Read the Interview with Chris Lien on LinkedIn
September 23, 2024
- USPS Holds Postage Rates Steady: BCC Software welcomes the USPS’s decision to maintain current postage rates for market-dominant mail through July 2025.
- Opportunity for Efficiency: The company urges businesses to use this period to enhance mailing processes and improve efficiency.
- Executive Perspective: Chris Lien, EVP of Postal Affairs at BCC Software, highlights the benefits of price stability for mailing strategies.
- Actionable Recommendations: BCC Software advises businesses to focus on improving address quality, utilizing the Mailer Scorecard, optimizing automated workflows, and taking advantage of USPS promotions.
BCC Software Welcomes USPS Decision to Maintain Postage Rates Until July 2025
Company urges businesses to leverage this period for process improvement and efficiency gains
Rochester, NY – BCC Software, a leading provider of postal and data quality solutions, applauds the United States Postal Service’s (USPS) recent announcement that there will be no postage rate increase for market-dominant mail in January 2025. The next adjustment is expected in July 2025. This decision offers significant advantages to the mailing industry by providing a period of price stability, allowing businesses to plan and execute their mailing strategies with greater confidence.
“The USPS’s decision to maintain current postage rates until July 2025 is a welcome development for the mailing industry,” said Chris Lien, Executive Vice President of Postal Affairs at BCC Software. “Instead of facing a price hike at the start of the year, prices will remain steady. This gives the industry some much-needed breathing room to prepare and make the most of this opportunity.”
Maximizing the Opportunity
BCC Software emphasizes that this period of rate stability is more than just a reprieve from rising costs; it’s an opportunity for businesses to strengthen their mailing processes and enhance efficiency.
“Our recommendation is to use this pricing change postponement as a ‘pause of opportunity’ to retool your automated workflows, stay current with the Delivering for America rollout, and explore ways to leverage USPS promotions, mailer scorecard monitoring, and address quality,” added Lien.
Actionable Steps for Businesses
- Improve Address Quality: Ensuring address lists are clean and accurate helps reduce returned or undeliverable mail, saving money now and mitigating the impact of future price increases.
- Utilize the Mailer Scorecard: By resolving compliance issues—whether in address quality, mail preparation, or sorting—businesses can avoid penalties and unexpected costs when rates change.
- Optimize Automated Workflows: Investing time in automating processes can reduce errors, save time, and make operations more cost-effective in the long run.
- Participate in USPS Promotions: Taking advantage of current USPS promotions can significantly lower postage costs and soften the impact of eventual rate increases.
Preparing for the Future
While the January price freeze is beneficial, BCC Software advises businesses to proactively prepare for the expected rate increase in July 2025.
“While the January price freeze is welcome news, it’s important to plan ahead for a larger increase likely to come in July,” Lien cautioned. “Estimates suggest it could be around 6-7%. By improving processes and maximizing efficiency now, the July price hike will have less of an impact on your bottom line.”
Upcoming Software Updates
Lien also highlighted the importance of staying current with software updates.
“Even though prices won’t increase, there will be a software update in January, affecting how mail is sorted and entered,” he noted. “These changes are part of USPS’s Delivering for America plan, and businesses need to update their software to remain compliant.”
Market-Competitive Products
For businesses relying on market-competitive products like parcels, the price increase is still scheduled for January.
“The temporary increase will expire on January 19, 2025, and the USPS could file for another change with just 30 days’ notice,” Lien explained. “If your business relies on these products, you need to stay prepared for potential adjustments.”
A Call to Action
“This is the perfect time to take action,” Lien urged. “With prices holding steady, it’s an opportunity to review your mailing processes, enhance address quality, and take advantage of USPS promotions. The key to making every mail piece count is staying ahead of the curve.”
Businesses seeking to leverage this period of rate stability are encouraged to contact BCC Software for expert guidance and advanced mailing solutions. The BCC Software team is ready to assist in optimizing mailing operations for maximum effectiveness and cost savings.
About BCC Software
BCC Software is a leading provider of comprehensive postal software solutions designed to optimize client communications via physical mail. Founded in 1978 and headquartered in Rochester, NY, BCC Software offers a full suite of postal and data quality products backed by unparalleled customer support. Our solutions empower thousands of customers—from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies—to deliver accurate, efficient, and cost-effective mailings.
