Epostmarks Industry News

Confronting A Disruptive Technology

Webmaster — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:01:02 +0000

Ms. Leong makes a strong argument for the USPS to make bold moves to remove itself from their current financial predicament.

Source: Confronting A Disruptive Technology (http://www.mailingsystemstechnology.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=E8941DB3E6A4499196334DC6734E5945&nm=Contact+Us&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&tier=4&id=5038C9B68FAA4F2F89631A3AFC8D6670) by Joy Leong - The Postal Service is currently facing an unprecedented financial crisis. If long-term societal changes are the primary cause of the Postal Service's distress, then deferring $2 billion of retiree health care payments and saving $2-3 billion by reducing delivery service are band-aids applied to a terminally ill patient. The Postal Service finds itself confronted with a "disruptive technology" that currently affect just a portion of its mail but could render its entire business model obsolete.

Is It Time for a Postal Service 2.0?

Webmaster — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 19:41:27 +0000

Referencing our partner Earth Class Mail BusinessWeek technology writer Arik Hesseldahl describes some ways that USPS could improve service and reduce costs by embracing electronic delivery methods.

Source: Is It Time for a Postal Service 2.0? (http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/feb2009/tc20090211_420364.htm) by Arik Hesseldahl - Some say the U.S. Postal Service, awash in red ink, needs a tech revamp. Electronic delivery companies like Earth Class Mail and Zumbox are ready to help

Postmaster got $800,000 in pay, perks

Webmaster — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 03:58:19 +0000

Postmaster General Potter comes under fire for his 2008 compensation package. It was beefed up in 2006 in the same legislation that impacted the EPM last year. While his compensation skyrocketed one must keep things in perspective. Buried at the end of the article are comparisons to his peers in industry and with that in mind he's a bargain.

Source: Postmaster got $800,000 in pay, perks (http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/feb/17/in-hard-times-postmaster-earned-800000-in-pay-perk/) by Jim McElhatton - Postmaster General John E. Potter recently warned that economic times are so dire that the U.S. Postal Service may end mail delivery one day a week and freeze executive salaries. But his personal fortunes are nonetheless rising thanks to 40 percent in pay raises since 2006, a $135,000 bonus last year and several perks usually reserved for corporate CEOs.

Facebook Slow to Respond to Phishing Scam

Webmaster — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 19:34:55 +0000

Facebook getting caught with their pants down on some serious scams.

http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/01/22/facebook-slow-to-respond-to-phishing-scam/

Source: Facebook Slow to Respond to Phishing Scam (http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2009/01/22/facebook-slow-to-respond-to-phishing-scam/) by Marisa Taylor

British online bankers want to save cash, not the environment

Webmaster — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 20:07:00 +0000

British online bankers all know the right thing to do but they want a piece of the action.

http://www.bizreport.com/2009/01/british_online_bankers_want_to_save_cash_not_the_environment.html

Source: British online bankers want to save cash, not the environment (http://www.bizreport.com/2009/01/british_online_bankers_want_to_save_cash_not_the_environment.html) by Helen Leggatt

U.S. Postal Rates Go Up a Penny

Webmaster — Tue, 13 May 2008 17:52:17 +0000

U.S. postal rates go up a penny Monday. The number of letters being mailed is down, but costs are up, especially for gasoline.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90366281

Source: U.S. Postal Rates Go Up a Penny (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90366281) by Wendy Kaufman

You've Got Mail

Webmaster — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 19:50:06 +0000

Detailing some of the many unorthodox methods that the US Postal Service (USPS) uses to deliver mail daily, this article sheds light on the many reasons why the US Postal Service and other global postal services are among the most under-appreciated public services to date.

It is interesting to note that while competitors such as FedEx and UPS are free to provide selective services to more profitable segments, USPS is required by federal law to provide daily pickups and deliveries to every community in the nation…not just the most profitable ones. The 700,000 public servants who comprise the US Postal Service really go to extremes to make this happen while breaking even. They even operate a mule train to service the most remote human settlement in the lower 48 US states, the 450-person Supai Village at the bottom of the Grand Canyon.

Dennis Palandro, an accounting manager at USPS, strikes a chord in stating “The mule train is a symbol of universal service at a reasonable rate. A private company would (charge $20 for a letter). We do it for 41 cents.”

Like many other global posts, the USPS must stay competitive although it is naturally resistant to change. They have invested significantly in digital technologies and mediums to deliver information and goods, and continue to invest in the promise of solutions like PostmarkedEmail.

See Full Article

You've Got Spam

Webmaster — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 20:00:09 +0000

Everyone enjoys getting things for free, including email. Because the monetary cost of sending an email is virtually zero, we freely send emails as fast as we can type them - so do spammers. Due to the freedom and anonymity of email, spammers play the game of odds and send out millions of emails every day to get into your inbox - a $50 billion hit to the global economy per annum. This figure is rather surprising and begs the question, "How FREE Is Email?"

The growing concern of spam (and phishing) has led businesses in the email industry to reconsider open standards and more drastic reform measures to mitigate this problem, including "user authentication" and "sender bonds."

Full Article

Damn Spam

Webmaster — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 15:46:51 +0000

Are You Helping Spammers?

It's discomforting to think that you could be involved in spamming campaigns. Unfortunately, it is highly likely that you have at one point in your life and that you did this past month. In fact, there was roughly an 80% chance in August that your computer was infected with a virus capable of hijacking your computer to send spam without your knowledge of the act. Hijacked computers known as "zombies" are the primary source of all spam which comprises roughly 89% of all email today.

"Damn Spam: The Losing War on Junk Email" - The New Yorker

TrustedSource Security Research Portal

Fiserv to Buy CheckFree for $4.2 Billion

Webmaster — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 13:49:48 +0000

As electronic billing and payment, online banking and investment management technology services prove to be a competitive necessity for banks of all sizes, many will be looking for ways to fully leverage their investments in web-enabled IT.

Full Article