In her latest “Business Focus” video, PMG Megan J. Brennan praises employees who are helping their communities return to normal after recent natural disasters. Flooding occurred in Louisiana and West Virginia this summer, while major fires swept throughout the west. “Our employees are on the front lines. They’re adapting to the conditions and serving our […]
You know USPS will release four new stamps Sept. 2 to honor “Star Trek’s” 50th anniversary. What you may not know is the story behind the show’s creation. As Mr. Spock might say, it’s fascinating. Creator Gene Roddenberry pitched “Star Trek” to several studios until it was accepted by Desilu, the production company founded by […]
Network Operations is saving money — and probably more than a few trees — since changing the way it processes some paperwork. The department needed to manually process PS Form 5500, Contract Route Irregularity Report, for ping non-compliance. The form is needed for “ping non-compliance,” which occurs when trucking contractors don’t regularly send their required […]
The Sept. 1 edition of the Postal Bulletin features Election Mail and Political Mail as the Postal Service prepares for the 2016 general election. As Election Day approaches, postal facilities will handle increased amounts of time-sensitive mail promoting candidates, referenda and issues. Additionally, many states have adopted “No Excuse Absentee Voting” and “Vote-by-Mail” options to […]
Letter Carrier Mary Wilkins was delivering mail recently on a busy street in Chillicothe, IL, when she spotted a toddler in trouble. The boy, on a ride-on toy tractor, was heading into the path of an oncoming vehicle. Wilkins flagged down the driver and retrieved the child from the street. When no one showed up […]
Avoid sharing any personal information — such as your full name, address, birthdate or phone number — with unknown individuals or sites. The CyberSafe at USPS Blue page has more information. […]
“I visited the Baton Rouge area and saw firsthand how employees are working hard to help bring back a sense of normalcy, a sense of calm and, merely through their presence, an assurance that everything will be OK.” […]
I loved the “Customer appreciation” story about Agoura Hills, CA, Letter Carrier Stan Castagnetto and the 200 customers who threw him a retirement party. […]
The Postal Service is “delivering great results” for its customers, Chief Operating Officer Dave Williams told employees last week. During a visit to Western Area’s Denver office, Williams discussed the record results USPS achieved in Standard Mail, Parcel Select and other benchmarks during the third quarter (April 1-June 30). “We’ve got a tremendous amount of […]
Ricardo Carreras reserves his punches these days for clocking in and out of his USPS job, but back in 1972, he won a bronze medal in boxing at the Munich Olympics. Carreras, a computer production support technician in Eagan, MN, began boxing as a 10-year-old in New York City. Although the southpaw had to adjust […]
The Postal Service has announced plans to release Eastern Tailed-Blue, a butterfly stamp that is nonmachinable and for use on irregularly sized envelopes. The release date is forthcoming. The square stamp, which is priced at 68 cents, was developed in collaboration with the greeting card industry specifically for oversized or square envelopes. These types of […]
With Labor Day approaching, boundless barbecues are in the forecast. But this doesn’t mean you have to abandon healthy eating habits. The Wellness team offers these tips: Eat more veggies. Vegetables are packed with fiber and tend to make you feel fuller. Control your portions. You can add a combination of meat, fruit and vegetables […]
Answer the phone within three rings, offer a friendly greeting, provide assistance and always end calls by thanking customers for using the Postal Service. Remember to keep necessary reference material close to the phone to better serve customers. […]
“I make sure all of my employees stay current on all safety policies and procedures so they can perform their jobs safely while transporting mail and equipment. I ‘deliver the brand’ daily by ensuring they are trained properly.” […]
Read More… from Columbia, SC, Transportation Operations Supervisor Christopher Lavenia
As Rural Carrier Kenneth Grossman was delivering mail recently in Owensboro, KY, he approached a bridge over a deep, rocky ditch. Something alarming caught his eye: an arm draped over a guardrail. He stopped and found that an elderly bicyclist had suffered a dizzy spell and crashed. Grossman helped the man out of the ditch […]
Link has great creativity in its headlines: “Scanning tall,” “Recycling renaissance,” “Mail and pony show,” “News to go,” “Nothing personal,” “Writing curve,” “Contact sport” and “How you like these apples?”. […]
USPS Customer Care Center employees don’t just handle calls about products and services. The center’s agents also help the Postal Service grow its business. During the past two years, the four centers have generated more than $40 million in revenue through the Submit-a-Lead program. “Our agents are the ears of the organization and able to recognize […]
Baltimore District is testing a program that allows letter carriers to quickly investigate and resolve package delivery complaints. The program, a joint collaboration with the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), is called Where is My Package? NALC carrier coordinators use USPS data to identify delivery complaints involving participating Post Offices. The coordinators then work […]
Stan Castagnetto loved the customers on his route — and he recently learned the feeling was mutual. When the Agoura Hills, CA, letter carrier retired this month after 30 years, his customers threw him a surprise party. Linda Kapitz organized the event and estimates that 200 customers came to say farewell. “Stan is the best […]
It’s unheard of today for Post Offices to have special service windows for women customers. But from the 1830s through the early 1900s — before home mail delivery — these windows were common in Post Offices in urban areas, a newly published USPS historical report notes. The windows came from the belief that women picking […]
The “Writing curve” story was awesome. Kids are missing out on learning many important life skills when all they do is stare at a screen all day. They need to use the creative parts of their brains as well as the logical, problem-solving side. […]
Never connect your USPS-provided computer or mobile device to unsecured Wi-Fi hot spots at cafes, airports or other public spaces. The CyberSafe at USPS Blue page has more tips for secure telework and travel. […]
“‘Deliver the brand’ means taking pride in your company [and] going beyond the call of duty to elevate customer service. It’s being an influential leader, as well as a follower.” […]
Dakotas District was a national leader in scanning during the third quarter (April 1-June 30), topping the list of districts that exceeded the Postal Service’s all-time high national composite score. So how did Dakotas do it? District Manager Doug Stephens Sr. attributes Dakotas’ success to several factors, including making sure all employees understand the importance […]
The New Jersey Metro Processing and Distribution Center is dealing with a lot less trash these days. Since the Teterboro facility installed 17 high-performance hand dryers last year, spending on paper hand towels and related products dropped from $24,000 to $6,680 annually. “Our strategy is to provide a work environment that makes productive and efficient […]
The Postal Service will issue a stamp this fall to commemorate the Hindu festival of Diwali. The stamp, to be released Oct. 5, shows a traditional diya oil lamp against a sparkling gold background. Diya lamps are usually made from clay with cotton wicks dipped in a clarified butter. Diwali celebrates the triumph of good […]
You don’t always have to wait until open season to change your benefits. You can also change your health coverage plans when you experience a “qualifying life event,” such as a marriage, divorce or change in employment. Employees generally have 60 days from the date of the event to make a change. The Postal Service […]
Deliver the mail properly, perform accurate scans and obtain signatures when required. When delivery is done correctly, customers have confidence in the Postal Service and their overall experience is positive. […]
Customer Services Manager Shane McLaughlin was recently helping a supervisor at a Post Office in the Omaha, NE, area resolve an issue when a life-threatening problem arose: A rural carrier in the building was choking. McLaughlin called 911 and performed the Heimlich maneuver until the obstructing food item was dislodged. The rural carrier recovered. “We […]
“Riding it out” shows we’re first responders. Whether it’s natural disasters, accidents or even terrorist attacks, the Postal Service helps get things back to normal. We give people the feeling that things will be all right. […]