MTAC First-Class Report

4-25-2001

Business Reply Mail Workgroup

Industry Leader: Sue Taylor

-   Implementation of commercial credit card to pay permit fees [in
    person]{.underline} is delayed until June 2001 because the vendor
    needs time to update software.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Acceptance of commercial credit cards [over the phone]{.underline}
    is still pending. The main reason is security. The USPS is the only
    organization that accepts and delivers credit cards and the
    Inspection Service requires face to face transactions. This is not a
    dead issue. The USPS is looking for a solution.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   We are still pursing use [credit cards to pay for
    postage]{.underline}. We are working towards credit cards acceptance
    through the Internet as an enhancement to the Business Mail101
    website. We will also begin to explore building requirements for
    using credit cards for postage payments and include it as a
    long-term objective of the BRM website.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   The (QBRM) Standard Operating Procedure was published in the April
    19th Postal Bulletin.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Nationally, BRM scores declined during the last quarter ... but some
    workgroup participants have noticed improved delivery.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Barbara McGinnis from Operations has been using Planet Codes to
    measure service performance of remittance mail captured in the
    National Firm Holdout. Planet Code data will enable her to pinpoint
    where delays occur and target areas for improvement. Barbara will
    provide a presentation to the work group at the next meeting.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   A draft of Best Practices has been complied. The purpose is to
    provide tips to field office on how to improve their BRM operation.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Website delayed again due to new vendor contracted for much less
    than what the original contractor quoted. However, the contractor
    will not be able to begin work until September and anticipates
    completion in December.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Work group members decided not to sunset the work group until the
    website is completed.

New Work Groups -- Laine Ropson

There are two new workgroups for First-Class mailing issues. Just to
differentiate between the two, Laine gave the following synopsis.

The Delivery Service Standards Workgroup, led by Ken Metroff, is working
on the publication and communication of changes to delivery standards.
Included will be the format of the changes so that mailers can more
readily use the data. The group may also include measurement systems. So
this group is working on the planning and procedures.

The Delivery Issues Workgroup, led by Dan Goodkind, is tackling delivery
problems. Their objective is to find the root causes for the poor
delivery performance of First-Class mail. They will be using various
tools such as the Planet Code to aid in the data gathering. So this
group is working on the operations and transportation challenges.

MTAC Delivery Performance Workgroup

Industry Leader: Dan Goodkind USPS Leader: Paul Bakshi

The First meeting of the First Class Delivery Performance Workgroup took
place Wednesday morning at the Rosslyn building.  Because of the overlap
with the

BRM workgroup and the FCM Delivery Standards Workgroup, many of the
members

who wanted to participate could not.  We scheduled a teleconference
connected to the

Delivery Standards workgroup so members from each group could interact
with each issue.

 At the Delivery Performance Workgroup Paul Bakshi co chaired the
meeting with Dan Goodkind.  Mury Salls also participated.

 It was obvious the use of planet code data will help discover the
timeliness of mail delivery and hopefully any specific areas of
concern.  Mury brought a report from the

Major Mailers Association for review by the workgroup.  The report
showed data on 1845 pieces of mail, nationwide, with 5531 Scanned at
various barcode reader locations.  The report indicated an overall
delivery result of late mail indicating 44.8% later than the newest
standards.

 Our first priority in the workgroup will be to gather as much data as
possible on actual delivery or at least on the scans for planet coded
mail as close as possible to the recipients address.

Our second area will be to define as close as possible any specific
areas of concern or to determine if the issue is one of a flowing
variable of inconsistent delivery.

Our third area will be to help determine any resolution possible to
improve delivery.  An example Paul mentioned might be the easy
identification of First Class Mail.  First Class

Mail and Standard Mail share the same containers, (Trays), and the same
color tray labels.

In order to compare mail going to the same 5-digit zip code with both
Standard and First Class Mail, Mury offered to Planet Code and seed a
tray of each class with the exact same 5-digit destination mail.  This
mail will be mailed on the same day.  He will report the results as soon
as they are available.

