Closing the Youth Gap
As the U.S. Postal Service remakes itself into a leaner organization in the face of a communications revolution, it still remains a powerful medium and an important part of the nation’s infrastructure. A smaller Postal Service will still be huge, with more than $60 billion in projected revenue. It will not disappear tomorrow.
A lingering concern remains, however, that the Postal Service is becoming less relevant to younger Americans. A recent public opinion poll by The New York Times and CBS supports this conclusion. According to the poll, only 30 percent of people under 45 say they use the mail “all the time.”
Read MoreMasters of Innovation
The American marketplace is experiencing constant changes in the ways that companies conduct business and communicate with customers. Like other businesses, the Postal Service must also innovate to stay relevant. The Office of Inspector General plans to examine innovation processes currently used by major U.S. corporations to learn about best practices/processes.
The essence of innovation is to identify a problem and develop solutions. For example, Google and Facebook are successful because their websites meet needs of people to manage and organize vast amounts of information and social relationships available on the Internet.
The Postal Service has enjoyed some success with innovative products. Its Priority Mail Flat Rate products have become popular, shipping 350 million boxes over the last 6 years, with revenue of $1.2 billion in fiscal year 2010. This product met the need to simplify the shipping process and was relevant to both consumers and business.
What should the Postal Service do to identify business opportunities and customer needs in order to create solutions that lead to financial success and customer satisfaction?
Also, what experience(s) have you had with Postal Service innovation?
Read MoreOur Third Year
Pushing the Envelope was launched in the late Fall of 2008. Since then, we have posted 118 topics (including this one) and received more than 3,800 comments from our readers. Topics covering issues of interest to Postal Service employees generated the greatest response. Our top five, by views, include the following:
1) Silly Rules
2) OIG wants to know how you feel about sick leave
3) Nationwide Wage Uniformity
4) Brainstorm Ideas part 2 (allowed people to choose the best idea)
5) Brainstorm Ideas to Help the Postal Service
However, all topics, even less popular ones, have helped to generate a great deal of discussion with the following topics generating the most debate and the most comments:
1) Brainstorm Ideas to Help the Postal Service
2) The Great Debate
3) Silly Rules
4) Does the Postal Service Need to Re-examine Its Delivery Service Standards?
Prepaid Debit Cards Services
According to a New York Times article, nearly 10 percent of Americans do not have bank accounts. These and other underbanked people may be taken advantage of by lenders, check cashing facilities, and pawnbrokers through excessive interest rates and fees. Fortunately, in this country, there are many options for consumers to choose, including prepaid debit cards.
Read MoreWill Postal Service bosses go undercover in the future?
“Undercover Boss,” a CBS show that began airing in February, follows Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) as they go undercover to work primarily in lower-level positions in their own companies.
Beyond its entertainment value, the episodes have exposed a significant disconnect between senior management and employees.
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