Pitney Bowes plans to launch Volly, a consumer-facing communications application, in the second half of this year, the company said January 6. The platform will enable brands to send messages, including bills, promotional mail and catalogs, directly to consumers through the app.
Broadridge, a brokerage services company, is Pitney’s first corporate partner on the platform. The company will recruit other mailers to the service throughout this year.
The application will be available for the iPhone and iPad, as well as consumers’ desktop and laptop computers. Pitney also plans to launch an Android version of the application.
Bernie Gracy, VP of strategy and business development at Pitney Bowes, said the application will help consumers organize their mail and e-mail communications, and allow companies to reach consumers on a uniform platform.
While improved organization is the benefit for consumers, brands can use the service to cut down on mailing and processing costs, said Gracy. Pitney plans to recruit businesses who want to increase their paperless communications with consumers, he said.
“[Marketers] get the benefit of lower-cost delivery but without the switching cost, and without having to go through an expensive integration,” he said. “The customer has indicated that they don’t want to get lost and caught up in the clutter.”
