LetterStream – Coronavirus Update March 18, 2020

LetterStream is paying very close attention to the Coronavirus situation and is meeting and taking new actions daily.

At this point, we are still fully operational but we are reducing the number of active employees working at peak times in order to increase “social distancing” for our team.  And while we expect minimal impact, we do know that the amount of mail we can get out the door the “same day” it arrives is likely to be diminished.

Keep in mind that FedEx, Certified Mail, and Expedited mail will have the same priority as always and we believe we will continue to hit those targets.  The change will be in USPS First-class, NonProfit and Standard/Marketing Mail where customers may be accustomed to loading a job at 3pm and seeing it mail the same day, without paying for expedited service.  We foresee this being the most impacted and highly unlikely for weeks ahead.

Here are some things you can do to help us stay in step with you about your mailing projects.  If you need the mail delivered quickly, we highly recommend our FedEx overnight and 3-Day options.  If you absolutely need your mail processed quickly by LetterStream, pay to have your job expedited through rush or expedited services in the shopping cart.  If you just wish your mail would go out faster, I’d recommend trying to load your jobs earlier in the day. Lastly, please anticipate that delays are going to be occurring all around us and all around you.  Please work on plans to compensate for the new normal so that your mailings will go out as needed.

As always, if you have any questions you can contact our awesome Customer Service team, all of whom are working remotely.  Also, our website provides a lot of good help, solutions, and information via the Help button floating in the lower right corner of the screen.

Thank you for your business, for your frequent kind words and for trusting us with your critical mail.  Stay well and hunker down.

USPS Postage Rates 2020

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Mark Your Calendars!

The proposed price changes that the United States Postal Service (USPS) filed with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) back in October, were approved. Starting January 26, 2020, these new prices will officially be in effect.

LetterStream prices will reflect the rate changes starting on Friday, January 24th at 5pm Arizona Time (6pm EST), so we recommend planning ahead and approving your mailings before the price increases are officially in effect.

As it goes every year, any job in our system that has been approved and paid for prior to 5pm on the 24th will have the old postage prices, even if we mail it on Monday the 27th.  Following is a list of postage changes for some of our primary products.

Here’s the list of items unchanged by the 2020 rates:

  • First-Class stamps staying at $0.55
  • First-Class Postcard Rate staying at $0.35
  • Extra Ounces staying at $0.15 (for letters, not flats)
  • Flat base rate staying at $1.00

And some items that are experiencing an increase, such as:

  • International Rates going up from $1.15 to $1.20
  • Certified Mail going up from $3.50 to $3.55
  • Return Receipt going up from $2.80 to $2.85
  • Electronic Return Receipt going up from $1.60 to $1.70
  • Registered Mail going up from $12.40 to $12.60
  • Flats Extra Ounces going up from $0.15 to $0.20

Sorry, this year we didn’t find any fees that went down for the products that we offer.

Click here to review the USPS press release for 2020 postage rates.
Click here to download and review the complete list of 2020 USPS rate changes.

We should remind you that LetterStream rarely raises our prices.  We simply increase our prices by the amount of the USPS rate increases, and you can expect the same this year as well.

Again, LetterStream will be implementing these changes on January 24th, 2020 at 5 PM, so make sure you approve any jobs you can before the 24th to get the old postage prices.

2019 Postal Service Holiday Shipping Deadlines

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Santa isn’t the only one busy this Holiday season!

We all get sucked into the hustle and bustle of shopping, wrapping, ordering, and MAILING!

The USPS becomes Santa’s little helpers as they deliver about 2.5 million pieces of mail this week alone and about 800 million packages between Thanksgiving and New Years. (WBRZ)

When sending out letters and packages to family and friends and want them to make it to the desired location by the big day, to do so make sure you follow the USPS shipping deadlines schedule.

