Milledgeville Post Office's success tied to perfect customer experience

Employees at the Milledgeville GA Post Office recently were recognized for five straight perfect scores with local customers.

Postmaster Chris Mitirsin said, "The staff takes great pride in providing our customers with the best shopping experience. They understand the need to provide quick service, reliabliability and information to meet the needs for each individual customer." 

The Retail Customer Experience gives the Postal Service an objective view of our retail locations.

It can be used as a real-time snapshot of a customer interaction. It is not just about the score.

It is even more important that the results drive changes in behavior that will result in improved customer satisfaction and increased retail revenue.

The attributes measured in the Mystery Shopper program should become so commonplace to our everyday performance that if the program were to end tomorrow, it would not change the customer's retail experience in any way.

Mystery shoppers record how long they spent in line, how the retail unit looked, how courteous the retail associates were, and other details about their visit.

The Milledgeville staff includes, from left to right, Donna Whidby, Leroy Humphrey, Trellis Dixon and Postamster Chris Mitrisin.

Jacksonville Postal carriers unite to fight hunger; NALC food drive set for Saturday, May 11

Once a year, Postal Service letter carriers go the extra mile in the fight against hunger by participating in the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive.  This year, letter carriers will pick up nonperishable food donations left at residential mailboxes on Saturday, May 11.  The goal is to collect 400,000 pounds of food for Second Harvest North Florida.

Although the NALC effort is a national event, much of the food donated in the Jacksonville area will directly benefit the Second Harvest North Florida, which provides food to more than 450 community programs such as church pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters and senior citizen centers in 17 counties. The NALC Food Drive provides much-needed food during the typically lean summer months when children are not in school.

The need for food continues to rise – from 6.62 million pounds distributed in 2007 to 22 million last year.  One in six adults and one in four children in north Florida do not know when or from where their next meal will come.  Fifty-five percent of all schoolchildren attending Duval County Public Schools are eligible for free or reduced-fee meals.  Their families struggle to feed them over the summer when school meals aren’t available.

This will be the 21st annual "Stamp Out Hunger," which is the largest one-day food drive in the United States. Residents receive a postcard reminder in their mailbox during the week leading up to the event. They are asked to leave nonperishable food donations in bags or boxes by their mailboxes, which will be picked up by their Postal Service letter carriers as they deliver mail on their routes.

Hundreds of volunteers and Second Harvest staff wait eagerly at postal distribution centers to receive the donated food from the letter carriers.  They sort the food and send it to Second Harvest’s warehouse so that more volunteers and staff can begin preparing it for distribution.

“We are so appreciative of the extra work that the letters carriers take on in picking up this food,” Ganger said.  “There is no way that we could secure all this food in one day without their help.  We hope they finish an exceptionally long and hard day knowing that they have helped feed hungry children and their families.”

Pine Mountain GA helps customers apply for American passports

Ann Mullins, SSA/Passport Agent processed seven applications.

On March 9, 2013, more than a dozen Post Offices and Stations in the North Florida District conducted a passport fairs for people planning to travel to Canada, Mexico and overseas.

“We’re here to help our customers as they prepare to travel the world,” says Pine Mountain Postmaster Elaine Ferguson. “We make getting a passport easy and convenient with a one-stop shop solution,” explained Ferguson.

In addition to the familiar passport book, travelers can also apply for a passport card, which may be used for land and sea travel between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda or the Caribbean region. The wallet-size passport card is a less expensive alternative for those who travel to these destinations, but it cannot be used for international air travel.

To apply for a passport book or passport card for the first time, applicants need proof of U.S. citizenship in the form of a certified copy of their birth certificate issued by the city, county or state, or a certificate of citizenship or a naturalization certificate. Applicants will also need a valid form of photo identification, and must submit a photocopy of identification, such as a current valid driver’s license, government ID or military photo ID.

Bridgette Colclough, PTF Clerk/Passport Agent processed 10 applications
including the Postmaster Myra Mays of Cataula, GA.

For first time applicants, the fee for a passport book is $110.00 to the Department of State with an acceptance fee of $25 to the Postal Service. The fee for an adult passport card is $30.00. An expedited process is also available.

Passport applications for both the book and the card require a 2 x 2 photograph in color, which can be taken at the Passport Day event for a $15.00 fee.

Customers can learn more about passport application costs and save time by downloading forms at www.usps.com/passport. U.S. citizens may also obtain passport information by phone, in English and Spanish, by calling the National Passport Information Center toll-free at 1-877-487-2778.

