On this episode, our hosts Yasmine and Dale chat with Bob Dixon, Product Technology Innovation Director for USPS, about one of the Postal Service’s flagship mail innovations of the past few years – Informed Delivery!
In this episode of Mailin’ It, our hosts Yasmine and Dale chat with Bob Dixon, Product Technology Innovation Director for USPS, about one of the Postal Service’s flagship mail innovations of the past few years – Informed Delivery. With over 43 million subscribers, and 1 million more signing up each month, Informed Delivery has quickly become the way to learn what’s coming to your mailbox by looking at your inbox.
We'll take a deep dive into how customers and marketers are combining mail and digital with Informed Delivery, and how the Postal service's ongoing investments in technology help make USPS more relevant in the digital world.
Learn more about Informed Delivery: https://informeddelivery.usps.com/box/pages/intro/start.action
DALE: HI EVERYONE. I'M DALE PARSAN.
YASMINE: AND I'M YASMINE DI GIULIO.
DALE: YOUR HOST FOR MAILIN’ IT! THE OFFICIAL PODCAST OF THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE. IN THIS EPISODE, WE'LL TAKE A DEEP DIVE INTO ONE OF THE POSTAL SERVICES. FLAGSHIP MAIL INNOVATIONS OF THE PAST FEW YEARS, INFORMED DELIVERY.
YASMINE: INFORMED DELIVERY IS A FREE SERVICE PROVIDING POSTAL CUSTOMERS WITH A PREVIEW OF THE MAIL THEY CAN EXPECT TO RECEIVE THAT DAY. IT ALSO ENABLES BUSINESSES TO ADD A DIGITAL DIMENSION TO THE MARKETING MATERIALS THEY SEND TO CUSTOMERS AND PROSPECTIVE CUSTOMERS BY INTEGRATING CLICK THROUGH LINKS WITHIN THE INFORMED DELIVERY EMAIL. IN THIS EPISODE, WE'LL COVER HOW INFORMED DELIVERY FITS INTO THE POSTAL SERVICES, ONGOING INVESTMENTS IN NEW TECHNOLOGY, HOW CUSTOMERS AND MARKETERS USE INFORMED DELIVERY AND HOW INFORMED DELIVERY AND OTHER TECH INVESTMENTS ARE HELPING MAKE THE POSTAL SERVICE MORE RELEVANT TO YOUNGER PEOPLE WHO LIVE SO MUCH OF THEIR LIVES IN THE DIGITAL WORLD.
DALE: OUR GUEST FOR TODAY'S EPISODE IS BOB DIXON, THE PRODUCT TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION DIRECTOR FOR THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE. BOB OVERSEES THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TECHNOLOGY-BASED PRODUCTS AND SERVICES THAT EXTEND THE SUITE OF POSTAL SERVICE OFFERINGS TO BOTH CONSUMERS AND BUSINESSES.
YASMINE: SO, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT MAIL INNOVATIONS OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS HAS BEEN INFORMED DELIVERY.DALE, DO YOU USE INFORMED DELIVERY?
DALE: YEAH. YASMINE I'VE, I'VE BEEN A PART OF INFORMED DELIVERY SINCE ITS EARLY ONSET. I JOINED AT FIRST, JUST OUT OF CURIOSITY, BUT I FOUND MYSELF RELYING ON IT DAY TO DAY.IT'S INTERESTING, AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC, I FOUND MYSELF RELYING ON MY INFORMED DELIVERY EMAILS TO HELP ME BETTER UNDERSTAND WHEN WOULD BE THE BEST TIME TO GO DOWN TO MY MAILBOX, WHILE EVERYONE WAS STAYING INDOORS.
YASMINE: IT MAKES SENSE FOR THOSE CASES WHERE YOUR MAILBOX ISN'T NECESSARILY RIGHT AT YOUR FRONT DOOR.
DALE: AND WHAT ABOUT YOU?
YASMINE: YEAH, SO I HAVE TO ADMIT, I WAS A LITTLE BIT SKEPTICAL ABOUT INFORMED DELIVERY WHEN I FIRST HEARD ABOUT IT.AS SOMEONE WHO TYPICALLY DOESN'T GET A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS IN THE MAIL BUT I MOVED RECENTLY AND WHEN YOU FILE YOUR CHANGE OF ADDRESS WITH THE POSTAL SERVICE, THERE'S A BOX YOU CAN CHECK TO SIGN UP FOR INFORMED DELIVERY. SO I THOUGHT I'LL GIVE IT A TRY, SEE HOW IT IS. AND LET ME TELL YOU, THAT EMAIL THAT I GET EVERY MORNING IS SOMETHING THAT I LOOK FORWARD TO WHEN I WAKE UP TO SEE WHAT KIND OF MAIL IS COMING INTO MY MAILBOX NOW. MY PACKAGES, IT'S ALL IN ONE PLACE AND IT'S SUPER CONVENIENT.
DALE: WONDERFUL. THAT'S GREAT TO HEAR YASMINE. WHY DON'T YOU INTRODUCE US TO OUR GUESTS?
YASMINE: SO AS DALE MENTIONED, OUR GUEST TODAY IS BOB DIXON. BOB HAS BEEN WITH THE POSTAL SERVICE FOR OVER 20 YEARS AND WORKS WITH BUSINESSES, CUSTOMERS AND INTERNAL CLIENTS TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN USE TECHNOLOGY HERE AT THE POSTAL SERVICE TO SOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS. SO BOB, WELCOME TO THE MAILIN IT! PODCAST.
BOB: THANKS FOR HAVING ME. I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE WITH YOU ALL TODAY.
YASMINE: WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE YOU WITH US AS WELL. BEFORE WE BEGIN, COULD YOU GIVE US A LITTLE BIT OF INSIGHT INTO YOUR ROLE AT THE POSTAL SERVICE?