Dec. 18 – APO/FPO/DPO (except ZIP Code 093) USPS Priority Mail Express

Dec. 20 – First-Class Mail (including greeting cards)

Dec. 20 – First-Class Packages (up to 15.99 ounces)

Dec. 20 – Hawaii to mainland Priority Mail and First-Class Mail

Dec. 21 – Priority Mail

Dec. 20 – Alaska to mainland Priority Mail and First-Class Mail

Dec. 22 – Alaska to mainland Priority Mail Express

Dec. 22 – Hawaii to mainland Priority Mail Express

Dec. 23 – Priority Mail Express

If you want more information about these deadlines go to WBRC.com

Happy Holiday!

2019 Baja 1000

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Racing through Mexico!

Given today’s headlines it might sound treacherous to drive to Mexico; but how much more so, to make it a thousand-mile road trip through the country. And let’s add a twist of only traveling on unpaved and primitive roads.

Well, Dennis our Technical Services Manager is doing just that this weekend. But because Dennis loves a good challenge, he’s making the trip in a Volkswagen bug.

Dennis is racing in the 2019 Baja 1000, a grueling 1000 mile non-stop road race on nearly impassible roads in a car that’s over 50 years old and has a fraction of the horsepower of any modern car.

There are two things you should know about Dennis. First, he can fix anything (which LetterStream really benefits from and I’m sure his race team does too) and second he has a heart the size of the entire Baja Peninsula. Dennis has joined up with another Dennis, Hollenbeck, and his team to race Class 11 car 1121 through a brutalizing 1000 miles of dust and boulders. But car 1121 isn’t just a race car, it is owned and operated as an extension and fundraising arm of Real Life Ministries an organization that serves the less fortunate ones in Mexico.

So not only does Dennis get the joys of fixing even more things this weekend, he also gets the greater joy of participating in a journey to uplift the downtrodden and help shed light on a ministry seeking to do the same thing.

Dennis, we’ll be watching and cheering as you pound the rocky terrain of Baja Mexico and seek to make the world a little better for those around you.

Check out the following related websites:

Real Life Ministries. https://reallifeministries.org/ “committed to serving the less fortunate, tending to the sick, and providing shelter for the homeless. 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.”

Class 11 Car 1121. http://www.teamh12one.com/ “We are about Running the Race as it describes in Hebrews 12:one , “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us … run with perseverance the race marked out for us”.”

Baja 1000. http://score-international.com/ November 22 – 23rd 2019. View the livestream of the event at http://score-international.com/livestream-52nd-annual-score-baja-1000

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Update: November 25, 2019: 

The Baja team fought a brutal battle, enduring one of the most difficult courses in the 52 years of the Baja 1000 history. And congrats to the team, for taking First Place in the group of Class 11 cars. How amazing, to punish the car and driver for over 36 hours of non-stop CARnage and still drive across the finish line. Great job team!

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LetterStream gives back with The 2019 Code Red Water Drive!

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A quick update on the water drive for Phoenix Rescue Mission.
Brown Community Management (https://www.brownmanagement.com/) invited us to participate with them again this year to help the Mission replenish their water supply of bottled water for needy and homeless individuals. And we gladly joined them again.
The Phoenix Rescue Mission is committed to reducing hunger and homelessness throughout Maricopa County. Their annual fall water drive replenishes their inventories as they work to prevent heat-related deaths in the valley. The water drive is called Code Red (https://phoenixrescue mission.org/codered) and we certainly encourage you to get your company involved in assisting in this event or finding others as a great way to give back.
We’d like to thank Brown Community Management for inviting us to participate. And a big thanks to OPACS (OPACS.com) who provided a box truck with a lift gate and a pallet of water to make this a record year for Brown and LetterStream in our contributions. But the biggest thanks goes to the LetterStream employees who grabbed a pallet, a case or just a bottle and dropped it off selflessly for the benefit of those less fortunate. Our LetterStream team donated 7,800 bottles of water.
Our next event is our annual Toys for Tots toy drive. If you are inclined, stop by and drop off an unwrapped toy if you are in the area. Or better yet, find a way to bring your organization together and share in the joys of giving through an event that you organize.

LetterStream Celebrates Sweet 16.

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A quick but heartfelt thank you to all our customers, employees (present and past), vendors and encouragers who have cheered us on in some way over the years.

We say a big Thank You! October 2019 is LetterStream’s sweet 16th birthday.

