Pitney Bowes Service Initiatives Benefit Customers and the Environment
STAMFORD, Conn., June 17, 2008 – Pitney Bowes Inc. (NYSE: PBI), the world’s leading mailstream technology company, today announced that major service initiatives to resolve customer issues more quickly have both increased customer benefits and helped the environment.
In 2006 and 2007, Pitney Bowes’ Rapid Response and Technical Call Centers sharply increased the number of customer service calls handled over the phone that would formerly have involved dispatching a service technician by car to the customer site. For the remaining service issues, the technicians who were sent onsite were equipped with mobile handheld devices that allowed them to easily access work orders, customer information and an inventory of parts. As a result of the strategic parts planning initiative, technicians were able to provide more complete service on the first visit and reduced the need for follow-up visits. In addition, meter inspections were reduced by exceeding minimal postal service requirements and maintaining a high level of meter security.
Between the four initiatives, Pitney Bowes eliminated the need for hundreds of thousands of carbon-emitting automobile trips. Applying company averages for the typical driving distance to a service call, Pitney Bowes determined that these programs avoided the creation of approximately 8,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions. This is equivalent to the elimination of 1,504 vehicles for one year, consumption of 932,009 gallons of gasoline or the planting of 1,866 acres of pine forest to sequester carbon dioxide, according to the US EPA.
“Our goal was simple: improve the efficiency and effectiveness of servicing our customers and make it easier for them to do business with us,” said Brian Stevenson, Vice President and General Manager, Customer Service, Pitney Bowes. “However, the resulting environmental benefits are consistent with the culture of stewardship at Pitney Bowes. We know that you can help your customers and the planet at the same time.”
Pitney Bowes’ Customer Service organization has 2,400 U.S. field service technicians supporting a broad array of the company’s products, as well as select office technologies such as printers, copiers, multi-function devices, scanners, shredders, PCs and workstations, mailstream solutions and kiosk devices manufactured by other companies.
About Pitney Bowes:
Pitney Bowes is a mailstream technology company that helps organizations manage the flow of information, mail, documents and packages. Our 36,000 employees deliver technology, service and innovation to more than two million customers worldwide. The company was founded in 1920 and annual revenues now total $6.3 billion. More information is available at www.pb.com.