Reply Mail Initiatives and Services

Transcription

1 Reply Mail Initiatives and Services National Postal Forum 2016 Nashville, Tennessee Meg Ballard US Postal Service Business Systems Analyst, Sr James Duffy US Postal Service Program Manager, Business Mailer Support Reply Mail background IMb background ABRM overview Using the ABRM tool IMbA overview IMbA customer view IMbA roadmap 2 1

2 Reply Mail Background BRM QBRM IMbA Business Reply Mail Receive mail back from customers, pay postage only for the pieces returned Qualified Business Reply Mail Subset of BRM; letters have an IMb and qualify for reduced per-piece fee Intelligent Mail barcode Accounting Integrated platform that will facilitate invoicing 3 Reply Mail background IMb background ABRM overview Using the ABRM tool IMbA for QBRM overview IMbA for QBRM customer view IMbA for QBRM roadmap 4 2

3 IMb Background - Imbedded Intelligence Intelligent Mail barcode POSTNET barcode IMb Advantage: same space on an envelope but captures more information than POSTNET As of 28 January 2013, mail with a POSTNET barcode is no longer eligible for an automation discount For further information on IMb specifications: 5 IMb Background - Imbedded Intelligence HEIGHT MODULATED Encodes up to 31 digits of mailpiece data into 65 vertical bars using 4-state symbology TRACKING CODE Contains 20- digit tracking code representing first 4 fields and maximum 11- digit Routing Code 65 BARS IMb is always 65 bars, regardless of ZIP Code length NUMERIC VALUES All IMb fields must be populated with numeric values only HEIGHT MODULATED TRACKING CODE 65 BARS NUMERIC VALUES 6 3

4 IMb Background - Imbedded Intelligence TRACKING CODE ROUTING CODE BARCODE ID EXAMPLE: 500 FOR MIXED AADC SERVICE TYPE ID EXAMPLE: 052 IMBA TRACING MAILER ID EXAMPLE: USPS ASSIGNED SERIAL NUMBER EXAMPLE: MAILER ASSIGNED ROUTING CODE EXAMPLE: 6449 EARL CT, MEMPHIS, TN Reply Mail background IMb background ABRM overview Using the ABRM tool IMbA for QBRM overview IMbA for QBRM customer view IMbA for QBRM roadmap 8 4

5 ABRM Overview Create artwork for your domestic pieces: Business Reply Mail (BRM) Qualified Business Reply Mail (QBRM) Courtesy Reply Mail (CRM) Metered Reply Mail (MRM) Ensure compliance with USPS standards Produce artwork that can be directly incorporated FIM and Barcode Only option assists with placement, position, and generation of identifiers. 9 ABRM Overview 10 5

6 Reply Mail background IMb background ABRM overview Using the ABRM tool IMbA for QBRM overview IMbA for QBRM customer view IMbA for QBRM roadmap 11 Using the ABRM tool Enter the Business Customer Gateway Select Mailing Services Find Automated Business Reply Mail among the list of services and select Go to Service 12 6

7 Using the ABRM tool Required Info Permit number ZIP Code of issuing Post Office Mailpiece dimensions Delivery Address (Including assigned ZIP + 4) Mailer ID (MID) 13 Using the ABRM tool An easy to use tool available 24/7 to reduce the cost of generating artwork 14 7

8 Reply Mail background IMb background ABRM overview Using the ABRM tool IMbA for QBRM overview IMbA for QBRM customer view IMbA for QBRM roadmap 15 IMbA for QBRM Overview Automates processing via intelligence imbedded in IMb From induction to delivery, letters scanned on average 4x Scan info is collected and stored on USPS databases Leverages scan info to compile and calculate invoicing Interfaces with customer via familiar USPS systems 16 8

9 IMbA Overview - Implementing via QBRM Current QBRM Procedures: 1) Collect End of Run counts manually 2) Case manually sorted mail, sample at the clerk s discretion 3) Invoice manually via PostalOne! input A cage of reply mail handled daily at the Curseen Morris facility in Washington DC. 17 1) 2) 3) Customer drops reply mail envelope with IMb at mailbox Facer canceller sprays fluorescent tag: 1) piece now uniquely identifiable, 2) first scan captured Sorting equipment capture intermediate scans 4) 5) 6) Final scan captured. Mail piece is now invoiceable based on op code BRM clerk prompted to sample, requests invoice generation. BRM clerk prints invoice and places with mail for collection by customer 18 9

