(1) Business to customer. You see that delivered every day.
(2) Customer to business. You probably never see that since most business that deal big time in mail send a truck over to pick up their mail at the back platform. Carriers don't handle that part.
(3) Then, there's business to business. That consists of things that need to be mailed ~ usually with signatures on them! Much of it simply confirms previous agreements made by phone or other electronic communication. That's been the case for well over 100 years!
Most weekday delivery to retail or other businesses is little different from what householders get ~ many advertisements mixed with a variety of business related pieces, and nasty letters from lawyers. Without lawyers ........... well, you figure that out.
The current problem is a consequence of the Great Obama Recession. Once he figures out that he's the problem and gets out the way, mail volumes will increase.
-——That’s been the case for well over 100 years!-——
The times have changed. In the last 5 years there has not only been a change in routine business mail but in business methods. Business has adapted to new internet communications. The demand for signatures on original documents has decreased dramatically. A document received requiring execution can in many many instances be signed in colored ink and scanned and returned. It is known to be an electronic transmittal.
The list of documents scanned and transmitted is nearly endless and enormous in volume. Tasks that took days or weeks or overnight can be accomplished in one day, even if the participants are on different continents. The reduction of mail extends also to DHL and the other document carriers. Business is neither done by mail nor by phone....... it is done by e mail, sometimes endlessly long e mail chains. Those of us who automatically pick up the phone more often than not get a voice mail box . The party called simply doesnot answer the phone. One quickly leans to send an e mail if any sort of quick response is required.
The other aspect of mail reduction is invoicing and payments. Regular customer invoicing is or can be done by e mail. The same is true pf payments. Money is zapped directly from customer bank to vendor bank with ease. No mail man is involved, no trips to the bank, etc.
When the recession ends, business mail will not appreciably increase. It is simply no longer required like it once was.