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Rusting Mailboxes and Digital Demand

A conversation with CCM evangelist David Allen, and what New Zealand can teach the U.S. about the decline of print, the rise of WhatsApp, and the hard truths about digital deliverability.

If you're still clinging to the idea that mail volume decline is only a U.S. problem or that a small rate adjustment could turn the tide, this interview might challenge that thinking.

I sat down with David Allen, a longtime leader in the customer communications space in New Zealand, to talk about what happens when mail stops being essential and digital becomes the only viable option. In his market, mail volume has dropped 81 percent since 2003. Home printers replaced filing cabinets. Postal services refocused on logistics. Even older generations are switching to digital, not because they want to but because paying for print tipped the scale.

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We covered a lot of ground in this 20 minute interview, including:

  • Why two different digital mailbox initiatives failed to gain traction

  • How WhatsApp is becoming the next serious channel for secure, two-way customer interactions

  • What real digital deliverability looks like compared to marketing platforms

  • Why U.S. print service providers are stuck selling print at cost instead of solving digital problems for clients

  • And what the USPS might learn from watching how other countries shut down mail infrastructure

David's insights are grounded in global experience, but the implications hit close to home. U.S. businesses still treat mail as a default, even as consumers trust digital more and engage with it daily.

*Apologies for the video quality in this recording. While the visuals may not be perfect, the insights are well worth your time. Thanks for bearing with the playback.

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