BOOT CAMP FOR MAIL CENTER MANAGERS Tactics to mastering the tools of mail center success. By Mark M. Fallon
O
n May 30, 1984, I reported to basic training (“boot camp”) at Fort Dix, New Jersey. I still carry the lessons I learned during those nine weeks. I didn’t learn everything I needed to know, but I received the fundamentals to start my military career. The training I received became the base for all that followed, whether special training, like Airborne School, as well as my general duties as a soldier and an officer. With that concept in mind, Pat Ring and I developed the “Boot Camp for Mail Center Managers” class for the National Postal Forum. Before becoming the Associate Director of Mail Services for Boston
16
MAY-JUNE 2017 | MailingSystemsTechnology.com
University, Pat spent decades with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). In the class, we try to share the basics needed to be a successful manager in the world of print and mail. Any introduction to the world of mail starts with the USPS — the linchpin to an industry employing over 7.5 million people and accounting for over $1 trillion to the national economy. Led by Postmaster General Megan Brennan, the 509,000 employees of the USPS process and deliver over 154 billion pieces of mail each year to 156 million addresses. That includes your business and your customers. In addition to knowing the website address — www.usps.com — you should
know the people who work at your local mail facility. This includes your postmaster, the Business Mail Entry Manager, and the district Business Service Network (BSN) representatives. Take the time to introduce yourself and discuss how you can work together to be successful. Depending upon your operation, this may mean the delivery of your inbound mail, the proper preparation of your outbound mail, or both. You need to know who to call… and where to look. The USPS has developed online tools specifically for the business mailer: Postal Explorer – http://pe.usps.com – This resource allows you to search every USPS manual and Quick Service Guide with a single click.