BOB: SURE. SO AS DALE SAID EARLIER, I'M THE DIRECTOR OF PRODUCT TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION FOR THE POSTAL SERVICE. I LIKE TO SAY THAT MY JOB IS TO MAKE STUFF UP FOR A LIVING. I THINK I HAVE THE BEST JOB IN THE POSTAL SERVICE.I GET TO WORK WITH OUR EXTERNAL CUSTOMERS, OUR BUSINESSES, OUR CONSUMERS, AND EVEN OUR INTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS TO APPLY TECHNOLOGY, TO BUSINESS CHALLENGES THEY'RE HAVING. I THINK ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT I AND MY TEAM GET TO DO IS MAKE FOLKS LIVES BETTER, WHETHER IT'S GIVING, LIKE WE GAVE DALE THE IMAGES OF HIS MAIL PIECES IN THE MORNING, SO WE COULD DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO GO TO THE MAILBOX OR WHETHER OR NOT WE GIVE PEOPLE INSIGHT INTO HOW EFFECTIVE THEIR MAILING CAMPAIGNS ARE. IN THE END, YOU KNOW, WE GET TO GIVE PEOPLE MORE VALUE OUT OF THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH THE POSTAL SERVICE. AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY AN EXCITING THING TO DO EVERY DAY.
DALE: WONDERFUL. THANKS BOB. SO WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MORE SIGNIFICANT INNOVATIONS THAT YOU'VE SEEN THE POSTAL SERVICE SINCE YOU JOINED?
BOB: WHEN I LOOK AT WHAT I THINK IS THE MOST EXCITING THING. I THINK ABOUT THE INTELLIGENT MAIL BARCODE. NOT REALLY SEXY TO A LOT OF PEOPLE, IF YOU LOOK AT THE ENVELOPE, YOU'RE LIKE, WHAT ARE THOSE SQUIGGLY LITTLE LINES UNDER MY ADDRESS? I DON'T UNDERSTAND.BUT THAT'S THE TECHNOLOGY THAT EMPOWERS SO MUCH OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE DO TO GIVE PEOPLE VALUE. YOU KNOW, THAT ROLLED OUT IN THE EARLY 2000s. AND SINCE THEN WE'VE BEEN USING THAT TECHNOLOGY TO BUILD EVERYTHING ELSE WE'VE BEEN INNOVATING.
YASMINE: LIKE INFORMED DELIVERY.
BOB: EXACTLY INFORMED DELIVERY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE INTELLIGENT MAIL BARCODE. THAT'S THE PIECE OF INFORMATION ON THE ENVELOPE THAT TELLS US WHERE THE MAIL IS GOING, WHO IT'S GOING TO, AND, AND IN A LOT OF WAYS HOW TO GET IT TO YOU.
YASMINE: SO BOB, IN YOUR OWN WORDS, CAN YOU DESCRIBE WHAT INFORMED DELIVERY IS?
BOB: INFORMED DELIVERY REALLY IS THE DIGITAL REPRESENTATION OF WHAT'S COMING IN YOUR MAILBOX EVERY MORNING. SO IT'S GOT A COUPLE OF SORT OF CORE PIECES TO IT.THE FIRST AND THE CENTER IS THE REPRESENTATION OF THE PHYSICAL MAIL PIECE. AND THAT'S A BLACK AND WHITE IMAGE OF A CARD OR A LETTER THAT'S GOING TO BE ARRIVING IN YOUR MAIL. WE'LL SAY OFFICIALLY SOON, BUT USUALLY THAT DAY, RIGHT. THE MAIL IS ALWAYS THE CENTER OF INFORMED DELIVERY WITHOUT THE MAIL, THERE WOULD BE NO DIGITAL IMPRESSIONS. SO FIRST AND FOREMOST, THAT'S WHAT IT IS. WE HAVE ADDED THINGS TO INFORM DELIVERY, TO DRIVE ADDITIONAL VALUE AS IT'S EVOLVED. THE FIRST PIECE WE ADDED IS WHAT WE CALL THE CAMPAIGN. THE CAMPAIGN IS A FULL COLOR IMAGE PROVIDED BY A BRAND, A MARKETER OR SOMEONE THAT GOES WITH THE IMAGE OF THEIR PIECE OF MAIL. AND SO WHAT HAPPENS IS YOU SEE THE PHYSICAL PIECE OF MAIL AND THEN YOU SEE THAT FULL COLOR REPRESENTATION BELOW IT. AND THAT FULL COLOR IMAGE COMES WITH A LINK THAT YOU CAN CLICK TOGETHER. ALL OF THAT IS THE CAMPAIGN, WHICH CAN CAUSE THE CONSUMER TO GO TAKE ACTION ON WHATEVER THE MAIL PIECE IS. THERE IS ALSO NOW AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR INFORMED DELIVERY, THERE IS ALL OF THE PACKAGES COMING TO YOUR HOUSE WITHIN THE NEXT FEW DAYS. USUALLY WHEN WE SEE SOMETHING IN THE NETWORK, IF IT'S THREE DAYS OR FEWER TO GET TO YOUR HOUSE, WE'RE GOING TO SHOW IT DOWN AT THE BOTTOM OF INFORMED DELIVERY. WE DO THAT SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO TO USBS.COM AND TYPE IN THOSE TRACKING NUMBERS ANYMORE. SO NO LONGER TRYING TO TRANSCRIBE THEM OFF AN EMAIL OR CLICK ON SOMETHING IT'S GOING TO COME TO YOU PROACTIVELY EVERY DAY. AS A WHOLE, THAT IS WHAT THE INFORMED DELIVERY DAILY DIGEST IS. IT'S THAT EMAIL OR THAT DASHBOARD VIEW THAT YOU SEE, WITH ALL OF THAT CONTENT IN THERE.
YASMINE: THAT'S A GREAT SEGUE INTO INFORM DELIVERY AND HOW IT ACTUALLY WORKS. SO ME AS A USER OF INFORMED DELIVERY, EVERY MORNING, I GET AN EMAIL THAT SHOWS SOME OF THE SCANNED OUTSIDE OF MY MAIL PIECES THAT ARE COMING TO MY MAILBOX THAT DAY. SO HOW DOES THAT ACTUALLY HAPPEN?
