Basic HTML Version
PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, NOVEMBER 4, 1986
MAIL PROCESSING UPDATE
POST-FEAST WORKLOAD1· SAVINGS: PT GOING SECOND CLASS1
INTERNATIONAL AIRMAIL SERVICE1 RECORD IN NAMES ADDED TO FILE1
THOUSANDS SERVE WATS LINES1 THIRD TITHE BLESSINGS
PAGE 11
Poat-.reast Workload Although most of our Mail Processing operations were
shut down during the Feast of Tabernacles, the mail and phone calls continued
to pour in. This year's post-Feast backlog is comprised of over 600,000
letters, Holy Day offering envelopes and WATS cards. Many employees will
work overtime and on Sundays for the next three or four weeks to handle this
enormous amount of mail as quickly as possible. We are making every effort
to eliminate the inventory on hand in preparation for the upcoming response
to Mr. Tkach's fall semiannual letter.
Savings: PT Going Second Class In March 1985, Publishing began mailing "The
Plain Truth• at second class postage rates instead of the nonprofit bulk
third class rate. This was done because the
o.s.
Postal Service changed its
rates, making second class mail a less expensive method of sending out ·The
Plain Truth.•
In addition, we have also gained other unexpected savings from our current
use of second class. Formerly, when a person moved and did not send us his
new address immediately, the post office returned bis •p1ain Truth• to us,
charging 30 cents return postage for every magazine. We also bad to spend
time and money in sending another PT to the individual's new address. Since
the post office now forwards second class mail for 60 days, fewer PTs are
returned to us.
Since March 1985, we have saved $60,000 in postage returns and 2,000 man
hours in processing returned magazines. Also 200,000 •plain Truths• reached
subscribers sooner.
International Airllllil Service The
o.s.
Postal Service now offers a special
airmail service to foreign countries at a lower rate than regular airmail.
The new service--called International Priority Airmail CIPA)--allows us to
send bulk mail overseas for $6.80 per pound. Previously we were charged a
per-ounce rate which resulted in a much higher total mailing cost.
The postage savings from the August co-worker/member letter, mailed to
Caribbean countries, is one example of how IPA benefits us. A total of 2,167
letters was sent at a cost of $482. If we bad sent the letters by regular
airmail, as in the past, the mailing fees would have been over $1,600. Thus,
we achieved a savings of over 70 percent by using the new service.
The new service is not only less costly but also faster than regular airmail.
Delivery to the Caribbean countries averages seven days for International
Priority Mail, as compared to 12 days for regular airmail service.
Many other international mailings, such as •Youth 86,• Spanish Department
lecture announcements, and sermon tapes to foreign areas, also qualify for
this new rate.