USPS^®: "The Original Social Network"

Mailboxes have officially gone digital. Well… sort of. A new proposal to the USPS would send text or email messages to recipients the moment mail arrives in their mailbox. It’s a patented service called Postal Notice. On top of providing critical arrival notice for important legal documents like mail-in ballots or Social Security checks, it could also send PSAs, reminders to vote, weather alerts and other time-sensitive data in a flash.

Anthem Pleasant, the developer of Postal Notice, has some visionary comments about the service, “If you think about it, the Postal Service is the original social network, delivering messages throughout the country for more than 200 years.  It now can deliver letters as well as meaningful electronic messages every day.”

The system utilizes existing technology and is invisible to letter carriers. So, customers would get better service without an increase in cost, equipment or labor for the USPS. It’s a win-win. Revenue could be generated via a monthly subscription or by adding sponsored messages to the system.

This system could completely change the way we get our mail, taking out the guesswork and providing additional valuable info throughout the digital touch points we interact with on a daily basis. You can find more information about the potential service on their website.