BOB: THE POSTAL SERVICE HAS BEEN IMAGING THE MAIL, YOU KNOW, FOR A COUPLE OF DECADES NOW, WHICH IS BASICALLY CAPTURING THAT IMAGE ON THE FRONT SIDE OF YOUR MAIL PIECE. WE TAKE FROM THAT THE INTELLIGENT MAIL BARCODE, THAT BARCODE LETS US KNOW THAT THAT MAIL PIECE IS GOING TO YOU. SO EVERY MORNING, WHAT WE DO IS WE, WE LOOK AT ALL OF OUR SUBSCRIBERS AND WE PULL THE IMAGES OF THEIR MAIL PIECES OUT OF THAT GIANT DATASET.AND THEN, YOU KNOW, LIKE A GIANT DECK OF CARDS, WE SHUFFLE THEM ALL TOGETHER, CONSTRUCT THEM INTO EMAILS AND SEND THEM OUT TO EVERYONE. JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE SCOPE OF THAT; WE CAN SEND BETWEEN 35 AND 40 MILLION EMAILS TO OUR SUBSCRIBERS.
DALE: TO GIVE OUR LISTENERS SOME SENSE OF INFORMED DELIVERY SCOPE. INFORMED DELIVERY CURRENTLY HAS MORE THAN 43 MILLION SUBSCRIBERS AND IS ADDING ABOUT 1 MILLION NEW SUBSCRIBERS EACH MONTH. ABOUT 24% OF AMERICAN HOUSEHOLDS HAVE ALREADY SIGNED UP FOR INFORMED DELIVERY. AND 11,000 BRANDS HAVE CONDUCTED INFORMED DELIVERY CAMPAIGNS SINCE 2017.
BOB: ABSOLUTELY.
YASMINE: THAT'S PRETTY IMPRESSIVE.
DALE: SO BOB, I'VE SEEN THE SPEED OF OUR MACHINERY AT OUR PLANTS. I'VE SEEN LETTERS ZOOMING THROUGH PROCESSING PLANTS. HOW DOES USPS MANAGE TO TAKE DIGITAL IMAGES OF THE MAIL MOVING SO QUICKLY AND INCLUDED IN A SUBSCRIBERS EMAIL EVERY MORNING?
BOB: SO BASED ON THE WAY MAIL PROCESSING WORKS, WE IN FACT GATHERED THOSE IMAGES FOR THE ENTIRE PRIOR 24 HOURS OF THE DELIVERY DAY. SO AS IT GOES THROUGH THOSE LAST OPERATIONS, GETTING READY TO GO TO YOUR POST OFFICE TO BE TAKEN OUT FOR DELIVERY, WE RECEIVE A STREAM OF THOSE IMAGES OFF OF OUR MAIL PROCESSING EQUIPMENT. A LITTLE FACTOID, IF YOU DO THE MATH. WE GATHER ABOUT IMAGES FOR 5,000 MAIL PIECES A SECOND ACROSS THE POSTAL SERVICE, YOU KNOW, 430 MILLION PIECES EVERY DAY. SO WE AGGREGATE ALL OF THAT. WE RUN OUR GREAT BIG PROCESS, FIRST THING IN THE MORNING, AND THEN WE SEND EVERYTHING OUT AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN. USUALLY THAT MEANS PEOPLE GET THEIR INFORMED DELIVERY BETWEEN 7:00 AND 9:00 AM IN THEIR TIME ZONE.
YASMINE: THAT'S SO INTERESTING.THIS HAS BEEN REALLY HELPFUL TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE INNER WORKINGS OF WHAT GOES ON BEHIND THE SCENES BEFORE I GET MY EMAIL EVERY MORNING. DALE, WHAT DO YOU THINK? DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MECHANICS OF INFORMED DELIVERY?
DALE: YEAH. YEAH. SOME OF THIS SEEMS PRETTY IMMENSE TALKING ABOUT THE SECURITY OF THESE IMAGES. I'M VERY CURIOUS ABOUT HOW WE MAKE SURE THAT THE RIGHT IMAGES ARE GOING TO THE RIGHT SUBSCRIBERS. SO HOW DO WE CONDUCT IDENTITY VERIFICATION WHEN CUSTOMERS SIGN UP?
BOB: AS YOU SAID, IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THE RIGHT INFORMATION GOES TO THE RIGHT SUBSCRIBERS. DURING OUR UP PROCESS WE DO IDENTITY VERIFICATION TO MAKE SURE WHEN YOU ARE YOU, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, YOU LIVE WHERE YOU SAY YOU WILL DO. WE WORK WITH OUR INFORMATION SECURITY OFFICE TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A NUMBER OF PROCESSES THAT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY VETTED TO MAKE SURE THAT REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU'RE DOING THIS ONLINE OR IN PERSON, WE CAN DO THAT VALIDATION. SO IF YOU SIGN UP ONLINE FOR INFORMED DELIVERY, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF QUESTIONS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE ASKED, AND IT'S GOING TO INTERACT WITH YOUR CELL PHONE. YOU'RE GOING TO GET A SECURITY CODE. YOU'RE GOING TO GET SOME CHALLENGES AND RESPONSES, THAT ARE GOING TO BE USED TO VALIDATE YOUR IDENTITY. YOU CAN CHOOSE NOT TO DO IT ONLINE. AND IF YOU CHOOSE NOT TO DO IT ONLINE, YOU CAN GO INTO A POST OFFICE WHERE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SHOW ESSENTIALLY A RECEIPT FOR THE START OF YOUR PROCESS TO SIGN UP FOR INFORMED DELIVERY. AND THEY WILL DO WHAT WE CALL IN-PERSON PROOFING, WHERE THEY WILL LOOK AT YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE OR YOUR OTHER GOVERNMENT ISSUED ID, COMPLETE YOUR ACCOUNT.AND THEN WHEN YOU GET HOME, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO ACCESS INFORMED DELIVERY. AND FINALLY, OF COURSE, WE WILL OFFER AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO GET AN ACTIVATION CODE VIA MAIL. SO THAT WHEN YOU START THE SIGN UP PROCESS, YOU ASK FOR THE ACTIVATION CODE, WE SEND IT TO YOU IN THE MAIL AT THE ADDRESS YOU'RE TRYING TO SIGN UP FOR. ONCE YOU GET IT, YOU CAN OPEN IT UP, ENTER THE CODE THAT'S IN THERE AND THEN COMPLETE YOUR ACCOUNT. SO WE OFFER ALL OF THOSE WAYS. IN ADDITION, WE HAVE REGULAR PROCESSES THAT RUN BEHIND THE SCENES TO SCAN FOR ANY POTENTIAL FRAUDULENT ACCOUNTS.
