Major changes at the U.S. Postal Service in the past few years have significantly reduced mailing predictability for businesses and consumers. The most recent hit is the shift from local to regional mail processing that affects postmarks.
There’s no need to settle for this lack of transparency when it comes to customer bills and other time-sensitive legal and transactional communications. Technology-powered, data-driven services available from print and mail outsourcing leaders give companies visibility and proof at every step of the outbound and inbound mailing process, helping with cash flow management, customer experience and compliance tracking. In addition, print and mail workflow adjustments can build in a buffer to improve compliance.
New Postal Realities
First went delivery speed. In 2019, USPS First-Class Mail delivery in the U.S. generally ranged from 1 to 3 business days but now can take up to 5 days or longer. That’s because delivery reliability has declined, with USPS reducing on-time delivery goals for 2-Day First-Class from 93% to 87% and 3-5 Day First-Class from 90% to 80%.
Adding more uncertainty, USPS has undercut the use of postmarks to offer proof of mailing dates. In late 2025, USPS clarified that mail is postmarked when it is automatically processed at a regional hub instead of the day it is put in a mailbox or dropped off at the local post office. Regional processing means postmarks may be delayed by a day or two from drop-off.
Courts, businesses, and government at all levels have long treated postmarks as evidence that a deadline was met for time-sensitive mailings including tax filings, election ballots, bill payments and adverse action and other legal notices.
Smart businesses are reducing reliance on USPS for tracking and implementing technology-led services that give them more control and visibility into mailing records.
Tracking mail through a CCM platform
Given the uncertainties, billers, legal firms and other companies sending time-sensitive communications can gain visibility to the delivery process through mail tracking. Mail tracking works best when companies have easy access to current status updates. The key is combining mail tracking services with a customer communications management (CCM) platform that automatically receives the information and enables automated reporting, detailed auditing, data hygiene and time-stamped verification of delivery.
Pre-mailing services
Leading print and mail providers run mailings through USPS databases to limit undeliverables before entering the mailstream. As a rule, an address is first standardized (CASS), then checked for moves (NCOA), and finally validated for existence (DPV).
- CASS (Coding Accuracy Support System): Standardizes address formats, adds ZIP+4 codes, and verifies addresses against USPS PostalPro data.
- NCOA (National Change of Address): Updates outdated addresses by checking against a database of change-of-address forms filed with the USPS. It helps prevent mailing to moved recipients, as roughly 12% of Americans move annually.
- DPV (Delivery Point Validation): Confirms that an address is a valid, deliverable point (e.g., house, apartment, suite). It identifies vacant, invalid, or non-existent addresses to reduce returned mail.
In transit-tracking, optimized with a CCM platform:
- ACS™ (Address Correction Service): USPS makes change-of-addresses on mail pieces when possible in the mailstream or securely destroys undeliverables. Clients receive address updates and/or reasons for non-delivery
- USPS Intelligent Mail® barcodes (IMb): Unique 65-bar Postal Service™ barcode applied during printing and used to sort and track letters and flats. Some CCM systems can set up a processing workflow so an IMb is generated during file processing and prints as part of the mailing address block for every specified communication.
- USPS Informed Visibility® Mail Tracking and Reporting (IV®-MTR): This service uses the IMbs to report on status throughout the mailstream. It sends near real-time notifications to the CCM platform as mail is scanned at different locations, regional hubs and final delivery. Companies can search by account number or customer name, for end-to-end visibility of each mail piece.
- Automated Certified Mail: Available through some CCM platforms, clients compose documents as usual and simply choose this mailing option and envelope size, which are added to file processing. During file processing, the CCM software automatically assigns a USPS Certified Mail tracking number to each piece. The system receives electronic receipts with recipient signatures from USPS for reporting and archiving.
- Return mail service: Providers add a barcode and client-specific P.O. box address to each outbound mail piece, which then routes undeliverable to the provider’s return mail processing center. Each piece is scanned and added to a digital file with all the non-deliverable records. Each mail piece is securely destroyed and recycled, reducing risk exposure and improving compliance. Any correspondence mail (where clients send mail to the P.O. box listed on the statement or letter) is segregated and shipped to the companies on a daily or weekly basis depending on preference.
- Inbound tracking: Requires outbound IMb service because it uses the same barcodes, which print as part of the address block for Outbound Mail Tracking and as part of the remit address on the payment coupon. IMbs are visible through the windows of the reply envelopes and they are scanned by USPS in the mailstream, including regional processing, transit and delivery. The barcode returns information to the CCM platform for viewing or compiling reports.
With inbound mail tracking, companies can:
- Accurately project accounts receivable with daily forecasts.
- Help time when to send remittance reminders.
- Know when to waive or suppress late fees proactively because the biller can see that the check is in the mail.
Other proactive steps
Companies can take other concrete actions to account for uncertain mail delivery. For one, they can move up their workflows and printing and mailing schedules by a day or two, building a buffer by coordinating the timing change with their print and mail provider.
Companies also can double-down on shifting as much print and mail to electronic channels, namely email and text messaging. While some documents are still required to be sent by mail, regulators are increasingly allowing digital delivery, including Model Validation Notices sent to consumers whose unpaid bills have been sent to collections.
With an omnichannel communication platform, companies can streamline developing and managing customer communications for multiple channels. They also can set up automated outreach sequencing. For example, if an email with secure links to a statement isn’t opened in a predetermined number of days, it triggers the CCM system to print and mail the statement.
Even with growing consumer and business preference for digital communications, mail remains a mainstay of customer communication programs. Leveraging data-driven services and CCM technology to provide visibility before, during and after delivery can help companies keep compliant while better managing cash flow, operations and customer experiences.
Key Takeaways:
- As USPS delivery predictability has declined, more companies are adding mail tracking services connected to their CCM platform.
- Leading print and mail companies can provide an array of address hygiene and visibility services before, during and after delivery and for inbound mail.
- Mail tracking offers proof at every step of the outbound and inbound mailing process, helping with cash flow management, customer experience and compliance tracking.
Please contact us to learn more about leveraging our Expresso CCM platform with our mail tracking and return mail services.
