Pushing the Envelope is a thought leadership initiative that helps postal systems achieve high performance in today's competitive business environment. Montgomery Research and Accenture produced this book and its companion Web site as a decision-support tool for postal administrators facing the challenges of high customer expectations, emerging technologies, and aggressive competition.

Today's posts face unique challenges. The volume of business and personal mail is dropping quickly as more communications shift from the physical to digital media. Less mail is going to more addresses. Regulators are lowering the barriers to private competitors. And consumers expect better services at traditionally low prices. Pushing the Envelope answers these challenges with the proven strategies of professionals who've implemented innovative programs around the globe while finding new ways to enhance cost-effectiveness, employee morale, and customer satisfaction.

Volume 1 includes more than four dozen essays, case studies, interviews, and solution provider profiles aimed at understanding today's operating environment, boosting workforce performance, building stronger customer relationships, reinventing products, optimizing the supply chain, and improving back office performance. Contributors include leaders of many of the world's most respected postal operations and leaders of the Accenture Global Postal Practice.