YASMINE: WHY DID YOU USPS DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT INFORMED DELIVERY IN THE FIRST PLACE? DID THEY HAVE A SENSE THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT POSTAL CUSTOMERS OR MAILERS WOULD BE INTERESTED?
BOB: WE KNEW THERE WAS A NEED.YOU KNOW, WHEN WE, WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT OPPORTUNITIES FOR INNOVATION, AS FAR BACK AS THE EARLY 2000s, WE RECOGNIZE THAT DIGITAL WAS BECOMING A BIGGER AND BIGGER PART OF OUR CONSUMERS LIVES.A DIGITAL EXPERIENCE WAS EXPECTED WITH ANY BRAND INTERACTION YOU'RE GOING TO BE HAVING. AND SO THE QUESTION BECAME, HOW DOES THE POSTAL SERVICE ADD VALUE TO MAIL AND STILL DELIVER THAT DIGITAL IMPRESSION TO CONSUMERS WHO EXPECT IT? AND PART OF WHAT WE DID WAS LOOK AT THE EXISTING ASSETS WE HAD, AS I SAID EARLIER, WE'VE BEEN IMAGING THE MAIL FOR TWO DECADES. AS TECHNOLOGY EVOLVED AS CONSUMER SAVVY EVOLVED IN THE DIGITAL WORLD, THOSE ASSETS WERE SOMETHING WE COULD LEVERAGE AND GAIN VALUE TO THOSE CONSUMERS IN AN UNEXPECTED WAY, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, CANDIDLY, WHEN WE LAUNCHED INFORMED DELIVERY, PEOPLE SAID, WELL, I'M GOING TO GET THE MAIL ANYWAY, YOU KNOW, DO I NEED IT? BUT UNIVERSALLY PEOPLE WHO TRIED IT AND SIGNED UP FOR IT HAVE SAID, WELL, NOW I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT IT.
YASMINE: THAT'S HOW I FEEL.
DALE: ABSOLUTELY. SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE SUCCESS OF INFORMED DELIVERY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY NOW, BUT BACK WHEN WE FIRST STARTED, WHEN WE WERE FIRST TRYING TO GET THOSE FIRST FEW SUBSCRIBERS, WHAT WERE CUSTOMERS THINKING ABOUT US TAKING PHOTOS OF THEIR MAIL AND PUTTING IT IN THEIR EMAIL?
BOB: SO I THINK PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE HOW TECHNOLOGY ORIENTED THE POSTAL SERVICE ACTUALLY IS. PEOPLE WERE UNAWARE THAT WE USE ALL OF THIS AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGY TO GET THEIR MAIL TO THEM. SO I THINK IT BECAME A SURPRISE AS WE STARTED ANSWERING SOME OF THOSE INITIAL CUSTOMER INQUIRIES THAT WE'VE BEEN IMAGING, THE MAIL, WE USE BARCODES, WE USE TECHNOLOGY TO MOVE THE MAIL ACROSS OUR VAST COUNTRY. AND, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT TELLING TOO MANY UNFLATTERING STORIES, ONE CUSTOMER ASKED HOW SOMEONE HAD THE TIME TO PHOTOCOPY THEIR MAIL EVERY MORNING FOR EVERYONE. I THOUGHT, WELL, IT'S NOT A PHOTOCOPIER, BUT YOU KNOW, WE DO IMAGE IT.
YASMINE: SO BOB, YOU BROUGHT UP THE DATA THAT GETS COLLECTED WITH INFORMED DELIVERY AND INFORMED VISIBILITY AND HOW OUR MAILERS MIGHT USE THAT DATA FOR THEIR OWN BUSINESS INSIGHTS.BUT HOW DOES THE POSTAL SERVICE USE THE DATA THAT IT COLLECTS FROM THESE APPLICATIONS?
BOB: WE USE OUR DATA VERY CAREFULLY.YOU KNOW, AS A MOST TRUSTED BRAND, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T DO ANYTHING WITH THE FAITH THAT OUR CONSUMERS HAVE GIVEN US TO MANAGE ALL THIS INFORMATION FOR THEM IN A WAY THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE COMFORTABLE WITH. WHEN WE DO ANALYTICS ON OUR DATA AND WE LOOK FOR INSIGHTS IN THAT INFORMATION, WE NEVER LOOK DOWN AT THE INDIVIDUAL HOUSEHOLD. THERE'S NOTHING THAT WE DO THAT IS GOING TO BE SINGLING OUT A HOUSEHOLD TO SAY, THIS IS THEIR BEHAVIOR, THIS IS HOW THEY INTERACT WITH THEIR MAIL.IT'S ALL AT A MUCH HIGHER AGGREGATE LEVEL. WE USE THAT TO LOOK AT TRENDS. WE USE THAT TO LOOK AT PERFORMANCE OF THE NETWORK. BUT WE DON'T, WE DON'T EVER WANT TO DO SOMETHING THAT COMPROMISES A CONSUMER'S TRUST IN WHAT WE DO. AND SO FOR THAT REASON, AS TEMPTING AS IT MAY BE, RIGHT, TO HAVE ALL OF THIS DATA, I'M SORT OF A DATA GEEK - I LOVE, YOU KNOW. SOMEONE TELLS ME WE HAVE BILLIONS OF ROWS OF DATA AND I'M LIKE, THAT'S IT.WE DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT CONSUMER TRUST REMAINS UNBROKEN. AND SO WE ARE VERY CAREFUL WITH IT. YOU KNOW, WE WORK EXTENSIVELY WITH OUR PRIVACY OFFICE, WITH OUR INFORMATION SECURITY OFFICE TO MAKE SURE WE ARE ALWAYS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF, OF USING OUR DATA.
