Sang Shim, Washington, DC
The Jaime Escalante stamp video was excellent. […]
Mike Milligan
Posts by Mike Milligan
Living history
Every Post Office is unique, but the Hinsdale, NH, office holds a special distinction: It’s the oldest continuously operating Post Office building in the United States. The town (population: 4,000) marked the building’s 200th anniversary last week with a celebration where customers praised Postmaster Cindy Mason and her team. “We’re really a hub in the […]
Great success
Postal Service employees in Great Falls, MT, are leading the nation in “lean mail delivery,” an approach that aims to reduce waste and boost efficiency. The Great Falls Post Office tops a national ranking of facilities that use lean mail delivery techniques. Great Falls, part of Western Area’s Dakotas District, has three delivery units with […]
Going long
USPS is giving Post Offices more time to win prizes by selling PO Boxes. The national employee competition for PO Box sales, originally slated to conclude this month, has been extended through Friday, Sept. 9. About 10,500 boxes have been sold since the competition began in July, including more than 500 boxes last week. Each […]
Avoiding Zika
USPS is reminding employees about the Zika virus, which has been identified in several parts of the world, including Florida and the Caribbean. Symptoms include fever, joint pain, muscle aches, rash and red eyes. Most people will not experience symptoms, and those who do will have mild symptoms for a few days. The illness has […]
Home safe
Information security begins at home. Home computers are widely used to pay bills, transmit income tax forms, view documents and media, and communicate with friends and family over the internet. To protect your home online access, the CyberSafe at USPS team recommends these tips: Install antivirus protection software on all your personal computers. Use firewall […]
Newport News, VA, Letter Carrier Henry Bailey
“Despite the [summer] heat, I enjoy being out on the street, delivering mail to my customers.” […]
Read More… from Newport News, VA, Letter Carrier Henry Bailey
Greta Jacobs, Dallas
“Just add water” is proof that a simple gesture of kindness goes a long way. […]
Donte Cotton, Kettering, OH
The sound was startling and the sight was worrisome. City Carrier Assistant Donte Cotton and a co-worker were outside the Kettering, OH, Post Office recently when they heard a loud bang and saw a nearby utility pole shake as sparks flew from a transformer. Upon closer inspection, they found that a car had overturned after […]
Accounting site
Have you visited the Accounting site recently? The site has a help feature, training, tools and alerts. It also offers toolkits for Retail System Software, Stamp Fulfillment Services, mobile Point of Sale, Form 1095-C and more. […]
Select success
USPS is exceeding its Parcel Select performance targets, underscoring the organization’s commitment to building its package delivery business. Parcel Select is the Postal Service’s fastest-growing package product. Many retailers receive postage discounts when they drop Parcel Select packages at Post Offices and other facilities for delivery. During fiscal 2016’s third quarter (April 1-June 30), USPS […]
Security briefing
Viewers tuning in for the second season of the “The Inspectors” can expect the same quality content as the first, according to Chief Postal Inspector Guy Cottrell. Cottrell and Erica-Marie Sanchez, who plays Veronica on the CBS drama, recently appeared on a New Orleans TV news program to promote “The Inspectors’” fall return. “[The show] […]
Act responsibly
USPS is reminding employees of the rules established by the Hatch Act, a law that prohibits federal workers from engaging in some political activities. The law aims to ensure programs are administered in a nonpartisan fashion. Under the law, employees are prohibited from the following: Wearing buttons or other items displaying the name or likeness […]
Postal Bulletin
The Postal Bulletin’s latest issue highlights three USPS promotions to encourage marketers to use direct mail. The promotions offer discounts to businesses that incorporate color, new printing techniques and mobile technologies into their mailings. The article also notes the continued importance of USPS, citing a recent survey that found consumers still look forward to getting […]
Defusing angry customers
If you encounter an angry customer, try to defuse the situation with a pleasant demeanor. Be courteous, calm and avoid getting into arguments. If necessary, refer the customer to a supervisor. […]
Lisa Wolfgang, Hegins, PA
