Just in time to approve the 2019 postal rate increase, the Senate confirmed two members of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) Board of Governors. One of the new governor’s term expired in December, other nominees didn’t even receive a hearing, so the administration will have to resubmit their names in 2019. Postal Legislation is still mired down in subcommittees of both houses.
After one White House report caused an uproar by recommending privatizing the USPS, the long-delayed Task Force report side-stepped that option while providing few other ideas. The Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) has taken no action on their own proposed changes to the rate-making process.
On the industry side, mergers, acquisitions and splits abound, with both equipment and service providers. Cloud-based processing of addresses and documents is becoming more popular, while inkjet printers continue to supplant traditional print technologies. The demand for higher quality and closed-loop reporting has service providers and in-plant managers working to improve their operations.
The only certainty of 2019 is more uncertainty. The new split in Congress will make legislative postal reform more difficult. Technology will continue to disrupt how we create and process documents – inbound and outbound. We plan on discussing those, and other issues in the coming year. If there’s a particular topic you’d like to see covered, drop a line in the comments, or send me an email at mmf@berkshire-company.com.
Before we move forward, a look back at the most popular posts of 2018:
- Identifying Opportunities for Improvement. Whether you're overhauling an operation or introducing incremental improvements, managing the process is the key to success.
- Why Use the RFP Process? Because it works! By creating an RFP team and following the process, you'll increase your chances of success when purchasing equipment, software and services.
- 2019 Postage Rate Increase: Spenders and Savers. On Thursday, October 11, 2018, the USPS filed the rate case for Market Dominant products with the PRC – the new rates will go into effect on January 27, 2019.
- Twenty Questions To Ask When Purchasing Equipment. In addition to legal questions and pricing information, here are 20 questions you should ask when purchasing equipment.
- 20 Questions When Selecting a Print/Mail Service Provider. In addition to pricing, there are 20 questions you should ask when selecting a print/mail service provider.
- No Surprise – The Trump Administration Wants to Privatize the USPS. The administration's proposal won’t immediately impact the USPS, as any changes require Congress to pass legislation. However, by taking the extreme view of privatizing the USPS, the administration may have further eroded any hopes for substantial postal reform in 2018.
- The Postal Reform Act of 2018 – Is “Hope” a 4-Letter Word? On Thursday, March 22, 2018, a bi-partisan group of Senators filed S. 2629, “The Postal Reform Act of 2018: Improving Postal Operations, Service, and Transparency”. Does this mean mailers and the USPS may see real legislative postal reform in the near future?
- The High Costs of Low Quality Control. Achieving a high level of quality requires commitment by leadership, and the establishment of an environment in which quality can flourish.
- When Should I Consider Outsourcing? There are three important factors to consider when evaluating a function as a candidate for outsourcing.
- Recognizing Individuals. Your team is made up of unique individuals. Your job is to create the opportunity for them to maximize their potential.
See you in 2019!
