PURPOSE AND SCOPE
To design and implement a plan to reduce MIT's overall mail/postage costs; streamline mail operations; provide better service to the community; and take advantage of new technologies to achieve these goals.
APPROACHES AND METHODOLOGIES
Customer interviews and surveys
"Best practices" surveys of other institutions
Analyses by MIT administrative departments
National search for Mail Manager
Site visits and other contacts with carriers, vendors and national organizations
MAJOR FINDINGS
While customer satisfaction is already high, the current process is too expensive
Costs will escalate dramatically unless we develop a plan for the future
Savings depend on automation and centralization
MIT receives an estimated 350 tons of unwanted mail annually
Completely reengineering the mail process is a long-term (5 to 7 years) endeavor
Opportunities for "soft" savings in departments could be substantial
A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on May 1, 1995.