On a harsh winter day this year, Hegins, PA, Rural Carrier Lisa Wolfgang saw a customer in distress on a front porch. She offered to help the elderly woman, who had locked herself out and wasn’t wearing a coat. The woman knew that the back door was open, but she feared falling if she tried […]
Vivian Evans-Mayes, Clearwater, SC
“Passport Services” is a great video. Customers ask questions [about passports] and this video answers them. I’m going to save it so everyone in the office can refer back to it. […]
Delivery Operations VP Kevin McAdams
“The next generation mailboxes allow our carriers to accommodate more mail and larger packages, which improves the overall customer experience.” […]
Presidential praise
President Obama has praised Carmine McDaniel, the Newport News, VA, boy who filled a cooler with water for his local letter carrier, Henry Bailey, during a recent heat wave. In a Facebook post last week, Obama encouraged people to protect themselves and their neighbors during hot weather, citing Carmine as an example. “This summer, small […]
To grandmother’s house
The Postal Service received praise this week from someone who knows a thing or two about good behavior: Dear Abby. A customer wrote to the advice columnist to publicly thank USPS for delivering postcards to her despite them being incorrectly addressed. The woman, who signed her letter “Thankful Grandma J,” explained how her vacationing grandchildren […]
Sense of wonder
It didn’t take Wonder Woman’s golden lasso of truth to get fans to express their true feelings about the Postal Service’s recent announcement of four stamps commemorating the 75th anniversary of the iconic superhero. Enthusiastic comments have been posted on social media during the past week. “I’m sooo getting these! … Expect some letters people,” one […]
Life cycle
Steve Jones remembers the day in 2004 when his brother suggested they ride bikes across Iowa. Jones assumed his brother was referring to their motorcycles. When Jones learned his brother actually wanted to ride bicycles, he had one response. “Are you crazy?” Flash forward to today, and Jones — a customer services supervisor at the […]
Pamela Stewart, Newport News, VA
Thanks so much for featuring Philadelphia District Field Account Representative Denny Palandro and the Philadelphia Mummers Parade. I had no idea there was such a thing. Now I have to see it for myself. […]
We value your business
Employees should strive to make all customer interactions positive. A small-business customer shared this feedback: “Service with a smile [and] being pleasant and friendly make a customer want to come back.” […]
Owings, MD, Postmaster Patricia Downey
“Ensuring each and every customer has a positive experience with the Postal Service — whether it is at the retail counter or with their mail delivery — is the best way to deliver the brand.” […]
Tommy Heuer, Sioux Falls, SD
Sioux Falls, SD, Letter Carrier Tommy Heuer could have looked the other way when a man limped toward him recently on the street, blood visible on his face and arm. But Heuer stopped to see what he could do to help. He learned that the man had been stabbed, and that an ambulance was on […]
Success streak
The Postal Service has made significant improvements in Priority Mail deliveries, led by two areas that are exceeding national performance targets. During the current fiscal year’s third quarter (April 1-June 30), the nationwide Priority Mail score improved almost three percentage points compared to one year earlier. The score measures on-time deliveries and other service standards. […]
Loving care
Brownies, snacks and toiletries may not seem like much, but to U.S. troops deployed overseas, it’s a reminder that family and friends back home haven’t forgotten them. Texas-based Military Moms and Wives of Brazoria County is one of several organizations that send care packages to U.S. military stationed aboard. According to the group’s site, the […]
Fraud force
USPS and the Postal Inspection Service are helping to raise the public’s awareness of the prevalence of foreign-based scams. The crimes frequently target older people, requiring them to mail something to scammers in other countries. “Many people respect the Postal Service and believe these mailing requests are legitimate because the sender used First-Class Mail,” said […]
Pioneer spirit
Altha “Cookie” Rainwater-Lewis didn’t realize she was blazing a trail when the Postal Service promoted her to distribution operations manager in Lubbock, TX. Rainwater-Lewis is the first woman and the first African-American to hold the job. “I had no idea that I would be making history,” she told the Avalanche-Journal last week. “Now that I […]