Eighth Edition:

            Welcome to the MSC Newsletter.  In the past two weeks, we have visited most departments on campus.  In this edition, I will recap the highlights of our visit and share information that we learned in this period.

Shannon Covey, Director of Mail Services

Department Visits

Jo and I visited most of the departments on campus in the past two weeks.  If we did not get to see you personally and you would like us to come by, please contact me and I will arrange a time.  These two weeks were tiring, but it was very informative for us since we heard about problems each individual department may be facing.  In addition, we heard positive and negative feedback about some of the changes that we have implemented in the past two years.  We need to hear feedback as to what we are doing to continue to improve our processes for the benefit of our department, the departments on campus and the University as a whole.

Tub Replacement Program

One of the items that we mentioned in our visits is the new tubs that Mail Services will start using in the coming month.  The current tubs are the property of the U.S. Postal Service (U.S.P.S) and are to be used to transport mail between the University and the U.S.P.S.  Because of this, we have decided to replace the U.S.P.S. tubs with tubs purchased by Mail Services.  These new tubs will be in several colors to signify each individual route.  Each department will be assigned two tubs.  When we deliver your mail, we will trade your outgoing mail tub with the tub we are delivering with your mail.  It is very important that we get your tub back every day.  Each department will be responsible for your tubs and we will have the ability to track if a tub has not been returned.  In the event that you need tubs for a large mailing, contact Mail Services and we will deliver extra tubs for your immediate use.  We will not have enough of a supply for each department to keep extras in their department just in case that they need them.

U.S.P.S. Tubs

With the switch to Illinois State University Mail Service tubs, any U.S.P.S. tubs that you have in your departments should be returned to Mail Services in the coming weeks.  Mail Services will make sure that the tubs are returned to the U.S.P.S.

UPS Campus Ship

UPS Campus Ship has been around for a few years and for those that do not know about it here is a quick introduction.  Campus Ship allows each individual department to process their UPS packages directly and then call for pickup by UPS or give them to us at one of our pickups.  The reason that I am mentioning this is that a new feature has been added to the Campus Ship program.  You may now ship and pay for your personal UPS packages using a credit card.allowing you to get the same rates that the University receives from UPS.  If you have further questions about UPS Campus Ship, please contact Shannon @ 8-8383.

Bulk Mailing Reports

For those of you that use our jetmail services then you are familiar with our old format of email reports.  These were a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet with lists of different addresses for each particular problem.  The new format is a single .pdf file that allows an (hopefully) easier to understand format with more information about what is wrong with your address.  If you have any problems, with this new format please let me know.  Also, keep watch on our website (www.msc.ilstu.edu) because I will be adding information about the new reports and how to best utilize them.

Address Labels for Flat Sized Envelopes

The U.S.P.S. is using more machines to sort flat sized envelopes.  This helps the postal service keeps the cost of mailing items lower.  As a result, Mail Services is seeing more loop mail.  Loop mail is mail that the return address is read by the machine instead of the delivery address and the item is returned to ISU Mail Services instead of being delivered.  The way to reduce this from happening is to separate the delivery address from the return address, use fonts that the sorting machines will not read and be careful using mailing labels that include the return address directly above the delivery address.  If you have further questions, please contact Shannon @ 8-8383.

Web Site

Every issue of the Mail Service newsletter, I mention the website and some of the features that may be found there.  The reason that I do this is because I want to give our customers the best service that we can.  This issue I am focusing on some new features that are going to be coming to the website in the coming month.  Currently we have links to the U.S.P.S. website to check addresses.  I hope to add the ability to check an address directly from our site.  I also will be adding information on the bulk mailing reports that I mentioned above and a few other changes.  If there is anything that should be added to our website, please let me know.  The website’s purpose is to help you get the most out of Mail Services.

As always, we appreciate any feedback that you give us that will help us improve the services that we offer.  Please complete a Customer Satisfaction Survey on our website or contact me directly.  This concludes the Mail Service newsletter; please let us know if you have any questions or comments.  We are always trying to improve our services and welcome any input from our customers.

Shannon