who work out of terminals in Arkansas, Texas, and three other states, had been paying as much as $11,500 a year just to be eligible for the company plan. The company refused to consider maintaining the insurance plan, for which it was paying less than 10 percent of the premiums for family coverage, and nothing at all for individuals. APWU representatives said that many contractual items had been agreed upon. A federal mediator was brought in to the talks in April.

“They are remarkably insensitive,” said Bill Manley, Support Services Division NBA and lead representative for the APWU bargaining team. “It clearly isn’t about the money. The company has not complained about costs; it simply doesn’t want to talk about healthcare problems.”

“The company has always been almost entirely dependent upon the Postal Service for its livelihood, and it’s been doing very well for more than 50 years,” Manley said.

The drivers won their first labor contract in September 2003, following three years of negotiations, the filing of unfair labor practice charges, and a short but successful strike. The agreement covered Salmon employees at terminals in Dallas, Fort Worth, Little Rock, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Memphis and Shreveport.

UPS Q1 Profit Rises on Volume Increase

United Parcel Service, Atlanta, reported a 16 percent improvement in income and a 13.8 percent jump in operating profit for the first quarter of 2005, along with an increase in worldwide package volume.

First-quarter net income climbed to $882 million from $759 million in the same period in 2004. Operating profit increased to $1.39 billion from $1.22 billion.

Consolidated worldwide package volume in the quarter rose to 885 million, up 3 million from the same period in 2004. Average daily package volume increased by 38,000 to 13.82 million.

Google, The Package Tracking Machine! What doesn't Google Do !?!

www.Fast-Pack.com
Jason Archambault
4-17-05

Need to track a package, have the tracking number but hate having to log in to a specific providers website to track packages sent by their service, Google says, NO MORE! My question is, What doesn't Google Do? Well you can now scratch tracking packages sent by UPS, FedEx, and USPS off of your list.

How does it work? Just pull up www.google.com , and enter your tracking number alone and hit enter. You will get a search page that will show the following,; Track UPS package 1Z0095AR034781**** (number hidden for customer security). The tracking number is a link, click it and viola, the package is tracked! Another great tool from Google!

What do you think about this new tool, like it or leave it? Click "Comments" below and share your thoughts with the world.

UPS: Package Flow Technologies: Innovation at Work

Package Flow Technologies: Innovation at Work

In the early 20th century, UPS pioneered the hub and spoke model for package delivery operations. In this century, UPS continues its innovative tradition with the development of package flow technologies. A suite of software and hardware designed to give the company a competitive edge, package flow technologies ensure UPS has unparalleled small package operations – optimizing the delivery of multiple services to customers (air, ground and international) out of a single delivery vehicle.

UPS has invested US$600 million in the vast initiative to optimize the company's domestic package network. When the process is fully complete in 2007, the company expects to realize an annual cost savings of US$600 million.

PLD: The Cornerstone of the UPS Network
At the heart of package flow technologies – and all of UPS's package operations – is Package Level Detail, or PLD. UPS realized more than a decade ago that in order to achieve the level of automation required to serve customers most efficiently, information about a customer's package would have to make the transition from paper to digital. Enter the “smart” label – the concise physical embodiment of PLD.

The smart label contains all the detailed information UPS needs to know about a package in order to get it from Point A to B in the time frame requested by the customer. Obvious things such as the “Ship To Address” and the service level (e.g., UPS Ground, UPS Next Day Air, etc.).
But UPS doesn't call the label smart for nothing. It also contains a host of information, imbedded in bar codes and the unique UPS “maxi code,” that ensure the package gets to its ultimate destination on time.

To manage their supply chains, customers need to be able to track their goods. The smart label denotes the “1Z” tracking number that enables customers to track packages online or via telephone as they move through the UPS delivery network.

So, how is the smart label generated? Customers can generate their own label via the Shipping function on UPS.com or by using any one of UPS's online products. Of course, smart labels can also be applied to packages customers take to any one of UPS's 70,000 access outlets, including The UPS Store. Today, more than 90 percent of all the packages traveling through the UPS delivery network are “smart.”

