Our competitors might have you think otherwise, but the U.S. Postal Service invented overnight mail. We call it Express Mail. And now, with the new flexibility given to us by the 2006 Postal Act, we're going to make changes and enhancements to Express Mail to convince more and more Americans to use us for their overnight shipping and mailing needs.

"In the past, Express Mail has been a relatively small part of what we do, and so we haven't always given it the attention it deserves. But that's all changing now," says Express Mail's new Vice President Gary Reblin.

How does the Postal Service plan on improving Express Mail? Our first priority is extending our overnight reach. We know that you want overnight shipping to more destinations, so we're working hard to give it to you. We've been looking at our network and figuring out where we can improve.

Our reliability is already on par with our competitors but we're now working on adjusting our pricing, too. We are now developing zone-based prices to bring our prices in line with the rest of the market, and we are also working to develop volume-based prices for small businesses.

Not all of the changes to Express Mail will be drastic. Some are pretty simple, but they have not yet been put into place because Express Mail has been a relatively small part of what the Postal Service does. We haven't always given it the attention it deserves, but with the new law, that's no longer the case. We have an entire group at USPS devoted to invigorating and improving the product.

Here's just one example we know what percentage of the Express Mail we sell is committed for overnight delivery. Yet we're actually delivering much more of it overnight than we're saying we can. In this case, all we have to do is make sure we tell our customers what we're actually capable of delivering overnight. That's a quick and obvious improvement. The way things are now, we're underselling our own capabilities. That doesn't make much sense if we want to convince you to use us for your overnight mailing needs.

We already visit every address in the nation, and we own the mailboxes. When we deliver something, it goes in a mailbox, which is protected by federal law.

We also want to make sure that customers are aware of Express Mail's many built-in benefits. We don't have hidden surcharges for things like fuel, or Saturday or residential delivery our carriers already visit every address in the US.

We're also the only company that delivers seven days a week. No one else delivers on Sundays, and some carriers don't deliver on federal holidays. Express Mail also includes a money-back guarantee, free package tracking and up to $100 worth of insurance, all at no additional charge.

Going "green" might be all the rage these days, but the Postal Service has been green for years. Our eco-friendly Express Mail packaging is part of that, and it's included in the price of the product. Our packaging has met the highest standards for recyclability and environmentally intelligent design, as determined by the independent Cradle to Cradle Certification process. And larger mailers who want their Express Mail packages to stand out can also contact us about having them customized with their logos.

Customers can also instantly track the status of their Express Mail online at usps.com/shipping/trackandconfirm.htm. But you can also have us send you an email every time we scan your package, such as when we make a delivery, or whenever there is a delivery-related event (such as an attempted delivery, or if the package is refused or forwarded.) You can get emails detailing the history of your package's progress, as well as emails informing you of every future scan.

Express Mail also includes Proof of Delivery, with the recipient's name and a copy of their signature, by mail, email or fax also at no additional charge.

You can even send overnight packages via Express Mail without having to leave your computer. By visiting usps.com/shipping/expressmail.htm, you can order free shipping supplies, print shipping labels and postage and schedule Free Carrier Pickup from your home or office.

With the advantages we already have, and with our other planned enhancements, we think it's time you gave us another look. We're working hard to become your reliable, affordable overnight shipper of choice.

Deborah Yackley is Acting Manager of Communications for the U.S. Postal Service's newly formed Express Mail group in Washington, D.C. Prior to being tapped to head Express Mail communications, she served as Manager of Field Communications for the Capital Metro area.