“About the Business,” a Link column that began in the fall, aims to educate employees on the business of USPS. Here are some of the most interesting facts that have been covered so far:
• USPS receives more than 40,000 stamp suggestions from the public annually. These ideas are submitted to the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee, a panel that evaluates the proposals and makes recommendations to the Postmaster General, who makes the final decision.
• Rural carriers are sometimes referred to as a “Post Office on wheels.” They offer all the services performed over the counter at USPS retail sites, including selling stamps and money orders, accepting Priority Mail, and providing services such as signature and delivery confirmation.
• The public appreciates the Postal Service’s focus on customers. In a Gallup survey this year, respondents ranked USPS first among 13 government agencies in delivering “excellent” or “good” customer service, while a Pew Research Center poll released in September found more Americans have a favorable opinion of the Postal Service than any other agency.
• Click-N-Ship helps USPS serve small businesses. This service allows small-business owners and others to create prepaid Priority Mail labels on ordinary printing paper — a major advantage for busy customers who don’t have time to come to a Post Office and have a label created for them.
• The Postal Service is helping employees to succeed. The organization has expanded professional development offerings, made it easier for workers to access training online and introduced initiatives like #PostalProud to help employees deliver excellent service and drive revenue.
• USPS manages more than 31,000 Post Offices in the United States. This means the organization has the nation’s largest retail network — bigger than McDonald’s, Starbucks and Walmart combined, domestically.
Additionally, “About the Business” has covered the importance of the peak delivery season, including the link between increases in online shopping and shipping, the enduring appeal of holiday stamps and postmarks, greeting cards and online offerings.