Mail service continues as viable means of communication in local marketplace

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While the use of Internet and e-mail is expanding, it isn't a death knell for old-fashioned "snail" mail.|ret||ret||tab|

Bill Brayman, postmaster with the U.S. Postal Service, said the Internet hasn't adversely affected mail volume.|ret||ret||tab|

"There is still a lot of nostalgia with hard copy," he said.|ret||ret||tab|

While there are people who pay bills online instead of mailing payments, many people order products online, which have to be shipped.|ret||ret||tab|

"It takes away on one hand and gives something in another," he said.|ret||ret||tab|

The Springfield division of the Postal Service delivers about 1.8 million pieces of mail and packages daily, Brayman said. Nationwide, the Postal Service delivers 665 million pieces daily.|ret||ret||tab|

"In the four week period from the last of November through Christmas of 2002 we recorded an increase of 6 million pieces over what we normally do," Brayman said.|ret||ret||tab|

The number of outgoing packages was down, however. Brayman attributed the decline to one week less shopping time between Thanks-giving and Christmas.|ret||ret||tab|

Springfield services 255 post offices in areas with the ZIP code starting with 648, 654 to 658. This extends past Rolla to the northeast and includes West Plains to the southeast. The service area goes north as far as Bolivar and Stockton and south to the Arkansas line.|ret||ret||tab|

The Postal Service is operating on budget and Brayman said no rate increase is expected until 2006. Brayman attributed this to the civil service retirement fund. Recent overpayments have created a surplus in the fund that Congress can vote to redirect back into operating expense. With these funds available, the Postal Service should be able to stay on budget for the next three years without an increase.|ret||ret||tab|

Typically, rate increases come in a three-year cycle, he said.|ret||ret||tab|

The Springfield postal service employs 833 people including carriers, clerks, mail handlers and maintenance people at four full-service facilities and two annexes.|ret||ret||tab|

Brayman said that technology may change how people view communication, but direct mail still has the best targeting.|ret||ret||tab|

"There's no use selling a lawnmower to an apartment dweller," he said.|ret||ret||tab|

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Private companies|ret||ret||tab|

AAA Mailing Service and Ozark Mailing Service are two local companies that provide reduced-rate, direct-mail service for hundreds of local and regional businesses.|ret||ret||tab|

Bert Thompson, owner and general manager at AAA, said his business mails letters, postcards, tabloids and catalogs for more than 400 customers, including Brown Derby, Bass Pro Shops and Reckitt Benckiser.|ret||ret||tab|

The Internet has positively affected AAA, Thompson said, as many direct mail and supplementing it with e-mails.|ret||ret||tab|

Thompson quoted a Wall Street Journal article that said the trend is for companies to shift from media advertising to direct mail and Internet. |ret||ret||tab|

The article noted an 8 percent increase in direct-mail advertising from a study of about 700 companies.|ret||ret||tab|

"Our business increase would reflect that percentage," he said.|ret||ret||tab|

Ozark Mailing Service provides both first-class and bulk mail service, according to Tom Barr, company president. Ozark Mailing processes first-class mail on a daily basis.|ret||ret||tab|

"I don't think the Internet has impacted our business," Barr said. "We haven't seen it."|ret||ret||tab|

Ozark Mailing also provides printing services and can personalize mail in both black-and-white or color. Barr has seen and increase in demand for color pieces.|ret||ret||tab|

His customer base includes many local banks and CoxHealth and St. John's.|ret||ret||tab|

Bulk mailing services can also provide savings. Mailings are presorted and delivered to the post office ready for the carrier. This saves the company on each piece processed.|ret||ret||tab|

On bulk mail customers receive the lowest possible rate. |ret||ret||tab|

Each piece goes to the post office with bar coding in place and is sorted by ZIP code.|ret||ret||tab|

The customer can save 1.8 cents on each presorted first class piece sent, according to Barr.|ret||ret||tab|

AAA has a full-time crew of nine people and uses up to 15 temporary workers in high-volume times. |ret||ret||tab|

Ozark Mailing has 30 full- and part-time employees at a 20,000-square-foot facility built in 2001.|ret||ret||tab|

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