MONDAY DECEMBER 16, 2002

SANTA IS LISTENING
Commercial Lettermail users will be encouraged to know that the Incentive Product offerings may actually be brought in line with todays business realities, thanks to the recent appointment of Terry Dunn as Director. Terry is responsible for a number of successful innovations to Addressed Admail, so perhaps the current ho humLettermail offerings will benefit from his fresh approach.

SIMPLIFICATION caused major churn within the Lettermail community as choice and incentives were dramatically reduced. Post SIMPLIFICATION, the gap continues to close on incentives and the product offerings are inert. We will look for change and make sure it is progress!

ADMAIL QUALIFICATIONS
George Corcoran, General Manager, Communications Products, advises that Terry Dunn will continue to carry Admail responsibilities along with the newly assigned Lettermail products. With both major product offerings in one portfolio, look for NAMMU to revisit the Admail definition issue with its specific exclusions.

The specific exclusions have been a source of contention by disenfranchised users of Admail and and have probably cost the Corporation both business and goodwill. It can't hurt to review the definition and rationale. Contact executive@nammu.org for details.

COLLISION COURSE?
Bypass vs mail induction at origin: two good options but we need to strike the right balance. Several industry-Canada Post task forces/sub-committees are working toward efficiency, value added, cost reduction objectives. The least cost scenarios in many cases appear to come under the consolidation and bypass proposals, however, current incentive rates strategically favor induction at origin and less worksharing.

NAMMU is monitoring the situation closely because some of the product aligned groups are working in silos. The impact of positive change to one product offering could reverberate with unforeseen cost impact to another. Read more in this months issue of techno.talk If you do not currently subscribe, contact general@nammu.org

QUEBEC ADDRESS MANAGEMENT TEAM A CLEAR WINNER
Thanks to the persistence of Andree Harbour (Groupe Desjardins Assurances Generales) on behalf of the Quebec City chapter members, Jean Gaumond (Gaz Metropolitain) on behalf of Montreal chapter members, and Mark Scott on behalf of the Canada Post Address Management team, the Quebec municipality/merger address conversions will proceed as smoothly as possible. Two joint, action oriented committees have been formed to tackle issues: the steering committee handles issues of policy; the technical committee handles the actual methods of information transfer. The NAMMU executive ensures that the information travels to those outside the region who have requested it.

Three productive meetings have been held to date and a signficant number of people are giving their time to this important challenge. NAMMU particularly thanks Guy Prefontaine (CAA Quebec) for his superb job of carrying the ball from the outset of the first meeting in Montreal. Read more in this months issue of techno.talk.

USPS ONLINE MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE
POSTCOM (December 13,2002) reports the United States Postal Service (USPS) launched a new online magazine subscription service from its website at www.usps.com/magazines an initiative long pursued by magazine and newspaper publishers as a win-win.

Partnering with Magazine Mall Inc. www.magmall.com the USPS says the online service offers thousands of magazine subscriptions at up to 85 percent off retail prices and is generating a new revenue stream. USPS will meet or beat any magazine subscription price.