USPS Announces Increase in First Class Mail Delivery Time

Griffin McGahey leads Birmingham, Alabama-based HC3 and data management solutions. Responsible for ensuring the prompt distribution of client mailpieces, Griffin McGahey maintains a close watch on US Postal Service rates and delivery times.

In late 2021, a major shift occurred, as the United States Postal Service (USPS) announced that expected delivery times had increased from the traditional one to three days, one to one-to-five days for First-Class Mail (FCM). This change was part of a broader Delivering for America initiative introduced by the incoming Postmaster General to return the organization to fiscal health and generate $160 billion in savings over 10 years.

The impact of this was not across-the-board, with more than 60 percent of FCM expected to adhere to existing service standards. In addition, just as before, the new expected delivery time was not guaranteed but instead described as “aspirational.”

One major reason for the change involves the high cost of jet fuel and airplane transportation. As the USPS does not own any of its aircraft, a premium must be paid for letters to be delivered via air. First-Class Mail is now exclusively handled through the USPS’ extensive truck fleet, while Priority Mail is still distributed by airplane through partners.

HC3 Contributes to Texas Banks 4 Food Banks Campaign

Griffin McGahey serves as President of HC3, both in Birmingham, AL. He was recognized as a finalist in the Birmingham Business Journal’s 2019 CEO Awards for his work with HC3, a data-driven company that focuses on streamlining and improving customer communication for financial organizations. Griffin McGahey’s firm gives back to the local community by partnering with organizations like Priority Veteran and the Texas Bankers Foundation.

Texas Banks 4 Food Bank is an initiative of the Texas Bankers Foundation, the Texas Bankers Association’s charitable arm. It aims to contribute $26,000 on behalf of Texas banks to Feeding Texas, a network of 21 food banks across 254 Texas counties. HC3 donated to the Feeding Texas program in May 2020 in the name of its Dallas branch.

The Texas Bankers Foundation has an extended reputation of offering assistance to communities in the aftermath of disasters such as wildfires and hurricanes. They also support military veterans as well as first responders.

Hurdles to Efficient Claims Management

Griffin McGahey is the VP of HC3, a tech company in Birmingham, AL, focused on streamlining and improving customer communications for its clients. Additionally, Griffin McGahey is the CEO of pay.claims, a service company that provides claims payment technology for the insurance industry.

Claims payment is a challenge for all insurance companies, as it can be difficult to manage efficiently. One of the biggest hurdles in claims management is high operational costs. Cases of fraud, manual processing, and claims leakage all contribute to these high costs.

Another challenge is the complexity of the tech frameworks that many insurers use. The sheer size and scope of their systems aren’t conducive to fast and coherent upgrades in a world that’s changing very quickly.

Last, a constantly evolving regulatory climate is difficult to adapt to for big organizations. There are complex legal processes that, once established, are difficult to reorganize if they become obsolete overnight.

Consistent Communication Central to Building Genuine Relationships

The President of HC3, a Birmingham, AL-based client communications company, Griffin McGahey works to serve clients in the finance and healthcare sectors. On December 20, 2019, Griffin McGahey published an article on Bank Business where he talked about the role of customer communications in building genuine bank-customer relationships.

Communication is a crucial aspect of banking. Checking in with clients regularly shows that banks care. However, doing it too often overwhelms consumers. How do banks strike a balance while creating as much value from every interaction? Consistency across platforms is key.

Financial institutions today have many channels with which to reach consumers. However, many fail to develop a consistent voice and brand experience. A consistent, branded presentation across platforms cultivates the idea of professionalism and trustworthiness. Every communication should be carefully thought out to reflect the company’s brand and values as well as ongoing developments such as promotional events.

If the bank has a tailored data-centered customer engagement program, then communications across print and digital platforms should be individualized for these consumers and when one is convinced enough to visit a local branch, frontline staff should refer to customer relationship records to identify tailored instructions for dealing with the customer. That consistent one-to-one marketing ensures customers get the products and services that would be most helpful to them while solidifying the bank’s brand.