STAMFORD, Conn., April 23, 2008 – Pitney Bowes Inc. is helping its customers manage next month's postage price changes with an array of events, communications and online services, all designed to make sure mailers make wise choices about mailstream options when new prices take effect.
 
The postage price changes scheduled to take place on May 12 are the among the smallest in years, thanks in part to the sweeping postal reform law that was passed by Congress and signed by President Bush in late 2006.  That law mandated that postage prices in the aggregate cannot rise faster than consumer inflation for a period of ten years.  For example, full-rate first class postage for a one-ounce letter is rising from 41 cents to 42 cents, or 2.4%, but many business mailers can pay far less than that by taking advantage of postal discounts.
 
"While these are modest price increases by historical standards, the imperative for mailers remains the same: to review operations continually to ensure the best overall strategy for this valuable communications channel," said Leslie Abi-Karam, Pitney Bowes's executive vice president and president, mailing solutions management. "We think price changes offer a great opportunity to take a fresh look."
 
To support mailers who are preparing for the changes, Pitney Bowes has two online resources available.  General information about the new rates, as well as many other topics of importance to mailers, is available at www.pbrateinfo.com.  This site also includes an interactive rate change calculator that helps customers understand how the new rates will affect them, and offers specific strategies to mitigate the price increases.  The calculator is available through the "Identify Winning Strategies" link on the site.
 
Current Pitney Bowes customers who want to download the new rates to their Pitney Bowes mailing machines can go to www.pb.com/ratechange.
 
Pitney Bowes has also been reaching out to mailers through local Postal Customer Council meetings, direct mail, in-person customer calls and web-based training sessions to help organizations prepare for the new postal rates.  As May 12 approaches, the company's call centers and customer support representatives are prepared for online and live support for last-minute issues.
 
"Even during challenging economic times, mail remains one of the best ways to communicate with customers and prospects," Abi-Karam said. "At Pitney Bowes, we are committed to providing companies with all the tools, information and services they need to make their direct communications efficient and effective."