10 IMbA for QBRM Overview - QBRM entry to mail system 1) What does a QBRM customer need to be compliant? Nothing QBRM mailers already use mail pieces with approved IMb. Will there be any change in level of service? No There will be no visible change in service for QBRM customers. Will there be any differences in the way IMbA handles mail? No Mail processing will not change. Data already collected by Mail Processing Equipment (MPE) will now be passed to IMbA. 19 IMbA for QBRM Overview - Entry into data system 2) Fluorescent barcode sprayed on by facer canceller at induction provides ID Tag ID Tag is unique within a 30 day period thus creating traceability for the individual mailpiece. IMb + fluorescent barcode = ability to assign mail piece to QBRM customer, mark as invoiceable, and aggregate 20 10

11 IMbA for QBRM Overview - A moment to review What do QBRM customers need to be eligible for IMbA? Nothing. QBRM customers have approved mail pieces with IMb. Migration to IMbA will be at USPS discretion. What are the USPS technology factors that enable IMbA? Fluorescent bar code creates unique identifier, IMb with imbedded ZIP + 4/MID/STID What prevents pieces from being invoiced/counted twice? IMbA tracks invoicing at the piece level. Once marked invoiced, a piece cannot be invoiced again. 21 IMbA for QBRM Overview - Behind the automation 3) 4) ID Tag, machine number, machine type, location, and operating code collected each time a piece is sorted Interim scans receive a different operating code than mail pieces sorted for delivery/collection IMbA identifies final sort row via operating code Upon final scan, piece data is tagged invoiceable 22 11

12 IMbA for QBRM Overview - Triggering an invoice 5) Mail sorted to trays, bundled by customer. Same as current QBRM. BRM clerk finalizes invoice in PostalOne! Prompts to sample specific number of pieces (required to finalize) BRM clerks take a thumb s width of letters to maintain randomness No additional postage at invoicing, sampling factors into adjustments at calendar month-end. 23 IMbA for QBRM Overview - Invoicing the customer 6) Form 3582-C set out with mail for collection just as the QBRM process dictates today Invoice amount automatically deducted from account End of month, one time charge for postage adjustment to account for overweight mailpieces o Based on error rate of month s samples, and mail volume o Adjustment made directly to permit account balance 24 12

13 Reply Mail background IMb background ABRM overview Using the ABRM tool IMbA for QBRM overview IMbA for QBRM customer view IMbA for QBRM roadmap 25 IMbA for QBRM customer view 1) How can I keep track of all this? Reporting accessed via Business Customer Gateway

14 IMbA for QBRM customer view 1 View Transactions All transactions including permit fee payments and BRM invoices. 2 BRM Invoice Detail Shows date, piece count, dollar amount, and transaction number for multiple invoices. Aggregates invoices by product type. 3 QBRM Verification Assessment View sampling activity by invoice. Additional detail on nature of errors 4 QBRM Verification Assessment Month-end adjustment transactions. Detail of sampling activity that factored into adjustment 28 14

15 Reply Mail background IMb background ABRM overview Using the ABRM tool IMbA for QBRM overview IMbA for QBRM customer view IMbA for QBRM roadmap 29 IMbA for QBRM roadmap What are the next steps? 1 2 Determine comprehensiveness of second scan/terminating scan invoicing Deploy finalized business rules to initial customer base 3 4 Schedule migration for QBRM population Identify opportunities to improve efficiencies via operations 30 15

16 Conclusion IMb facilitates tracking, enables new services ABRM tool found on Business Customer Gateway: o o o Mailing Services >> Automated Business Reply Mail Use with BRM, QBRM, CRM, MRM permits Create artwork for domestic reply mail pieces IMbA currently piloting via QBRM o Automates counting, invoicing; streamlines processing o Reporting accessed via Business Customer Gateway QUESTIONS? 31 16