YASMINE: YEAH. THAT'S A GREAT POINT TO BRING UP ABOUT HOW TO RESPONSIBLY USE ALL THE DATA THAT WE COLLECT. SO, BOB, IS THERE ANY BENEFITS TO THE POSTAL SERVICE FOR PROVIDING THE SERVICE?
BOB: OF COURSE YOU KNOW, I'D BE COMPLETELY REMISS IF I, IF I DIDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE DO GET BENEFIT OUT OF IT.AND IT REALLY COMES IN IN SORT OF THE CHAIN OF VALUE THAT WE ADD TO MAIL. BY ADDING THE DIGITAL EXPERIENCE, WHICH IS DRIVING VALUE TO THE BRANDS WHO ARE USING MAIL FOR MARKETING, WE ENCOURAGE MORE MAIL. THAT REALLY IS WHERE THE VALUE COMES. IF WE MAKE MAIL MORE VALUABLE TO MARKETERS, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SORT OF SHIFT THAT THE CHANGE IN SPEND, YOU KNOW. IN THE LAST 15 YEARS, WE'VE SEEN MORE AND MORE MARKETING BUDGETS SHIFT TO PURELY DIGITAL CHANNELS, RIGHT? AND AWAY FROM PHYSICAL CHANNELS. BY ADDING INFORMED DELIVERY TO MAIL, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHIFT THAT SPEND BACK INTO THE PHYSICAL CHANNEL, BECAUSE IT NOW HAS A DIGITAL COMPONENT TO IT. IF YOU WERE BUYING PURE DIGITAL MARKETING, ANY BRAND WOULD BE PAYING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR JUST THE DIGITAL IMPRESSIONS, JUST THE PICTURES OF THEIR MAIL THAT INFORMED DELIVERY PROVIDES AS A FREE SERVICE.
DALE: THAT'S INTERESTING BOB.IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE GIVING TOOLS TO THE MARKETERS, BUT HOW DOES INFORM DELIVERY HELP THE POSTAL SERVICE INCREASED REVENUE?
BOB: SURE. SO THOSE TOOLS, WHICH ARE MAKING MAIL MORE VALUABLE FOR US, TRANSLATE INTO MORE MAIL VOLUME. SO WHAT HAPPENS AS, AS MAIL BECOMES A BETTER AND BETTER CHANNEL FOR MARKETERS TO USE, THEY'RE GENERATING MORE AND MORE MAIL, WHICH TRANSLATES TO MORE REVENUE FOR THE POSTAL SERVICE. PART OF THAT IS IN TWO WAYS, RIGHT, THERE'S THE EXPERIENCE THAT INFORMED DELIVERY PROVIDES. AND THAT EXPERIENCE IS TWOFOLD. IT'S ONE GIVING THE CONSUMER THE ABILITY TO SEE WHAT'S COMING AND SORT OF PLAN THEIR DAY.BUT IT ALSO PLANTS THE SEED OF THAT MAIL PIECE IN THEIR MIND, RIGHT? SO I'VE SEEN THIS, I'M NOW ANTICIPATING, I'M EXCITED ABOUT WHAT I KNOW I'M GOING TO GET LATER. AS OPPOSED TO I GOT HOME, IT'S BEEN A BUSY DAY, I'M JUST GOING TO SHUFFLE THROUGH THE MAIL IN MY MAILBOX AND I'M GOING TO PUT IT ON MY DESK. WELL NOW I KNOW WHAT'S IN THERE, I HAVE THAT MAIL PIECE, NOW HAS SOME STICKINESS THAT IT MAY NOT HAVE HAD BY ME JUST SHUFFLING THROUGH THE MAIL. AGAIN, ALL TRANSLATES ON THE SURFACE TO VALUE FOR THAT MARKETER. BUT WHEN MAIL IS MORE VALUABLE AS A CHANNEL FOR THEM TO GET THEIR MESSAGE OUT, THEY'RE GOING TO USE MAIL MORE AND CREATE MORE MAIL PIECES TO GET TO A LARGER AUDIENCE.AND THOSE MORE MAIL PIECES MEAN MORE REVENUE FOR THE POSTAL SERVICE.
DALE: NOW THAT WE'VE GOTTEN A CHANCE TO TAKE A LOOK UNDERNEATH THE HOOD OF THE TECHNOLOGY, I'M CURIOUS ABOUT HOW SUBSCRIBERS ARE INTERACTING AND RESPONDING. SO WHAT SORT OF IMPACT HAS INFORMED DELIVERY HAD SINCE IT LAUNCHED SPECIFICALLY ON THE YOUNGER PEOPLE, YOUNGER SUBSCRIBERS, WHO ARE USED TO DOING EVERYTHING ON THEIR SMARTPHONES AND NOT NECESSARILY RELYING AS HEAVILY ON THE MAIL?
BOB: SO, I'M GOING TO SORT OF SHARE A STORY. I'M FOND OF TELLING STORIES. I THINK THE BEST WAY TO GET SOMETHING ACROSS. I HAVE A NEPHEW, HE IS NOW EIGHT YEARS OLD AND AS A GOOD POSTAL PERSON, I AM WORKING VERY HARD TO INDUCT HIM INTO THE CULTURE OF MAIL. AND SO HE GETS POSTCARDS, HE GETS LETTERS, HE GETS ALL OF THESE THINGS IN THE MAIL. AND MY BROTHER IS NO LONGER MY FRIEND BECAUSE APPARENTLY MY NEPHEW ASKS EVERY DAY, WHERE'S HIS MAIL. AND IF I HAVEN'T SENT ANYTHING, THAT'S AN ISSUE. INFORMED DELIVERY, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE FIRST LAUNCHING WAS SOMETHING WE WERE STILL GETTING OUT THERE. THE BEST INFORMED DELIVERY I EVER RECEIVED, IT WAS A PERSONAL ONE. I HAD PURCHASED FOR MY NEPHEW, IN THE SPIRIT OF INDUCTING MEN TO MAIL, A MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION FOR KIDS. AND I GOT IT FOR HIM FOR CHRISTMAS. AND IN THIS MAGAZINE THE PUBLISHER HAD PUT LITTLE POSTCARDS THAT THE RECIPIENT COULD WRITE A LITTLE THANK YOU NOTE ON AND DROP IT IN THE MAIL.THE BEST INFORMED DELIVERY I EVER GOT WAS THE MORNING I SAW THAT POSTCARD COME BACK TO ME WITH, AT THE TIME, MY FIVE-YEAR-OLD NEPHEWS SCRAWLING SORT OF ALMOST HANDWRITING SAYING, “THANK YOU, UNCLE BOB FOR THE MAGAZINE”.