Optimizing the Delivery Network: Dispatch Planning
To optimize the “last mile” in its delivery network (the last mile being the package distribution center, including package delivery by a UPS driver), UPS developed a suite of package flow technologies and business processes that use smart labels to capture information about the package before it even gets to the center.

Using historical, forecasted and exceptions information, package flow technologies create a dispatch plan for every driver working out of the package distribution center. The system helps package center management ensure that drivers are not over-dispatched and that last minute load changes to a driver's package car are minimized. This is very important because, unlike other carriers, UPS delivers multiple services using the same driver.

A single UPS driver delivers overnight packages, collects COD payments and delivers ground packages to the commercial and residential customers on his/her route. This provides the customer with a consistent, reliable service provider and enables UPS to more fully and efficiently understand a customer's unique needs. Consequently, customer service is tied directly to UPS's ability to optimize its dispatch planning and loading plans.
Tracking a package is critical to the management of customer supply chains. Package flow technologies synchronize package information with UPS's corporate databases so that customers have the latest package tracking information available.

Can a Label Be a PAL?
The address information on the customer's package is validated and another label – called the Pre-Load Assist Label or PAL – is printed out in the package center. The label tells the package sorter which conveyor belt chute to place the package on for transport to the package car loading area. Once in the package car loading area, the PAL tells the loader the exact shelf location on the specific car where the package should be placed for optimum delivery.

Thanks to the smart label and the PLD information it contains, all the logistical details needed to determine the specific sorting and loading factors for a particular package are available before that package even gets to the center. The PAL is applied to the package when it physically enters the building.

The PAL is truly a “pal” to the UPS employee loading a package car and the UPS driver. Before the creation of the PAL, a UPS employee loading a package car had to memorize thousands of addresses. To ensure that a loader had correctly loaded the package car, a driver often had to spend valuable time checking and rearranging packages in the back of the package car in the order he/she felt would be the most optimum for delivery.

With package flow technologies, loaders no longer need to memorize vast address lists and drivers don't have to worry about shuffling packages around. The entire process is automated. The driver knows exactly how many packages are in the back of the package car and in what order all those packages need to be delivered to ensure that all customer service levels are met.

What part of the suite of package flow technologies does this? Meet EDD.

EDD – The UPS Driver's Best Friend
In 1991, UPS equipped drivers with DIADs (Delivery Information Acquisition Devices), the now famous brown, handheld computers. The company has systematically added improvements to the wireless DIAD since its creation. With the package flow technology suite, another enhancement was added to the DIAD – and the driver got a new best friend.

EDD (Enhanced DIAD Download) is a piece of internally-developed software that enables an electronic manifest to be downloaded into the driver's DIAD before the driver starts the work day. As a result, the driver now sees each scheduled package delivery displayed on the DIAD in the exact order of delivery needed to meet all the service requirements in the most efficient way.

But EDD goes one step further. If a driver is about to deliver a package to the wrong customer, or is forgetting to deliver one of a group of packages to a customer, the DIAD alerts the driver with an audible alarm.

It's All About the Customer
The end result of all these technology innovations is stellar customer service. While UPS has a history of excellent customer service, the company's philosophy of constructive dissatisfaction ensures that its daily operations are constantly evaluated to determine how technology or process changes can improve operations – and ultimately customer service. The suite of package flow technologies is evidence of this philosophy in practice.

In the case of the package flow technologies, UPS's constructive dissatisfaction will reap benefits to customers and company alike. Customers can confidently continue to enjoy the stellar customer service they've come to expect from UPS as well as ultimately take advantage of more customized service offers, such as in-transit rerouting – the ability to re-route the delivery of a shipment already on the road.

Once completely implemented in 2007, package flow technologies will reduce the mileage of package cars by more than 100 million miles each year and is expected to save UPS 14 million gallons of fuel annually. The environment becomes the real winner as this fuel savings translates into an annual reduction of 130,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions.

