2009 Comprehensive statement on postal operations TRADEMARKS YEAR REFERENCES TRADEMARKS All references to a specific year or “the year” refer to the Postal Service fiscal year ending September 30. However, specific month and year references pertain to the calendar date. The following are among the trademarks owned by the United States Postal Service: ACS™, APC®, Automated Postal Center®, Carrier Pickup™, CASS™, CASS Certified™, Certified Mail™, Click- N-Ship®, Confirm ®, Customized MarketMail®, Delivery Confirmation™, DMM®, EPM®, Express Mail®, FAST®, FASTforward®, First-Class™, First-Class Mail®, Full-Service ACS™, IM™, IMb™, Intelligent Mail®, LACSLink™, MASS™, MERLIN®, Mover’s Guide®, NCOALink®, Netpost®, Netpost Mailing Online™, OneCode ACS®, OneCode Confirm®, OneCode Solution™, OneCode Vision®, Parcel Post®, Parcel Select®, PC Postage®, PLANET®, PLANET Code®, Post Office™, PostalOne!®, Postal Service™, POSTNET™, Priority Mail®, Quick, Easy, Convenient™, RDI™, ReadyPost®, REDRESS®, Registered Mail™, RIBBS®, Signature Confirmation™, Simple Formulas®, Stamps by Mail®, Standard Mail®, The Postal Store®, United States Postal Service®, U.S. Mail™, U.S. Postal Service®, USPS®, USPS Electronic Postmark®, USPS.COM®, www.usps.com®, ZIP+4®, and ZIP Code™. This is not a comprehensive list of all Postal Service trademarks. Mail.dat®, Mail.XML® and IDEAlliance® are trademarks owned by the International Digital Enterprise Alliance. TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1: Our Mission ................................................................................... 5 Who We Are ............................................................................................................... 5 The Year in Review ..................................................................................................... 5 Governance and Oversight .......................................................................................... 6 Chapter 2: Products and Services .................................................................. 13 Product Development.................................................................................................. 13 Chapter 3: Operations .................................................................................... 23 Standardization and Network Optimization.................................................................... 23 Visibility ..................................................................................................................... 24 Addressing ................................................................................................................. 26 Acceptance ................................................................................................................ 28 Processing ................................................................................................................. 30 Transportation ............................................................................................................ 33 Facilities .................................................................................................................... 34 Delivery and Pickup .................................................................................................... 35 Global Business .......................................................................................................... 36 Resources and Support ............................................................................................... 37 Sustainability .............................................................................................................. 40 Chapter 4: Customer Programs ...................................................................... 45 Customer Satisfaction Measurement ........................................................................... 45 Customer Support ...................................................................................................... 45 Outreach .................................................................................................................... 46 Mailing Industry Dialog................................................................................................ 47 Chapter 5: Workforce ..................................................................................... 49 Complement Management .......................................................................................... 49 Employee Recruitment ................................................................................................ 50 Learning and Development ......................................................................................... 50 Workforce Diversity and Inclusiveness.......................................................................... 51 Compensation and Benefits......................................................................................... 52 Labor Relations .......................................................................................................... 53 Workplace Environment .............................................................................................. 54 Employee Communications and Outreach .................................................................... 56 Community Involvement .............................................................................................. 56 Chapter 6: 2009 Performance and 2010 Goals ............................................... 59 Performance Principles ............................................................................................... 59 Goal Structure and Process ......................................................................................... 59 Summary 2009 and 2010 Core Organizational Goals, Targets, and Results ................... 60 Improve Service ......................................................................................................... 60 Improve Financial Viability ........................................................................................... 61 Increase Employee Engagement .................................................................................. 62 2009 Comprehensive Statement on Postal Operations | 3 4 | 2009 Comprehensive Statement on Postal Operations Chapter 1: Our Mission The Postal Service’s mission is to provide the nation with reliable, compared to last year, with an associated drop in revenue of affordable, universal mail service. The basic functions of the Postal $5.6 billion, or 9.5 percent. Total mailing services revenue Service were established in 39 U.S.C. § 101(a): “. to bind the decreased $6.6 billion, or 9.9 percent, with a corresponding volume Nation together through the personal, educational, literary, and decrease of 25.5 billion pieces, or 12.7 percent, compared to last business correspondence of the people. It [the Postal Service] year. Most of this decrease can be attributed to the downturn in the shall provide prompt, reliable, and efficient services to patrons in economy, particularly the financial and real estate sectors, which are all areas and shall render postal services to all communities.” The heavy users of the mail. Postal Service delivers to more than 150 million addresses six days a week, and picks up pre-paid letters and packages at the time of The Postal Service began to implement a more robust customer delivery. It provides mailing and shipping services through more than experience measurement system to replace the current customer 36,000 retail outlets and usps.com. satisfaction surveys. The new system evaluates the total customer experience, from mailpiece design to preparation to customer service to delivery, and allows the Postal Service to pinpoint areas in need of Who We Are improvement and better adjust to customer needs. Document Purpose For the fifth consecutive year, the American public rated the Postal The annual Comprehensive Statement on Postal Operations and Service as the most trusted government agency to safeguard the Annual Report describe Postal Service activities and results. personal information, according to Ponemon Institute’s national The Comprehensive Statement is a broad summary of customer, privacy trust study. The Postal Service was also ranked among the employee, and operations-focused developments from the past top six most trusted among all organizations — public or private. fiscal year. The Annual Report focuses on Postal Service finances and financial results. Vision 2013, the five-year strategic plan for The Postal Service increased customer value by pursuing aggressive 2009-2013, offers a broad perspective of what it will take for the marketing strategies and pricing innovations to grow the mail. The Postal Service to succeed in the future. The Vision 2013 Progress Postal Service launched one of its largest and most integrated Report details progress made toward strategic goals in 2009. All four advertising campaigns to raise awareness of Priority Mail Flat Rate documents are available at usps.com. boxes — “A simpler way to ship” — and one of the best bargains in the marketplace. The Summer Sale and Saturation Mail incentive The Postal Service has filed the annual Comprehensive Statement programs made it easier for businesses to continue their direct since 1976 in accordance with 39 U.S.C. 2401(e), which prescribes marketing campaigns in the down economy. its contents. Chapter 1 addresses our mission, the year in review, governance and oversight, as well as legislative and regulatory The Postal Service