THURSDAY OCTOBER 13, 2005
HOT TICKET
The entries are in and it’s time
to celebrate the best of mail. Join business colleagues and
mailing industry supporters on November 2nd, at The Design
Exchange, for the NAMMU 2005 Mailing Industry Awards. Network,
reach new business contacts, and enjoy a first class opportunity
to toast the 2005 winners. Order your tickets for the Awards
event today.
click here to order
HBC CONSIDERING SALE
Hbc announced recently it is
considering the possible sale of its credit card business. The
Toronto-based retailer says it is reviewing options for the
business and would take action on those findings by the first
quarter of 2006. Representing an estimated 3.1 million active
accounts, this retailer’s financial services division reportedly
manages one of the largest private-label retail card portfolios
in Canada, with $1.2 billion in card receivables at year end
2004. This news comes a month after Sears Canada Inc. announced
sale of its rich credit card division to J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.
TEMPERS FRAYED
The Canada Post credit
authorization initiative hit the mailing industry with a dull
thud in mid-September, and continues the time and money wasting
easily predicted by those who became aware of its launch. A
major source of frustration for business users is the apparent
lack of understanding of how the mailing industry operates.
NAMMU advised Canada Post of serious drawbacks if the plan was
rolled out as is on its stated launch date, as soon as one of
the announcement letters surfaced. (Click
here to view MailWorks) NAMMU has renewed its efforts to
curtail this action by Canada Post, and has introduced positive
ideas to support process improvement. One of the key steps
identified is to create a more flexible system that permits
cyclical as well as unexpected spikes in volume/postage dollars
to enter and be processed through the CPC system without delay.
Some obvious drawbacks also need to be addressed: reportedly
mail cannot be re-entered into the system for 24 hours following
rejection.
IMPACT 2006:
Gateway to Positive Change surfaced key issues and initiatives
that can have an immediate and positive impact for Canada Post
and the mailing industry. One important factor identified is the
rising cost of interface with Canada Post. Given the current
situation, NAMMU is moving this issue to the front of the line,
and will hold a series of BEST PRACTICES national workshops this
fall focused on INTERFACE issues. The first workshop will
address Canada Post accounting policies and practices from a
variety of user perspectives. Meeting details will be announced
shortly.
SUCCESS STORY
A potential crisis was averted, as
the envelope makers and Canada Post worked quickly and
diligently to test a new “whiter” paper set for introduction to
the Canadian marketplace. Once the new paper was approved by the
United States Postal Service for envelope production, the
manufacturing specifications and timelines were put in place for
North America. However, EMIC (Envelope Makers Institute of
Canada) quickly realized no testing had been performed for the
Canadian postal service specifications. Murray Rundle (Supremex
Inc.), working on behalf of EMIC, and Barry Morton and Alex
Lileiks from Canada Post, worked a quick turnaround program,
that thoroughly tested then approved the new paper for Canadian
usage.
Click here to view the features of this new paper as well as
the positive market impact anticipated.
INTERNATIONAL EXCLUSIVE PRIVILEGE
RULING UPHELD
In September, the Ontario Court of
appeal unanimously upheld Canada Post Corporation’s exclusive
privilege to collect, transmit and deliver letters in Canada,
including letters from Canada to the rest of the world.
According to Canada Post, remailers collect large quantities of
mail in Canada and induct it into the postal system of foreign
postal administrations, costing Canada Post between $48 million
and $80 million annually in lost revenue. (click
here to view CPC announcement) NAMMU continues its
initiatives with the parties concerned to both clarify and
develop a positive business solution(s).
NAMMU FEATURED AT SUPREMEX EVENT
The September 14th Supremex
customer event in Toronto co-ordinated by Daron Rosenbusch
featured an agenda of postal issues and NAMMU was invited by
General Manager, Stewart Emerson, to engage participants in the
discussion. Citing the importance of industry leadership and
support demonstrated by Supremex as vital to the health and
growth of the Canadian mailing industry, NAMMU president
Kathleen Rowe introduced policy issues requiring the leadership
and support of NAMMU to effectively achieve a balanced business
model with Canada Post. Craig Porter (Mackenzie Financial)
brought participants an update on best practices developed to
deal with the Ontario Waste Diversion Act; Murray Rundle (Supremex)
discussed the new, whiter paper shortly to be introduced to
envelope makers/users; Anu Bhalla (Canada Post Corporation)
presented current and new induction processes envisaged for the
GTA. Lucky winners of the two tickets to the 2005 Mailing
Industry Awards: Dan MacPhail (Rogers Media), Ken Fischer (Key
Contact).
Click here to view available presentations.