YASMINE: THAT IS SO CUTE.
BOB: IT WAS, I NEVER REALLY KNEW HOW HEARTWARMING MAIL COULD BE UNTIL THAT MOMENT. AND IT DID, IT MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN THE DAY THAT I HAD THAT DAY.AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT INFORMED DELIVERY OFTEN IN TIMES OF BRANDS AND MAILERS AND MARKETING AND ALL OF THOSE SORTS OF THINGS. BUT I THINK FOR ME, THE MOST IMPACTFUL ONES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN SEEING THAT PERSONAL CORRESPONDENCE COME, THAT I WASN'T EXPECTING. AND I THINK FOR INFORMED DELIVERY, THAT IS, I THINK ONE OF ITS REALLY UNEXPECTED BENEFITS IS THAT GOOD FEELING YOU CAN GET FROM IT. THAT'S MY CHEESY PERSONAL INFORMED DELIVERY.
DALE: DELIVERY. THAT'S A GREAT STORY, BOB.
YASMINE: I AGREE. I THINK I'VE HAD SOME OF THOSE SIMILAR FEELINGS AROUND BIRTHDAYS AND THE HOLIDAYS. WHEN YOU SEE WHO TOOK THE TIME OUT OF THEIR DAY TO SEND YOU A CARD IN THE MAIL THAT MAYBE YOU WEREN'T EXPECTING TO HEAR FROM THEM. AND IT IS REALLY NICE TO SEE THAT IN YOUR INBOX IN THE MORNING AND THINK ABOUT IT DURING THE DAY. WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN FROM MARKETERS ABOUT INFORMED DELIVERY IN TERMS OF HOW MUCH THEY VALUE THE SERVICE, HOW MUCH THEY USE IT?
BOB: SO THE REASON WE HAVE 11,000 BRANDS PARTICIPATING IS BECAUSE OF THE GREAT RESPONSE THEY'RE GETTING FROM INFORMED DELIVERY. ON AVERAGE, WE'RE LOOKING AT A 63% EMAIL OPEN RATE. IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE REST OF THE EMAIL MARKETING WORLD, THAT'S ABOUT FOUR TIMES AVERAGE OF THE REST OF THE EMAIL MARKETING INDUSTRY.WE'RE REALLY EXCITED BY THAT. AND THAT EMAIL OPEN RATE IS WHAT'S DRIVEN A LOT OF PARTICIPATION. WE ALSO KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, 68% OF OUR CUSTOMERS REPORT INCREASE IN WEBSITE VISITS, YOU KNOW, 63% SEE AN INCREASE IN OVERALL RESPONSE RATES. 60% SAY THEY'VE GOT AN INCREASE IN ROI FOR THEIR MAIL, WHICH IS TREMENDOUS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT VALUE DOES THE POSTAL SERVICE GET BETTER RETURN ON YOUR MAIL INVESTMENT, AGAIN MEANS MORE MAIL, WHICH MEANS MORE REVENUE. AND THEN FINALLY, YOU KNOW, 53% INCREASE IN LEADS FOR THOSE FOLKS. SO IT'S NOT JUST YOUR EXISTING CUSTOMERS, IT'S THE POTENTIAL TO PROSPECT NEW CUSTOMERS FOR THOSE MARKETERS AND FOR THOSE BRANDS.
YASMINE: SO BOB WHAT'S ON TAP FOR INFORMED DELIVERY IN THE NEAR FUTURE? ARE THERE ANY OTHER NEW FEATURES THAT YOU'RE ADDING OR ANYTHING ELSE?
BOB: SO WE HAVE A LOT OF PLANS FOR INFORMED DELIVERY. A LOT IS COMING UP. WE JUST RECENTLY LAUNCHED THE ABILITY FOR BRANDS TO INCLUDE CAMPAIGNS WITH THEIR PACKAGES. SO IF YOU'RE RECEIVING A PACKAGE DELIVERY, YOU WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY AS A BRAND TO INCLUDE A MARKETING MESSAGE WITH IT, WHETHER IT BE A CLICK-THROUGH TO A COUPON OR ANOTHER ORDER, OR EVEN, YOU KNOW, MAKING RETURNS EASIER. SO THAT JUST RECENTLY LAUNCHED IT'S IN THE PROCESS OF ROLLING OUT NATIONWIDE RIGHT NOW. SO THAT'S HAPPENING. WE ALSO HAVE SOME FEATURES FOR CONSUMERS. WE ARE PILOTING A REMINDERS FEATURE, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY, SOMETIMES WE ALL GET OUR MAIL, WE PUT IT DOWN ON THE DESK AND WE SAY, I'M GOING TO COME BACK TO IT NEXT WEEK. BUT IF WE DIDN'T PUT A DIGITAL REMINDER IN ONE OF OUR DIGITAL CHANNELS FOR IT, WE MAY FORGET ABOUT IT. SO INFORMED DELIVERY IS GOING TO HAVE A REMINDERS FEATURE SO THAT WHEN YOU GET ONE OF THOSE MAIL PIECES, YOU DO WANT TO REACT TO, YOU CAN USE INFORMED DELIVERY TO SET A REMINDER. AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS WE'LL RESEND YOU THAT PIECE OF MAIL IN AN INFORMED DELIVERY ON THE DATE YOU CHOOSE.
YASMINE: WOW, THAT'S COOL.
