The Future of Digital Mailboxes Are we on the brink of a digital mail revolution? By John Payne & Humberto Prospero
Unlike the title of John M. Cain’s explosive 1934 novel, The Postman Always Rings Twice, tomorrow’s postman may not ring at all. As consumers grow more trustworthy of data security, online bill payment and management are expected to grow exponentially. The challenge is accelerating consumer acceptance so that the predicted growth begins today rather than tomorrow. After all, companies have been aggressively cranking up their online businesses for more than 10 years. Because email has been fraught with security issues, banks, retailers and others have spent millions creating secure websites where consumers can order and pay for purchases. People have responded with gusto. Eighty percent of consumers transact business online; 64% pay bills online. Yet the rate of people opting out of receiving paper versions of their bills and statements stands at a mere 15-20%. Why haven’t consumers switched to a paperless platform en masse? We believe the answer is based on three consumer values that have been missing until now: convenience, control and simplicity. The average consumer receives more than 17 bills each month plus significant quantities of other essential mail (privacy statements, insurance documents, stock disclosures, etc.). Receiving all of these documents every month, one by one, on numerous websites requires significant work on the part of the consumer. So, despite the appeal of digital documents and interest from early adopters, mainstream consumers are reluctant to take on the extra work of rounding up all their mail. They want a “digital postman” to deliver their electronic mail safely and securely, without any fuss on their part. 18
JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2012 a www.MailingSystemsTechnology.com