FRIDAY OCTOBER 9, 2009

CANADA’s MAIL STIMULUS PACKAGE
Canada Post launched two important initiatives this summer with the Canadian mailing industry to encourage mail usage and volume growth. The first is the Partnership Initiative championed by the NAMMU VAM Council, Laura Artibello, Chair, and initiated, developed and launched by Patrick Bartlett, General Manager, MSP Sales Channel Management, and his Canada Post team including Eleanor Rafter, Director Partner Relationship Management. Simply put, Canada Post is offering the VAM and print community, opportunities, tools and insight to develop new and increased business – including access to referrals through the Canada Post online directory. The launch is right on target with the update provided at Canada’s June Postal Forum. Patrick Bartlett reports the DM piece was sent to an estimated 700 Partners registered as service providers in the Canada Post system. Welcome kits will be fulfilled as Partners register, and the customer referrals and Partner Training Program will be scheduled later in the fall. If you are a service provider interested in this program and have not received your DM invitation contact: laura@mailenniumgroup.com

The second initiative is the “Win Back” program for Addressed/Unaddressed Admail.
Canada Post is offering a special time limited Admail discount promotion for new and lapsed customers. A promotional discount of 10% will be made available to customers who meet the outlined criteria.
Duration of Program – August 2009 to March 31, 2010
*Lapsed contracts are defined as no AAM and/or UAM activity in the past 12 months.
Special Conditions Apply – Click here to learn more:

These and other volume incentives were highlighted at the 2010 Rate Package Review on September 16th, during the workshop dialogue with Canada Post. Representatives were urged to take a closer look and faster action with industry, on volume incentive programs already onside in the US for testing, going well beyond Admail into Incentive Lettermail. Removal of the controversial two weight band pricing on Incentive Lettermail would boost the potential for additional marketing material to be added to the envelope – boosting not only ripple effect mail, but the marketing presence of mail as an important and relevant medium. A postcard rate similar to the popular US product was tabled as a possibility. NAMMU researched the US experience - it is still very much a winner there and unlikely to be terminated. Cost cutting efficiencies for shipping and packaging mail renewed the discussion on “co” mailings. Industry and Canada Post agreed that more stimulus to use the mail is needed, and the programs coming on stream were a positive start.

IT’S THE 2009 NAMMU AWARDS!
Put your best face forward at the best party of the year. It doesn’t get any better than the annual NAMMU Awards. Join the brightest minds in mail marketing on Wednesday, November 4th, the InterContinental Toronto Centre – Ballroom, to celebrate the best in mail. Awards, Awards, Awards! Celebrate with your team, impress your clients, explore new business opportunities, and raise a toast to yourself for a job well done despite this tough year. Answer the call of the NAMMU and click here to order tickets:

 

2010 RATE PACKAGE REVIEW – DIRECT MARKETING
Josee Bergeron, Director, Product Management, Direct Marketing Line of Business, presented the 2010 price and service changes; Jim Wiseman (Transcontinental Printing – RBW) NAMMU Publications Mail Council Chair, was the discussion leader at the September 17th 2010 Rate Package Review – DM segment.
Click here for complete presentation:

Listed below are the key messages from Josee Bergeron’s presentation:

1. Moderate price increases across all DM products, typically 1 cent
2. Maintaining Addressed Admail Machineable Mail prices to continue customer conversion to Machineable Mail Presort (new category / option planned for January 2011)
3. Discontinuing “over 500g to 750g” weight band within Publications Mail (0/S) due to low usage and manual processing requirements
4. 33.3% reduction in Unaddressed Admail Transportation Fees from 1.2 cents to 0.8 cents, which will help offset postage increases
5. Supply of CPC bags to Unaddressed Admail customers will be discontinued December 31, 2009 (December 31, 2010 within Publications Mail / Addressed Admail)
6. Statement of Accuracy Changes – SERP software will identify / flag rural or apartment addresses with missing information
7. New Business Desktop planned for the Fall 2009 (key change within Unaddressed includes elimination of Admail Delivery Slip)
8. LCP Addressed Admail and Publications Mail – Mailing Plan File Import and Container Labels Requirements mandatory to avoid surcharges in January 2010

Agreed list of action items and key opportunities moving forward following workshop discussion:

1. Increase gap between Local and National prices within Publications Mail to further incent downstream induction (next steps: gather market intelligence from industry / publishing customers)
2. Educate marketplace on cost and how to reduce Undeliverable Mail (Alexis Zamkow was identified as key contact – Jim to follow-up)
3. Further discussion / consultation required on future Machineable Mail Presort option – Jim Douglas identified as CPC contact
4. Provide members of the Partnership Program with a copy of the UA annual volume discount structure
5. Extent Address Correction Service to Publications Mail (next step: need to understand why low usage within AA and business opportunity)
6. Extend / publish cardboard boxes as a containerization option within Addressed Admail / Publications Mail – Industry uncertain this will add value.
Post Meeting Addition:
7. Co-Mailing review. This would certainly help move some of the Transaction Mail to Machineable if they could combine a number of small Mailings into one larger one. This again would help bring density to Mailings so Canada Post can reduce their sorting costs and help fill their new machines. Co-Mailing can also be used for Addressed Admail and Publications Mail to build density for Mid-Month or supplement mailing as well as help small mailings move downstream by building larger pallets. This could also help bring in additional mail volumes by reducing customers’ pricing. Canada Post does not have to give away all the savings, but if Co-Mailing was offered for small quantity lists then it could easily be tested or a pilot program could be set up to see if this is a feasible option for both Canada Post and the Industry.

NEW DIRECTOR TAKES OVER MONTREAL CHAPTER
Marie-Josee Deguire (Meloche Monnex) was selected by chapter members to head up the Montreal Chapter activities, replacing Michel Viger (Amdocs) who resigned due to a change in his responsibilities. Along with the chapter responsibilities, Marie-Josee now assumes a national board role. On hand to warmly welcome her to the national board, was NAMMU President, Kathleen Rowe, taking this opportunity at the September 24th chapter meeting held at Supremex. The President also thanked Jean Gaumond, Secretary, for his strong support of the chapter activities, as well as helping to build a sustainable leadership team for this important chapter.

MORE THAN EVER, IT PAYS TO BE A NAMMU MEMBER
NAMMU members benefit from the quality of information, interaction and influence delivered by experts through various NAMMU platforms. Know someone who needs to be a NAMMU member? Invite them to a Chapter or Council meeting for a first hand experience. membership@nammu.org