2008 Year in review
New era for shipping services
We’ve entered a new world of competition. For the first time, as a result of legislation, we have the flexibility to introduce new products and adjust prices to respond to market conditions. Taking the first steps in this brave new shipping world, we’re offering online savings and other pricing incentives for our shipping services. When customers use our Express Mail, Priority Mail, ground package, or international services, they get some of the best value in the marketplace. And, as always, they get the trust and reliability we’ve been delivering to Americans for more than two centuries.
Record-breaking on-time performance
Our national on-time performance scores have never been better. We reached record levels in the third quarter for all three categories of First-Class Mail — overnight service at 97 percent on-time, two-day service at 95 percent on-time and three-day at 94 percent on-time. (First-Class Mail performance is measured independently by IBM Global Business Services.) These outstanding results reflect the dedication of our employees to provide excellent service to every family and business in the nation.
Americans trust the Postal Service
Proudly, we continue to earn and keep the confidence and trust of our customers. For the fourth year in a row, the premier privacy trust study in America named the Postal Service the most-trusted government agency. More than 86 percent of those surveyed by the Ponemon Institute ranked us first among 74 agencies for keeping information safe and secure. And, according to an Associated Press–Ipsos poll, 89 percent of survey participants had a positive view of the Postal Service, highest out of a dozen federal agencies. We’ve always been a welcomed and trusted part of the communities we serve.
Adapting to an evolving marketplace
We made changes to our organization to strengthen our position in an extremely competitive marketplace. With growth as a top priority, we brought together product development, product management and sales in a new Mailing and Shipping Services division. Additionally, the new Customer Relations division will manage key consumer and business customer relationships as well as pricing. And we continue to examine ways to make our networks work better for customers.
Moving forward with new technologies
We’re enthusiastic about two new technologies that promise to enhance the value of the mail and increase its effectiveness. Both the Postal Service and the mailing industry will benefit. Intelligent Mail services and the wealth of information they provide will become the foundation of mail value: printing logistics, verification, acceptance, payment, processing, diagnostics, routing, transportation and delivery. The Flats Sequencing System is being deployed to automate the sorting of flat-size mail — magazines, catalogs and large envelopes — into delivery sequence, improving efficiency.
Providing customers with choices online
The Post Office is always just a click away at usps.com. A redesign of the website makes it easier than ever to find the right solution for any mailing or shipping need. And the Brookings Institution named it one of the top five federal websites. We’re always introducing new ways to make it quick, easy, and convenient to do business with us from your home or office. Many online features were introduced during the year — customers now can find and pay for a new Post Office box, arrange for Carrier Pickup service for parcels being returned, and apply for a permit for Business Reply Mail. The Post Office is wherever you want it to be, around the clock.
Fostering an inclusive work environment
“People are different — respect is universal.” With that message, we continue to honor our commitment to diversity and respect in the workplace. Hispanic Business magazine again named the Postal Service one of the best companies for Hispanics and one of the country’s top 10 companies for workforce diversity. We’re developing tomorrow’s leaders today through corporate succession planning and training opportunities. An online application process makes it easier to look for available postal positions and explore career advancement opportunities. For the fifth straight year, the Postal Service was named one of the best places to work in information technology by Computerworld magazine.