BOB: SO THAT WILL BE COMING UP.AND WE'RE ALSO INTRODUCING A SOCIAL MEDIA ASPECT TO INFORM DELIVERY. SO WE HAVE A FEATURE RIGHT NOW, WE'RE PILOTING WHERE YOU CAN SHARE THE CAMPAIGN PORTION OF INFORMED DELIVERY IN YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS.SO IF YOU GET A REALLY GREAT COUPON, YOU GET A REALLY GREAT PIECE OF ADVERTISING THAT YOU THINK YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY MIGHT WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU. YOU CAN PUSH IT OUT TO YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS. AND THEN LATER NEXT YEAR, WHAT WE WILL ALSO DO IS ALLOW YOU TO GET YOUR DAILY DIGEST, YOUR INFORMED DELIVERY MAIL PIECE IMAGES IN YOUR PRIVATE SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS. SO THAT IF YOU'RE NOT USING EMAIL, AND WE KNOW A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE MAY NOT BE USING A LOT OF EMAIL, WE'RE GOING TO ENABLE YOU TO RECEIVE IT, STILL PRIVATELY, IN YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS. SO THAT WHILE YOU'RE CHECKING YOUR FEEDS FIRST THING IN THE MORNING, YOU'LL STILL BE ABLE TO SEE YOUR INFORMED DELIVERY FOR MAIL THAT'S COMING LATER IN THE DAY.
DALE: THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT ADDITION TO INFORMED DELIVERY.
YASMINE: SO BOB, ON MY INFORMED DELIVERY, WHEN I LOOK AT THE PACKAGES SECTION, IT JUST HAS TRACKING NUMBERS THAT ARE CLICKABLE LINKS. WILL THERE EVER BE IMAGES OF THE ACTUAL PACKAGE THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR ME TO VIEW?
BOB: SO, TWO THINGS ARE COMING TO THAT PART OF THE DAILY DIGEST. FIRST, WE WILL BE PILOTING IMAGES OF THE PACKAGES LATER THIS YEAR. SO YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SEE A PICTURE FROM OUR MAIL PROCESSING EQUIPMENT OF THAT PACKAGE. AND THEN YOU WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO SEE A CAMPAIGN. SO THAT, THAT COLORFUL IMAGE I MENTIONED EARLIER WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE FOR MARKETERS FOR THAT PACKAGE. SO YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE TWO THINGS THERE IN ADDITION TO THE TRACKING NUMBER.
YASMINE: SO BOB, AS WE'RE WRAPPING UP OUR CONVERSATION HERE TODAY, I THINK ONE OF THE THEMES THAT HAS REALLY STOOD OUT TO ME HAS JUST BEEN THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT DIGITAL CONNECTION BETWEEN THE MAIL AND BETWEEN MAILERS AND CONSUMERS WHO ARE RECEIVING IT. SO HAVE YOU SEEN THAT PEOPLE'S RELATIONSHIP WITH THE POSTAL SERVICE HAS CHANGED WITH THE ADVENT OF INFORMED DELIVERY? AND IF SO, HOW?
BOB: SO DEFINITELY, YES. YOU KNOW, WE'RE INTERACTING WITH PEOPLE DIFFERENTLY THAN EVER DID BEFORE. AND I THINK THE RESULT OF THAT IS A RELATIONSHIP IN WHICH OUR CONSUMERS AND EVEN OUR MAILING CUSTOMERS EXPECT US TO BE DIGITALLY SAVVY. WHEN WE STARTED THE INFORMED DELIVERY JOURNEY, I DON'T THINK THERE WAS AN EXPECTATION THAT THE POSTAL SERVICE WAS A TECHNOLOGY COMPANY.AS WE'VE GAINED NEW CONSUMERS AND AS OUR MARKETERS HAVE COME WITH US, THEY NOW KNOW IT AND EXPECT IT. AND I THINK IT'S SORT OF RAISED THE BAR FOR US IN TERMS OF OPERATING IN THE MODERN WORLD. WE'RE NOT JUST ABOUT PHYSICAL PIECES OF PAPER. WE'RE ABOUT PHYSICAL PIECES OF PAPER TIED TO ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS. AND IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT PLACE THAN WHERE WE STARTED.
YASMINE: I THINK THAT'S GREAT.AND I THINK IT WILL BE A GREAT TOOL FOR US AS WE CONTINUE TO EVOLVE IN THIS EVER INCREASINGLY DIGITALLY CONNECTED WORLD. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR THE POSTAL SERVICE AND FOR INFORMED DELIVERY. AND I'M GOING TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR ALL OF THOSE NEW FEATURES THAT YOU MENTIONED, BOB, WHEN I CHECK MY EMAIL EVERY MORNING,
DALE: BOB, THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY. THIS WAS REALLY INFORMATIVE.
BOB: GREAT, THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
YASMINE: NOW IT'S TIME FOR, DID YOU KNOW? THIS IS THE SEGMENT WHERE DAN AND I COMPETE TO SEE WHO HAS THE MOST INTERESTING HISTORICAL OR CULTURAL FACT TO SHARE ABOUT THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE. LET'S SEE WHO HAS THE BEST ONE, DALE, WHAT HAVE YOU GOT FOR US TODAY?
DALE: THANKS YASMINE. THIS IS ONE THAT WE WILL DEFINITELY COVER IN A FUTURE EPISODE AND IT HAS TO DO WITH THE PONY EXPRESS. DID YOU KNOW THAT THE PONY EXPRESS ONLY LASTED FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AND WASN'T ALL THAT SUCCESSFUL? MOST PEOPLE THINK THAT THE PONY EXPRESS WAS COMMONPLACE THROUGHOUT THE OLD WEST, BEFORE RAILROADS AND THE TELEGRAPH CONNECTED CALIFORNIA WITH THE REST OF THE NATION. THE TRUTH WAS THAT THE PONY EXPRESS WAS A COMPANY THAT PAID COURIERS TO RIDE ON LONG ROUTES, SWITCHING PRE-STATIONED HORSES ALONG THE WAY SO THAT THE MAIL WAS ALWAYS IN MOTION. THEY CONNECTED TO STATE CAPITALS ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI, AND SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA. I HOPE WHOEVER WAS IN CHARGE OF THEIR PUBLICITY GOT A RAISE BECAUSE THE WHOLE CONCEPT CAPTURED THE NATION'S ATTENTION. THIS WAS ESPECIALLY TRUE BECAUSE THE RIDERS RISKED QUITE A LOT ON ROUGH TERRAIN ENCOUNTERS WITH BANDITS AND HOSTILE NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES. IT WAS A VERY DANGEROUS JOB AND HEROIC IN MANY WAYS, BUT THE WHOLE VENTURE FOLDED IN 1861 JUST AFTER 18 MONTHS OF OPERATION.BECAUSE IT WASN'T VERY PROFITABLE AND ACTUALLY A COUPLE OF BUSINESSMEN NAMED WELLS AND FARGO TOOK OVER. SO EVEN IF THE PONY EXPRESS DIDN'T LAST LONG, IT HAS HAD A LONG-LASTING IMPRESSION ON THE PUBLIC'S IMAGINATION. AND THAT'S MY, DID YOU KNOW?
