Jonathan Truong knew something was amiss.
It was a recent weeknight at the City of Industry, CA, Processing and Distribution Center, where Truong works as an in-plant support specialist.
He spotted an outbound shipment of parcels on the loading dock and decided to take a look at the postage. Based on the size of the large Priority Mail boxes, it didn’t take Truong long to realize the amount paid was incorrect.
“Normally, the indicia would indicate if a surcharge was applied to the particular package,” he said. “Not only were the surcharges for the dimensions not applied, but the weights of the boxes were also misrepresented.”
On one box, the customer indicated the weight was only half a pound instead of the actual weight: 17 pounds. This meant USPS was poised to lose significant revenue.
Truong reported his findings to plant managers, who helped ensure the proper postage was paid.
The Postal Service is encouraging this kind of diligence throughout the organization. Identifying revenue deficiencies — including underpayment of postage or fees — is critical to maintaining and growing revenue, USPS leaders say.
Michael Allen, a senior plant manager who works with Truong, said he has a reputation for helping to make the City of Industry facility run more efficiently.
“The smile on Jonathan’s face when a customer makes a correction tells the story. He is a class act and an asset to our organization,” Allen said.
Truong is glad everything worked out.
“I’m very proud of the work that I do and feel that I have contributed in identifying discrepancies with parcel payments,” he said. “We have a great team here, and our goal is to provide great service for our customers.”