USPS HELPING MAKE APRIL 15 LESS TAXING

USPS HELPING MAKE APRIL 15 LESS TAXING. USPS customer care call centers will extend their hours today to help last-minute filers with questions about their nearest Post Office and its hours of operation. More than 500,000 callers are expected and almost 90% will hear the information they request from an agent within 20 seconds of dialing 1-800-ASK-USPS. “We might not be able to make it easier for you to complete your taxes, but the Postal Service does make it easier for you to meet the deadline,” Consumer Advocate Mike Spates said.

USPS: HATS OFF TO POTTER.

HATS OFF TO POTTER. “Every company executive who uses the mail should take his or her hat off to Postmaster General John E. Potter and his staff for reining in costs, reducing the size of the USPS’ labor force and managing operations.” So says DirectMarketing News Editor in Chief Tad Clarke in a DMNews editorial. Clark points out that USPS’ competitors have raised rates three times since 2002 and have imposed surcharges due to higher fuel costs — but thanks to PMG Potter and his staff, the Postal Service has not.

Clarke also says that, although a rate case is never welcome, “you have to admit that the Postal Service’s rate case . . . is overdue.” Clarke even points out that if Congress would remove the $3.1 billion escrow requirement, “we could see the rate increase disappear until 2007.”

USPS: ESCROW RATE CASE FILED

ESCROW RATE CASE FILED. The U.S. Postal Service filed a rate case with the Postal Rate Commission Friday seeking an expedited recommended decision to raise rates and fees 5.4% for most categories. The decision to seek a rate increase is due solely to the Public Law 108-18 requirement that the Postal Service establish a $3.1 billion escrow fund. The postage for a one-ounce piece of First-Class Mail would go from 37 to 39 cents in early 2006. Should legislation be enacted that eliminates the escrow funding requirement, this rate case will be withdrawn. Information on the filing can be found at usps.com/ratecase

Saxton Introduces Bill for Mail Delivery for Seniors

Saxton Introduces Bill for
Mail Delivery for Seniors

WASHINGTON, D.C. - With the U.S. Congress poised to consider postal reform legislation, Congressman Jim Saxton today introduced a bill to require the U.S. Postal Service to deliver mail to the homes of senior citizens living in age-restricted developments.
"There’s a good chance postal reform may be taken up in the 109th Congess, and I want to make sure this bill is on the table," Saxton said.
Saxton has advocated legislation to require the U.S. Postal Service to deliver mail directly to seniors’ door steps. His bill, introduced on the House floor last night, is H.R. 1475.
"Seniors who have to walk to get their mail can put their health at risk," said Saxton (NJ-3rd). "Icy walkways, curbs, leaves and snow pose dangers for seniors who are less mobile. One slip can lead to severe disability. It can end their independent living at home."
Saxton’s bill directs that housing facilities intended for seniors age 55 and up with at least 80 percent occupancy of seniors 55 and older to be serviced with door-to-door delivery. The postal service would plan its own means of implementation. Delivery would be required within six-months of enactment of the law.
The increasing popularity of senior communities in New Jersey and across the country means more and more seniors will be denied daily access to send or receive letters, pay their bills and do other business conducted through the mail.
"Daily mail can be a main source of communication with the outside world for older Americans," he said. "Mail order medicine, shopping, paying bills and other business is often done by mail."
As folks get older, they can have physical limitations that keep them from outdoor activities, particularly during inclement weather, Saxton said.
Senior citizens in the congressman’s Third Congressional District came up with the idea, and Saxton wants policy-makers at the Postal Service to consider their needs.

USPS WINS E-GOV AWARD.

USPS WINS E-GOV AWARD. The Postal Service is one of the top five “Excellence.Gov” agencies. USPS was recognized for demonstrating e-government best practices through online self-service applications including Confirm, Click-N-Ship and Carrier Pickup Online Notification. The Industry Advisory Council and the American Council for Technology made the award.

UPS is First to Accept "Return" Ground Packages at Its 40,000 Drop Boxes

UPS (NYSE: UPS) today announced it has begun accepting UPS Ground Authorized Return Service® packages and other ground return services at its 40,000 drop box locations. No other carrier in the industry offers this option, which is made possible by UPS’s unique network of integrated air, ground and international operations.