It has been fun to serve all those who enjoy our service these many years. And one fun fact… as nearly 25 new users discover and sign up for our services each day now (including LetterStream.com, OnlineCertifiedMail.com, and MailMyLetter.net), to send one letter or 10s of thousands, we signed up our 16,000th user this month too!

Thanks everyone!!

USPS Proposed Postage Increase for July, 2023

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On April 10th the United States Postal Service (USPS) filed their proposed mid-year price changes with the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC). These proposed rates will be the second increase of the year and are set to take place at midnight on July 9, 2023.

Most notably, the price of a first-class stamp will raise by 3 cents, but there don’t appear to be as many changes as there have been in past price increases.

Here is a quick look at some of the prices that will be changing which will have an impact on LetterStream customers:

  • First Class Mail going up from $0.63 to $0.66
  • International Rates going up from $1.45 to $1.50
  • First-class postcards going up from $0.63 to $0.66

Sorry, this year we didn’t find any fees that went down for the products that we offer.

Click here to review the USPS 2023 postage rate press release.

Click here to download the complete list of 2023 USPS postage rate changes. Keep in mind, the Notice 123 for 2023 is still in review by the RPC and subject to change, but the USPS generally gets the rates they ask for.

LetterStream will be implementing these changes on the weekend of July 9th, so be sure to plan ahead and get your jobs paid for in our system before then to lock in the lower prices!

20% off Orange Paper and Postcards!

October Promotion

No tricks here, we are giving you a treat this Halloween season.
For the month of October, we will be offering 20% off all Orange 8 ½ X 11 paper and Orange Express Postcards.
You have a business to run and customers to keep happy, so we want to help you! For your festive holiday letters and notes look no further than LetterStream. For your fast mailing and printing needs, we’ll get the job done. Don’t wait until it’s too late and all the candy is gone, let us help you this Halloween season.

Las Vegas Debt Connection Symposium and Expo 2019

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LetterStream takes on Vegas!

Come say Hi, and meet some of our LetterStream team. There are many ways that you can meet us, but in this case, all you have to do is stop by our booth. Were talking about the Las Vegas Debt Connection Symposium and Expo being hosted at the Red Rock Hotel, September 10th-12th, 2019. Our booth at this Expo will be stocked with our fantastic and passionate staff.

This Expo will be “focusing on networking and connection with clients, service providers, product suppliers, agencies, and attorneys- at a whole new level… This symposium and Expo’s concept is to have an opportunity to meet peers and other industry professionals, as well as finding new products and services that might make your job easier, better, more efficient, more productive, etc.”  (DCSE)

LetterStream is going to have staff on hand to explain why outsourcing print and mail projects makes the most sense, as well as showing how mail managers can get their important mailings out the door in as little as two minutes. We’re sure there will be many questions about how Certified Mail can be sent and tracked online without ever going to the post office, and will be more than happy to answer every last one of them.

Please stop in and see us about your first-class mailing, statement mailing, payment coupon booklet printing, FedEx letters, annual meeting notice, postcards, certified mail, and any other mailing projects that you might need for a better solution.

Be sure to stop by booth #202, and say hello. We will be awaiting your arrival. See you soon!

Welcome Ashlee, our New Customer Service Manager

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Hold on, hold on, before you panic at this headline, Mike hasn’t left the LetterStream team.  He is now our Director of Customer Experience.  We figured that Mike could get a promotion if he could find someone just as awesome in customer service as he is.  That said, we didn’t think Mike would ever get a promotion.  Enter Ashlee.  We aren’t sure how Mike did it, but he actually found someone who can bring help and joy to customers as well as he can.  Ashlee has been with us a few months now, so some of you have already experienced her good nature, knowledge of our systems and overwhelming desire to help people out.

Ashlee has some 5-star training from Marriott hotels and resorts and has supported many different clients in an earlier payroll processing career.  These experiences are quite helpful to her on the job, but nothing can compare to the enthusiasm that she has to be a part of our team and her tremendous desire to support all of our customers.

Next time you call in, be sure and say “Hello and Welcome” to Ashlee.