These moves are part of the Postal Service's goal of operating more like a business. One result: Federal agencies, which now pay for postage after metering it, probably will ultimately follow the same procedures private companies do. A few government offices, most of them military, have already switched to paying for postage before they use it. The Postal Service also is launching a "credit card" to allow users to pay for postage in advance, according to Ernest Stevens, chief of space, mail and telecommunications for GSA.
The transition to electronic meters should spur innovation and shake up mail-vendor contracts. Meters have two parts: the bases, which the mailers own, and the meters themselves, which are owned by companies such as Pitney Bowes and Ascom Hasler. With technology changes, agencies may need new bases and could end up paying more to rent the equipment. That, in turn, could shake up the industry, as customers who are changing equipment may be more likely to think about switching vendors.
The other big news in mailing is the move to PC-based postage. New technology allows users to meter mail right at their desks using a personal or networked computer and a printer. A device plugs into the PC and downloads postage.
Finally, look for all mailroom functions to become more integrated and automated. Scales, meters, folders and tracking and routing systems will merge into a kind of multifunctional mailroom product. What was once a very labor-intensive process will become faster, more automated, more efficient and cheaper.
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