This new option significantly expands the level of convenience retailers can offer their customers without sacrificing the economical pricing of UPS Ground service, the most popular choice for consumer returns. Additionally, the service will provide greater flexibility to other businesses such as those seeking to recover small-sized returns from mobile workers such as field service technicians.

"Although UPS far outpaces the industry with its range of returns options, we challenge ourselves to innovate with new services that make the process more efficient for retailers and more convenient for their customers," said Kurt Kuehn, senior vice president, worldwide sales and marketing. "More than ever, returns are a critical phase in the customer life cycle, which is why they continue to be a focus for UPS’s product development initiatives."

Post-sales customer service is crucial to maintaining a competitive edge in today’s intense battle for home-based shoppers. In fact, in a survey conducted by Harris Interactive, 92 percent of online shoppers say they are "somewhat" or "very likely" to shop again with a retailer whose returns process suits them. Conversely, 85 percent said that if the returns process is inconvenient, they are "not very" or "not at all likely" to shop again with a direct retailer.

Decades ago, UPS introduced the industry’s first returns service using a system named "Call Tags." Later, UPS was the first to develop Authorized Returns Service to aid in the return of printer cartridges. In recent years, UPS amassed a broad reverse logistics portfolio with everything from Web-based solutions to Electronic Return Labels, which can be e-mailed directly to customers and printed right from their computers. These innovations harnessed technology to meet the growing needs of online retail customers.

Additionally, UPS offers disposition, repair, and recycling services through its UPS Supply Chain Solutions unit. Some of these returns programs utilize the 3,800 locations of The UPS Store® as access channels for these customers. This approach was adopted by Toshiba for laptop repairs, effectively reducing the typical turnaround time within the industry from weeks to as little as three days.

With this latest UPS service, acceptable drop box ground packages must be labeled as a UPS returns package. These include Authorized Return Service, UPS Electronic Return Labels, UPS ReturnsSM on the Web, UPS Print Return Label and UPS Print and Mail Return Label. Package dimensions cannot exceed 16x13x2 inches. The online UPS Drop-Off Locator, which provides a complete list of box locations along with detailed maps and directions, can be found at UPS.com.

UPS is the world’s largest package delivery company and a global leader in supply chain services, offering an extensive range of options for synchronizing the movement of goods, information and funds. Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., UPS serves more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. UPS's stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange (UPS) and the company can be found on the Web at UPS.com.

Two New UPS Initiatives Deliver Environmental Benefits

Two New UPS Initiatives Deliver Environmental Benefits

Company Powers Down Computers, Purchases “Green” Power

ATLANTA, March 29, 2005 – UPS (NYSE:UPS) is implementing two new initiatives to protect the environment – 11,000 computers soon will automatically go to “sleep” when not in use, and 14 California facilities have begun purchasing “green” power.

UPS also has joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Power Partnership.
“Energy conservation and choosing renewable energy sources are just two of the many ways UPS actively pursues its commitment to sustainable business practices,” said Mike Herr, UPS vice president of environmental affairs. “We have always believed that working green and working smart are synonymous.”

The computer initiative is part of what’s known as the ENERGY STAR® Million Monitor Drive. UPS is installing “sleep” software on 11,000 of its computers in Atlanta, Louisville, Towson, Md., and Mahwah, N.J., to conserve energy while saving the company almost US$145,000 per year.

Most computers are used only an average of four hours each business day but continue to consume energy even when idle. The Million Monitor Drive challenges organizations to set computer monitors to go into a low-power “sleep” mode during periods of inactivity.

In addition to reducing energy use with its computers, UPS now has 14 facilities in California currently using “green” power as part of their electricity supply. This power is supplied by 3 Phases Energy Services and comes from biomass sources. Biomass refers to a waste-to-energy process and can take the form of converting landfill gas, human and animal waste or agricultural waste to energy.

UPS is purchasing 10 percent of its electricity at the 14 California facilities from these cleaner, more renewable sources.