YASMINE: HMM, THAT'S PRETTY GOOD.DALE, HERE'S MINE. THIS ONE'S FOR ALL THE LADIES OUT THERE. WHEN WOULD YOU GUESS THAT THE FIRST WOMAN SERVED AS POSTMASTER IN THE UNITED STATES?
DALE: I'M NOT SURE. AND YOU WOULDN'T BE ASKING UNLESS IT WAS REALLY EARLY OR REALLY LATE IN HISTORY. I'LL GO WITH LATE, MAYBE AROUND THE SUFFRAGETTE MOVEMENT. I'LL SAY 1920s.
YASMINE: THAT'S A GOOD GUESS, BUT YOU'RE A LITTLE BIT OFF. THE FIRST WOMAN TO BE APPOINTED POSTMASTER IN THE UNITED STATES WITH ACTUALLY MARY CATHERINE GODDARD, WHO WAS THE POSTMASTER IN BALTIMORE, MARYLAND. AND SHE STARTED IN 1775. SHE WAS LATER FORMALLY APPOINTED IN 1779. ALL RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR, SHE WAS THE POSTMASTER IN BALTIMORE UNTIL 1789, WHICH IS PRETTY AMAZING FOR ITS TIME.SO HOW DID SHE GET THIS JOB? MARY KATHERINE GODDARD AND HER BROTHER WILLIAM WERE VERY MUCH ON THE PATRIOT SIDE OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR. THEY HAD BOTH BEEN PART OF THE FAMILY PUBLISHING BUSINESS IN NEW ENGLAND, AND THAT GAVE THEM GOOD EXPERIENCE TO BE POSTMASTERS SINCE PUBLISHING AND THE POSTAL SERVICE AT THE TIME WERE REALLY INTERTWINED. WHEN HER BROTHER LEFT TO JOIN THE WAR EFFORT, MARY CATHERINE FILLED HIS ROLE AS POSTMASTER IN BALTIMORE. THIS WAS A HUGE VOTE OF CONFIDENCE IN HER MANAGEMENT SKILLS AND PATRIOTISM GIVEN HOW IMPORTANT THE FLOW OF COMMUNICATIONS WAS DURING THE WAR.ONLY FOUR CITIES IN THE UNITED WERE LARGER THAN BALTIMORE AT THAT TIME, SO IT WAS A PRETTY BIG JOB. JUST TO GIVE A SENSE OF THE ESTEEM FOR HER, THE U.S. CONGRESS HONORED HER BY ASKING HER TO BE THE FIRST PRINTER OF THE VERSION OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE THAT SHOWED OFF ALL OF THE SIGNATURES, INCLUDING THE FAMOUS OVERSIZE, JOHN HANCOCK SIGNATURE. THIS IS NOW KNOWN AS THE GODDARD BROADSIDE. SO WHEN YOU PICTURE THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE AND YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT ALL OF THOSE SIGNATURES ON THAT BIG PIECE OF PAPER, THERE'S A REALLY GOOD CHANCE THAT YOU'RE THINKING OF THE VERY FIRST ONE PRINTED BY THE VERY FIRST WOMAN POSTMASTER IN THE UNITED STATES. AND THAT WAS MARY CATHERINE GODDARD.
DALE: WONDERFUL WHAT A GREAT TRIBUTE.AND I LOVE THE POP QUIZ. I THINK THIS ONE'S GOING TO BE CLOSE.
YASMINE: I AGREE, BUT I REALLY LIKED THE MARY KATHERINE GODDARD STORY.
DALE: I’LL CONCEDE WITH EXTRA POINTS FOR THE POP QUIZ.
YASMINE: I'LL TAKE THE WIN AND WE'LL LEAVE IT THERE UNTIL THE NEXT EPISODE.
DALE: JASMINE I'M REALLY IMPRESSED WITH HOW THE POSTAL SERVICE IS EMBRACING TECHNOLOGY FOR THE FUTURE.
YASMINE: YEAH, ME TOO. IT WAS REALLY COOL TO HEAR ABOUT ALL OF THE NEW FEATURES THAT THEY'RE PLANNING ON ADDING TO INFORM DELIVERY, LIKE THE IMAGES OF PACKAGES. I THINK THAT WILL BE REALLY HANDY.
DALE: ABSOLUTELY. AND THE TOOLS THAT WE'RE GIVING MARKETERS REALLY IMPRESSIVE TO HEAR THAT THEY CAN LINK TO SO MUCH MORE CONTENT FOR USERS AND SUBSCRIBERS.
YASMINE: YEAH, I AGREE. AND I THINK IT'S A GREAT WAY FOR THE POSTAL SERVICE TO REALLY QUANTIFY THE VALUE OF MAIL IN REACHING CUSTOMERS AND REALLY KIND OF SPREADING THAT BRAND AWARENESS FOR OUR MAILERS.
DALE: AND AT THE SAME TIME, KNOWING THAT 43 MILLION SUBSCRIBERS ARE ALREADY A PART OF THE INFORMED DELIVERY ECOSYSTEM, IT'S PRETTY IMPRESSIVE.
YASMINE: WELL, THAT WRAPS UP THIS EPISODE OF MAILIN IT! THANKS FOR JOINING US.
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