http://www.qg.com/joesblog.asp Joe's Blog by Joe Schick en-us Copyright 2010 Quad/Graphics Inc.. All Rights Reserved. Sun, 7 Mar 2010 14:00:01 GMT 60 http://www.qg.com/joesblog.asp?newmessageid=32204&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=joesblog_rss Those of us that attended the USPS briefing last Tuesday were encouraged that the Postal Service was finally laying out their plans for the future. Given their fragile financial position and the rapidly changing environment in the way that content ... Sun, 7 Mar 2010 00:00:00 CDT http://www.qg.com/joesblog.asp?newmessageid=32204 http://www.qg.com/joesblog.asp?newmessageid=31778&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=joesblog_rss ... Thu, 11 Feb 2010 00:00:00 CDT http://www.qg.com/joesblog.asp?newmessageid=31778 http://www.qg.com/joesblog.asp?newmessageid=31148&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=joesblog_rss The USPS has long been an operations-focused entity. That fact cannot be disputed, and in a monopolized business model, could be expected. However, in today's high-tech, digitized world, what once were monopoly segments of the USPS' business (magazines, ... Mon, 11 Jan 2010 00:00:00 CDT http://www.qg.com/joesblog.asp?newmessageid=31148 http://www.qg.com/joesblog.asp?newmessageid=29937&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=joesblog_rss In response to my recent post on budgeting for a postal increase, I received an email from USPS Sr. VP of Customer Relations, Steve Kearney. Steve was responding to my mention of the possibility that the USPS could "tinker" with prices within a class ... Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 CDT http://www.qg.com/joesblog.asp?newmessageid=29937 http://www.qg.com/joesblog.asp?newmessageid=29874&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=joesblog_rss Earlier this month we celebrated Christopher Columbus discovering America and the USPS discovering that all it takes to make mailers happy is to announce that there will be no postal price increase for Market Dominant Products in 2010. (Note: Competitive ... Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 CDT http://www.qg.com/joesblog.asp?newmessageid=29874 http://www.qg.com/joesblog.asp?newmessageid=29253&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=joesblog_rss It might surprise you to know that Quad is formally involved with postal services around the world. Since we have print interests in Poland, Brazil and Argentina, building relationships, or at the very least having contacts with the Post in each ... Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:00:00 CDT http://www.qg.com/joesblog.asp?newmessageid=29253 http://www.qg.com/joesblog.asp?newmessageid=28791&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=joesblog_rss There have always been some specific postal regulations regarding the flexibility and/or rigidity of flat mail pieces known as deflection standards. Why you ask? Well, it's because of the machinability requirements for USPS flat sorting equipment. ... Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:00:00 CDT http://www.qg.com/joesblog.asp?newmessageid=28791 http://www.qg.com/joesblog.asp?newmessageid=28284&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=joesblog_rss In trying to project what to budget for postal prices in 2010, there should only be one thing to monitor in coming up with a percentage. That would be the running average of CPI-U. We all know that in the 2006 Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act ... Mon, 3 Aug 2009 00:00:00 CDT http://www.qg.com/joesblog.asp?newmessageid=28284 http://www.qg.com/joesblog.asp?newmessageid=27811&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=joesblog_rss I wanted to provide some followup information to an earlier posting (5/15/2009 - Raising the Bar on Barcode Readability). The USPS and the mailing industry, through the Mailer's Technical Advisory Committee (MTAC), have come to an agreed upon process ... Wed, 8 Jul 2009 00:00:00 CDT http://www.qg.com/joesblog.asp?newmessageid=27811