MTAC WORKGROUP #111

MTAC GENERAL SESSION PRESENTATION FEBRUARY 21, 2007

Presented By Cher Rupp-Ruggeri Steve Colella

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Workgroup Issue Statement

Identify gaps, define solutions, highlight benefits, and improve education and communications to promote PostalOne! usage by Mail Service Providers, such as but not limited to lettershops, presort bureaus, fulfillment companies, and consolidators.

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Meetings

October 31, 2006 -- First Meeting

January 5, 2007 -- Telecon

January 19, 2007 -- Telecon

February 2, 2007 -- Telecon

February 20, 2007 -- Meeting

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Obstacles Identified

Postage Statements without USPS

‘Round Stamp’

Courtesy Pallets

Spoilage

Application Process

Consolidated Postage Statements

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Postage Statements without USPS ‘Round Stamp’

Issue that permit holders would be reluctant to use providers who could not provide traditional mailing statements

Service providers feel that this may give providers not using PostalOne! a competitive advantage because they can still provide statements the way permit holder are used to seeing them.

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Postage Statements without USPS ‘Round Stamp’

Recommendations:

USPS publish a fact sheet that PostalOne! user can use to educate their clients

To prevent fraud PDF of pending postage statement should contain watermark or other type of identification that clearly differentiates it from a final statement

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Application Process

Three MTAC 111 members submitted on line applications

Local USPS when asked for help directed company to PostalOne! Customer Care Center

PostalOne! Customer Care Center was confused as to what they needed

Help from USPS from being in the group resulted in them 2 receiving Welcome Kits within 4 weeks of original application

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Application Process

Presently on line application process is not fully automated

Application does not ask for all information required for application processing such as finance number of office of permit

Backlog of Postage Statement Wizard applications may be preventing Mat.dat® & Web Services applications from being acted on in timely fashion

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Application Process

Customer Registration will eliminate many of these problems

Customer Registration may not be fully operational until early 2008

Help desk should be directed to walk applicants through process

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Courtesy Pallets

Defined as any pallet not meeting 250 pound or 18 tray minimum

Some mailers creating ‘legal’ pallets with as little as 200 pieces or 50 pounds to a destination

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Courtesy Pallets

Many mailers using courtesy pallets require pallet placard for these pallets

Presently PostalOne! does not support any pallet not prepared in accordance of USPS preparation requirements

Official pallet placard with barcode therefore can not be produced

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Courtesy Pallets

USPS and Industry work together to redefine courtesy pallets that allow a pallet to be created regardless of weight

Allow pallet placards to be produced to allow an appropriate barcode to conform with FAST and allow for tracking to and scanning at the final destination

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Spoilage

Presently only way to account for spoilage is to change individual containers within file where spoiled piece originated

Method is too labor intensive to be workable

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Spoilage

USPS redefine spoilage policy to apply for all

mailings

Some mailers apply total spoilage

proportionally across all postage tiers

Some mailers apply total spoilage to the

lowest postage cost tier

Group will recommend the lowest cost method

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Consolidated Postage Statements

Presently PostalOne! does not support

electronically submitted consolidated

Standard Mail postage statements.

PostalOne! must support

Presently scheduled to be released after rate

case

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Other Issues

Postage Statement PDF:

To prevent fraud, PDF of pending postage statement should contain watermark or other type of identification that clearly differentiates it from a final statement

Encrypt PDF so it can not be altered

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Other Issues

Software Certification

Subgroup created to provide outline on how best to

proceed

Subgroup also will create software vendor capability

matrix to assist USPS when discussing software

customer is already using