“This commitment, which will prevent the release of 2.4 million pounds of carbon dioxide, a leading cause of global warming, has the equivalent environmental impact of removing 213 cars from the road for a year,” said Herr. “This carbon reduction is equal to the carbon absorption capacity of 330 acres of trees.”

UPS also recently joined the EPA’s Green Power Partnership, which recognizes companies that demonstrate environmental leadership by choosing cleaner and renewable energy sources. UPS already generates green power with solar panels at its facility in Palm Springs, Calif., in addition to the 14 facilities now operating on electricity created from biomass sources.

California UPS facilities using green power include operations in South San Francisco, Sunnyvale, West Sacramento, Victorville, Visalia, San Bernardino, Romoland, Ventura, Newbury Park, Goleta, Laguna Hills, Cerritos, Baldwin Park and Ontario.

UPS is the world’s largest package delivery company and a global leader in supply chain services, offering an extensive range of options for synchronizing the movement of goods, information and funds. Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., UPS serves more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. UPS’s stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange (UPS), and the company can be found on the Web at UPS.com.

Three New Jersey Post Offices not able to open

Isolated interruptions of service have been reported in Central and Northern New Jersey as a result of severe flooding in communities along the Passaic, Ramapo and Delaware Rivers. Acting Governor Richard Codey has declared a state of emergency.

The Wayne, Frenchtown and Stockton Main Post Offices couldn’t open yesterday. Delivery also has been interrupted in two Trenton ZIP Codes — 08618 and 08628. Delivery in Wayne and Frenchtown is being made where streets are accessible, with operations shifted to Sheffield Station for Wayne and Milford for Frenchtown.

The Stockton Main Post Office remains closed, but delivery customers will have service where accessible. Customers will be able to pick up PO box mail and “notice left” items at the Ringoes Post Office.

The Wayne Main Post Office is expected to re-open today when flooding subsides. Frenchtown delivery and PO box operations will continue to be run from Milford, with normal operations expected to return to Frenchtown Wednesday.

eBay Entrepreneurs Often Choose UPS

eBay Entrepreneurs Often Choose UPS

ATLANTA, March 29, 2005 - Three successful entrepreneurs, including a full-time mom starting her own consignment business, a dealer in mannequins and a man who sells model aircraft to customers in Singapore and the United Kingdom, are serving as great examples of how UPS facilitates business on eBay.

The three were identified through a contest sponsored by UPS that invited small businesses to share stories of how they capitalized on the opportunities, and overcame some of the challenges, of doing business on the world’s largest online marketplace.

eBay offers even the smallest businesses the opportunity to be successful in the global marketplace. And UPS can help address some of the customer service and fulfillment challenges that arise during and after the close of an auction listing. Today’s eBay buyers and sellers have easy access to a suite of UPS shipping tools integrated throughout the eBay marketplace that allow them to calculate shipment costs, review transit times, print shipping labels and track UPS shipments, all at the point of transaction.

Mannequin madness: Four years ago, Oakland resident Judi Henderson-Townsend found herself in the business of mannequin sales and rentals after she impulsively bought 50 mannequins from a dealer who was closing up shop. Today her business, Mannequin Madness, ships mannequins across the United States and Canada and even overseas to customers ranging from clothing stores and eBay sellers to lawyers with a need to demonstrate gun or knife wounds in court to artists using them for projects or sketching. About a third of her annual sales come from eBay, where she enjoys status as a Bronze-level PowerSeller.

Henderson-Townsend began shipping with UPS using functionality on UPS.com. A chance encounter with a UPS employee at a local chamber of commerce meeting led her to UPS WorldShip, global shipping software that allows her to process her packages more efficiently, managing all her shipping activities from her computer desktop.
WorldShip allows her to print shipping labels and enables both Henderson-Townsend and her customers to track shipments online, eliminating calls from customers inquiring when their order will arrive.

“A UPS rep even helped me set up a WorldShip account and arrange a daily pickup,” she said. “Now my customers receive an automated e-mail message letting them know their package has shipped, when to expect delivery and what the tracking number is.”