 Mury would like to have a service code change in Planet Code to further
identify First Class Mail from Standard Mail.  It is possible further
Planet Code changes could help identify mail for more detailed reports. 
We will set up a teleconference in mid May to discuss this issue.

 An electronic copy of the MMA report will be forwarded to Paul for
further analysis.

This information will be shared with Jack Potter and others who will
benefit from it.  The information will also be passed on to Price
Waterhouse as an informational item.

It was discussed as to why the EXFC scores and the MMA scores had such a
great disparity.  Mury learned that seeds for the EXFC testing were only
distributed into the collection boxes, whereas, bulk First Class
Mailings are delivered directly into the mail stream without Price
Waterhouse seeds.  We asked if it was feasible to have Price Waterhouse
place their seeds into trays of bulk First Class Mail.  Paul mentioned
that they were very security conscious and careful not to let anyone
learn whom their seeds were.  We thought it might be possible to
maintain the necessary security for the seeds if they were placed
directly into trays at a commercial presort service bureau.  Because
presort service bureaus process mail for thousands of clients with
different looking envelopes it would be very difficult to identify those
seeds individually.

Additional teleconferences will be conducted prior to the next MTAC
meeting to gather as much data as possible.  The meeting concluded at
10:50am

**Delivery Service Standards Changes**

**Industry Leader: Ken Metroff USPS Leader: Janet Tonner**

**Held 4/25 Issues 60**

1.  **Meeting overview**

    -   Postal representatives made the point that this first meeting
        would be to identify the issues & provide appropriate follow-up.

    -   Group reviewed the Committee goals. One would be to develop a
        process where mailers can review service standards changes prior
        to changes.

    -   The second goal of the Committee would be to develop a process
        for monitoring business mail delivery. Consideration would be
        given to the use of PLANET Codes and measurement by an outside
        vendor.

2.  **Service standards discussion**

    -   Postal representatives discussed reasons for recent changes. One
        was to provide for a more standardized operating procedure.
        Also, changes allowed mail to move to surface transportation
        that is less expensive and more reliable than air.

    -   Changes are considered from a national perspective. Upcoming May
        changes will result in an overall mail volume shift of 1/10 of
        1% from 2 to 3 day service.

    -   Changes occur on a quarterly basis. Postal officials were going
        to review the feasibility of posting changes to the MTAC web
        site 30 days prior to implementation for mailer review. This
        would be with the understanding that all changes might be not be
        included.

    -   Any mailer concerns related to specific cities hard hit with
        service changes could be directed to the postal operations
        representatives on this Work Group.

    -   The May 19^th^ changes are available for mailer review. Mailer
        committee members agree the format is usable and understandable.
        Therefore, no changes will be made to the file format. Files
        will be sent to the major mailer associations for distribution.

    -   It was suggested that a senior postal manager provide an annual
        update on strategies related to service standards. The Postal
        Forum was suggested as an appropriate time.

    -   Committee members agreed that the service standard maps on
        computer discs were a useful tool. These are available through
        Memphis.

    -   Committee members were assured the national remittance firm hold
        out program would not be negatively impacted by the changes.
        There will be further discussion of this program at the next
        meeting.

3.  **Mail service measurement**

    -   Committee was updated on value of PLANET Codes for service
        measurement. The industry will undertake a major study of mail
        service using these codes in June. Results will be shared with
        the Committee at the next meeting.

    -   There are several efforts underway to standardized PLANET Code
        studies. Committee will ask the various groups to come to the
        next meeting to discuss details.

    -   Postal officials agreed to discuss the feasibility of measuring
        business mail using their contracted vendor at the next meeting.

    -   Committee members agreed to review the questions asked by the
        Gallup telephone survey and provide feedback to Postal Consumer
        Affairs. A copy of the survey will be sent to the members in the
        near future.