USPS employees can contribute more money to health care flexible spending accounts (FSAs) next year. FSAs allow employees to set aside money before taxes to cover eligible medical, pharmacy, dental and vision expenses. The Postal Service will increase the maximum employee contribution to FSAs from $2,500 to $2,550, as allowed under the latest IRS regulations. The […]
Shipping costs are preventing many consumers across the world from shopping online, according to a new survey by mailing services company Pitney Bowes Inc. Sixty-four percent said they don’t shop online because shipping costs are too high. Forty-eight percent of respondents also cited additional shipping fees, while 39 percent said product deliveries take too long. […]
Grant City, MO, Rural Carrier Mark Abplanalp delivered mail to a farm on a recent Tuesday. When he returned two days later, he noticed the mail was untouched. That’s when Abplanalp’s instincts kicked in. He called the sheriff, who began searching for the farmer with help from the man’s son-in-law. They found the farmer about […]
After writing letters to each other for 51 years, two pen pals recently cemented their friendship in person. Kathy Drake of Pascack Valley, NJ, and Christine Dalton of Brighton, England, met for the first time this month. The cross-Atlantic friendship began when Dalton sent a letter to Drake in 1964. “I should very much like […]
“Don’t look at negative customer feedback as a bad thing. It’s an opportunity to [help make USPS more effective]. Use the information to identify problems and implement a process or solution.” […]
Read More… from Northern Virginia District Consumer and Industry Contact Manager Tony Prisco
Today’s hero is featured in a full-length article. […]
Read More… from Leonard Giannetti, Samantha Glazebrook and Amy DeLuca, Springfield, MA
To protect Postal Service information, employees must never connect personal devices to any USPS computer, equipment or network via a wired or wireless connection. Personal devices must not store, process or transmit any Postal Service information at any time. More information is available on the CyberSafe at USPS site’s personal devices page. […]
Adding rain gardens to Post Offices is absolutely wonderful. […]
USPS is marking Breast Cancer Awareness Month by highlighting its semipostal research stamp, which has raised $80.9 million since it was issued in 1998. The Postal Service is featuring the stamp on usps.com and social media. Facilities also are hosting events to raise awareness of breast cancer. “Our employees … are all people who know […]
The Postal Service has improved Collect on Delivery (COD), aiming to make it easier for business customers to get paid for merchandise they mail. Businesses can now have payments transferred electronically to their financial institution. Additionally, these mailers can continue to use postal money orders to transfer payments. Both methods ensure companies get paid for […]
Employees have the option to pay medical expenses on a pre-tax or tax deductible basis if they opt for high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) during this year’s open season enrollment period. HDHPs offer lower premiums and greater flexibility and discretion on how to use health care dollars. The plans also offer possible tax savings. HDHPs combine […]
Three employees at the Springfield, MA, Network Distribution Center recently sprang into action when a co-worker collapsed in the vehicle operations office. Mail Handler Leonard Giannetti, a member of the medical team, received the emergency call, grabbed his equipment and rushed to the office. He was joined by two team members, Mail Handlers Samanta Glazebrook […]
Winter Rexroat is a real hero. […]
“Postal carriers are our bloodline. Even if only half of them provide a lead, that’s more opportunities to make a sale [for USPS].” […]
Read More… from Long Island, NY, Sales Representative Ray Padilla
Before you step away from your workstation, be sure to lock your computer screen by pressing the Windows and “L” keys simultaneously. You can unlock the computer by pressing the Ctrl, Alt and Delete keys simultaneously. More information is available on the CyberSafe at USPS site. […]
Copley, OH, Letter Carrier Benjamin Lipford was delivering mail when he saw a woman bleeding from a head wound. She had fainted and hit her head on the ground. Lipford helped the woman back to her house, called 911, stayed with her until help arrived and then continued on his route. […]
Reminder: Self Plus One, a new health care enrollment type, will be available during this year’s open season. Self Plus One offers coverage for you and one eligible family member that you designate, such as a spouse or a child. The other enrollment types available are Self Only and Self and Family. Taking time to […]
Online shopping has gone mobile — and women are leading the way. For the first time, women are more likely to shop on their smartphones and tablets than men, according to a new report from the Business Insider Intelligence research service. Approximately 66.5 percent of consumers who said they completed a purchase on a mobile […]
Online lenders are spending hundreds of millions of dollars to lure customers away from traditional banks — and the upstarts are using mailboxes as their main marketing channel. “Mail is not dead by any stretch of the imagination,” R. Mark Graf, chief financial officer of Discover Financial Services, told an industry conference in September. The average […]
A Postal Service employee who helped a gunshot victim was one of several heroes honored by the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) last week. Carmichael, CA, City Carrier Assistant Scott Gallegos received the National Hero of the Year Award at a ceremony in Washington, DC. Gallegos was delivering mail in April when he was approached by […]
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. […]
Clinton, IA, Letter Carrier Charlene Munck was delivering mail when she noticed a child standing barefoot near a house. The girl said the house was on fire and she was home alone. Munck called 911. Emergency responders arrived and extinguished a blaze in the kitchen. Police took the child into custody until her parents could […]
“We monitor our lobby closely and utilize a lobby assistant and mobile Point of Sale (mPOS) equipment when necessary to decrease customers’ wait times.” […]
Read More… from Springfield, VA, Customer Services Manager Erick Yim
Retiring employee Michael Raymer’s letter shows he provided excellent customer service. […]
Several USPS employees were recently recognized for their efforts to help boost international services. The employees participated in a competition to promote services such as Global Express Guaranteed (GXG), which provides fast international shipping to about 180 countries. Participants hosted lobby events, trained retail associates, helped establish Contract Postal Units to sell international services and […]
More than 200 Postal Service employees received advice on moving forward in their careers at a recent conference organized by Ohio Valley District. The meeting included workshops on topics such as career path development, job interviewing skills and understanding the eCareer application process. Also, during several “Spotlight on You” sessions, employees shared their professional accomplishments […]
Chief Human Resources Officer Jeff Williamson answers candid questions about the Postal Pulse survey results in a new video. The 5-minute production shows Williamson responding to questions from Sr. Public Relations Representative Sue Brennan, who expresses skepticism about the survey. “I don’t see how these 12 questions can affect the changes that I personally see […]
Wal-Mart is expanding its grocery pickup service, another example of how online shopping is changing the way consumers get their orders. The retailer has been testing grocery deliveries in some cities and curbside pickups in others, including Denver and Phoenix. Last week, Wal-Mart said it will expand the pickup service to Atlanta, Nashville and four […]
Tucson, AZ, Letter Carrier Sylvia Mireles became concerned when she noticed uncollected mail in a customer’s box. Mireles knew the woman lived alone and used a wheelchair. She called emergency responders, who entered the woman’s house, found her lying on the floor and provided medical assistance. The woman’s daughter later thanked Mireles. […]
The Utility Management System (UMS) centralizes the tracking, payment and review of utility bills. UMS also records monthly energy consumption data for large facilities. […]