Always looking for ways to streamline her business, Henderson-Townsend now is experimenting with the eBay Accounting Assistant Beta to export her eBay and PayPal transaction information directly into her QuickBooks accounting software. She also can export UPS data to QuickBooks and says the connectivity has made accounting and shipping tasks much more efficient.

Mother knows best:A full-time mom from Yakima, Wash., Natalie Phillips started her consignment auction business almost by accident after she approached her first customer about five years ago to sell his inventory on eBay.
“After we sold those items, I began selling items for other people and it’s grown from there,” she said. Today, an average week for Phillips eAuctions means shipping about 30 packages from multiple transactions.

Early on, Phillips struggled with calculating shipping costs and was unsure how to pack and ship bulky or oddly-shaped items. Using UPS OnLine Tools integrated into eBay’s site, she now prints her own labels and uses UPS’s rate and service calculator to figure an item’s shipping cost, reducing the number of bidders who get “cold feet” when the shipping charge is unknown at the time of item listing. Once a listing has closed, Phillips and customers both can track shipments from eBay’s site.

She’s also come to rely on her local The UPS Store®. “There are some things that are a real challenge to ship,” she said. “I’ve shipped chairs and had to remove the legs before. Now if I have something that requires special packaging, I take it to The UPS Store and they take care of it.”

A Prince of a business:Brian Prince of Orange, Conn., typically sells and ships 10 to 15 items per month, most often model aircraft that he builds himself and ships to buyers in Singapore and the United Kingdom. He refers to detailed information on the UPS Web site on how to ship internationally.

Prince currently ships through UPS Internet Shipping at UPS.com. He likes the automatic ship notification e-mails UPS sends to his customers. He’s never had a problem in the two years that he’s used UPS extensively and has a solid relationship with his driver, who once went above and beyond to make sure a critical Saturday Next Day Air® shipment was delivered on time.

“From this experience shipping with UPS, I have realized that they are the only carrier that I can trust and depend on for my critical shipping needs,” Prince adds.

Contest entrants were asked to summarize, in 1,000 words or less, how UPS’s technologies and solutions had helped their small businesses. The winners received US$500 in free shipping and are being recognized on the eBay site.

UPS is the world’s largest package delivery company and a global leader in supply chain services, offering an extensive range of options for synchronizing the movement of goods, information and funds. Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., UPS serves more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. UPS's stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange (UPS) and the company can be found on the Web at UPS.com.

USPS: RATE INCREASE REQUEST

RATE INCREASE REQUEST. The Postal Service Board of Governors voted March 31 to file a request with the Postal Rate Commission to increase postage rates in 2006. The requested rate increase will generate funds to meet the $3.1 billion escrow requirement of Public Law 108-18. The filing will increase almost all rates and fees by approximately 5.4%.

USPS: FLAGS AT HALF STAFF

FLAGS AT HALF STAFF. The U.S. Postal Service has been advised by the Department of Homeland Security that, in accordance with Presidential Proclamation 3044, the U.S. flag will be flown at half staff due to the death of Pope John Paul II. The flag is to be flown at half staff until the day the Pope is interred, which is undetermined at this time.

Links:
Presidential Proclamation 3044
DATE: 03-01-54
http://www.az.ngb.army.mil/US%20Flag%20Policy/P3044.html

International Sales and Shipping Challenges

The growth of online auction sites allows sellers to market their wares well beyond local areas. Selling to buyers in Canada, Europe and the Far East can be exciting, but occasionally, you can run into challenges.

See the full story: http://auctionbytes.com/cab/abu/y205/m04/abu0140/s04
International eBay Sales: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
By Lu Paletta AuctionBytes.com
April 03, 2005

USPS: Fire at Postal Distribution Center causes evacuation

An equipment malfunction yesterday morning at the U.S. Postal Service Processing and Distribution Center caused a sack of mail to catch fire, resulting in the temporary evacuation and shutdown of the Page Boulevard facility.

Firefighters were called to the facility shortly after 9 a.m.

Read the entire story here --> http://www.masslive.com/springfield/republican/index.ssf?/base/news-9/1112345221251670.xml&coll=1