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The environment for mail services operations has transformed dramatically in the last 10 years. Mail managers must provide a safe, controlled, and efficient flow of mail to accommodate substantial changes in scale, and at the same time identify new cost-savings opportunities.  A well-thought-out mail services strategy is essential to more effective and efficient operations.

Supporting a Fast-Paced and Increasingly Global Business Environment

The pace of change and growth in today’s global environment requires companies to constantly adjust their service delivery strategies to accommodate wide variations in customs, laws and regulations. At the same time, security threats continue to change the face of how mail is handled.  From mail bombs in the 1970s to anthrax-laden envelopes in the new millennium, corporate mail services departments have been forced to rethink how they structure and implement safety protocols.  These dangers are compounded by factors ranging from disgruntled employees and customers, to high-risk corporate locations, and threats to high-profile executives. 

Flying in the face of continual growth and the need for increased security, the ability to reduce costs is further limited by the increasing price of fuel, changing postal regulations and new schemes for pricing packages that require flexible methods of operating and the ability to adapt to new environments quickly.

Emerging Solutions to Manage Mail Operations

To manage these challenges, one solution is to outsource the management of mail operations to a professional mail services provider.  Providers have made significant investments in automated solutions to meet stringent service levels and achieve at-risk and performance-based targets.  Mail services firms offer increased scalability and broader geographic coverage.  They can deliver a unified chain of custody over the mail flow, making it easier to comply with new regulatory requirements and ensure accountability for all articles in their control. And, they can do all this for a competitive cost.  Outsourcing can provide increased access to expertise and new technologies, so a company can focus on its core business. 

Other solutions include the implementation of increased automation, which enables an organization to heighten security, improve business continuity capabilities and increase efficiency.  Sophisticated screening tools, including x-ray and biological sniffing equipment, can detect miniscule amounts of fluids, powders and particles such as silica, a substance mixed with anthrax to make it airborne, and Semtex, a common type of plastic explosive.   Imaging solutions and offsite back-up locations offer ready solutions to natural and man-made disasters, power outages and terrorism. Other forms of automation can be implemented to enhance mail services efficiency, including automated sorting, address cleansing, and delivery scanning.

As mail managers design the structure of their mail services operations and consider cost, security, business continuity, automation, and global geography, there are many options to consider.  While there is no “one right answer,” the best solution is to develop a strategy that takes into consideration each company’s environment, limitations and objectives.

Chris Malone, Director, Administrative Services, at Expense Management Solutions Inc., has more than 25 years of experience working with major corporations on strategies to improve their mail services, document management, travel, IT and accounting functions.  Ms. Malone can be reached at (508) 460-7014 or malone@expensemanagement.com.

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