From Complexity to Clarity: Visualizing MMS Operations for Efficiency and Growth
Overview
I worked closely with the COO of Mail Management Services (MMS) to develop a comprehensive SOP manual and a company brochure with detailed visuals. MMS, a nation-wide USPS contractor, needed a clearer way to communicate its complex mail transport operations. My work improved efficiency, streamlined communication and helped prepare the company for a future sale by demonstrating its operational readiness to potential buyers.
The Client
Mail Management Services has been a trusted partner of USPS since 2012, with 45 contracts worth approximately $100 million annually, specializing in mail transportation between facilities across the country.
The Challenge
As an industry leader, MMS needed a better way to illustrate its logistics structure for customers, investors, vendors, and stakeholders.
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Existing materials lacked clarity and accessibility.
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Customers, vendors, and stakeholders found it difficult to grasp the intricate logistics and structure of mail routes.
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The company required tools that could visually showcase operations while remaining detailed and user-friendly.
My Process
To develop the specialized maps required for each contract, I explored various visual systems to inform my approach. I drew inspiration from transportation maps, tourist maps, and structured data formats to create clear, friendly and intuitive designs. Before starting the map designs, I also plotted each address to ensure accuracy of each USPS location/stop. Additionally, elements of board game-based layouts influenced how I structured the operational 'cards' for each city in the manual.
Results
The visual communication tools I developed had a transformative impact on MMS’s operations:
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Clearer Communication: Visuals greatly simplified logistics explanations for customers, vendors, competition and financial institutions.
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Award Recognition: MMS won a 2023 national award as USPS’s Transportation Partner of the Year.
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Stronger Bids: Detailed maps and schedules helped secure and expand contracts.
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Investor Appeal: The visuals demonstrated operational transparency and efficiency, attracting buyers and investors.
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Better Training: Employees used the materials to understand routes and operational changes quickly.
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Growth Support: The visuals aided expansion into electric vehicles and new USPS contracting strategies. They also set MMS apart from competitors.
These tools transformed MMS’s ability to communicate, compete, and operate efficiently, reinforcing its leadership in mail transportation logistics.
Sarita transformed our complicated USPS contracts into simple visual displays. Though complex and outside her comfort zone, she took on the challenge, delivering work that paid huge dividends at all levels of our company from ownership, corporate, operations, safety, and drivers. She has a quality-focused approach and provides real-time feedback on all deadline-driven projects.
John Pool
COO National Operations, Mail Management Services