For the latest information on passport deadlines and other travel requirements established by the U.S. Department of State, go to www.travel.state.gov. Travelers can check the status of their passport applications online at: http://travel.state.gov/passport/status/status_2567.html.

La Florida stamp unveiling set for St. Augustine April 3

On April 3, 2013, in St. Augustine, Florida, the Postal Service™ will issue the La Florida First-Class Mail® commemorative stamp (Forever® priced at 46 cents) in four designs in a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) pane of 16 stamps (Item 470600).

The stamp will go on sale nationwide April 3, 2013. The U.S. Postal Service® commemorates the 500th anniversary of the naming of Florida with four new stamps that celebrate the beauty of the state’s floral abundance. 

Spanish explorers named the land “La Florida” for Pascua Florida (“Feast of Flowers”), Spain’s Easter celebration, and for the verdant display of vegetation that they could see from their ship. 

The four stamps contain a cascade of blossoms that evoke the feeling of a tropical garden. Each stamp shows a particular variety of flower: red and pink hibiscus; yellow cannas; morning glories in white, red, and shades of purple; and white and purple passionflowers. 

The selvage features an imagined scene of explorers traveling in a small boat along a river or channel surrounded by tropical foliage. Art director Ethel Kessler designed the La Florida stamp issuance, with floral art by Steve Buchanan. To learn more about the stories behind the stamps, visit www.beyondtheperf.com.

How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark

Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, at The Postal Store® website at www.usps.com/stamps, or by calling 800-STAMP-24. 

They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to: La Florida Stamp U.S. Postal Service 99 King Street St. Augustine, FL 32084-9998 After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark for quantities under 50. All orders must be postmarked by June 3, 2013.

How to Order First-Day Covers

The Postal Service also offers first-day covers for new stamp and stationery issues. 

These items are postmarked with the official first-day-of-issue cancellation. Each item has an individual catalog number and is offered in the quarterly USA Philatelic catalog, online at http://usps.com/ stamps or by calling 800-782-6724. 

 Customers may request a free catalog by calling 800-782-6724 or writing to: U.S. Postal Service Catalog Request PO Box 219014 Kansas City, MO 64121-9014

Who’s your retirement specialist?

Employees should seek help from HRSSC

Some employees, particularly in the Southern Area, are being solicited by individuals presenting themselves as retirement specialists.

These so-called experts have requested and sometimes received from employees Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) passwords and salary information.

The Human Resources Shared Service Center (HRSSC) and Postal Inspectors are reminding employees that the only official USPS retirement specialists are in HRSSC, and that Federal Employee Group Life Insurance is the only official federal life insurance product offered by USPS.

Postal Inspectors remind managers and supervisors the best way to prevent unauthorized retirement specialists from obtaining access to the workroom floor is to make sure all visitors are issued proper postal ID badges.

Managers also are reminded that, as noted in the Administrative Support Manual, 271.6, employees may not receive personal mail at worksites. Such mail must be returned to sender.

Employees should be wary of anyone outside of the Postal Service who offers to help employees change TSP allotments.

They can call the Employee Service Line at 877-477-3273 with questions on employee benefits. Select Option 5, the Shared Service Center, to talk to a Human Resources representative.

Carrier alert — tax refund scams

Tax refund checks will soon be in the mail. Most are legitimate. But Postal Inspectors want to alert employees about a possible scam involving the mail that could affect carrier safety.

Organized gangs have in the past filed fraudulent tax returns using stolen names and Social Security numbers, directing refunds to addresses under their control. Some have resorted to stealing arrow keys from carriers to unlock mailboxes in apartment buildings and mailrooms.

To stay safe, carriers should follow these tips:

• Always comply with a robber’s demands.
• When a suspicious person follows you, go to a safe place and contact police before calling your supervisor.
• If you’re robbed, call 911 when it’s safe to do so. Then call your supervisor, who will call Postal Inspectors.
• Make notes of details you can remember, such as the suspect’s description, direction traveled or vehicles used.

Postal Inspectors should be contacted if a carrier notices large amounts of mail in collection boxes addressed to the IRS. Tax refund checks addressed to names not usually associated with the addresses listed, change of address orders that request forwarding of tax refund checks, or multiple tax refund letters sent to the same location are also signs that something is amiss.

Following these tips, which also are available in a Stand-Up Talk for carriers — can help prevent crime, protect the mail, and protect employees.

Every Door Direct Mail – Retail for Small Businesses Now Even Easier to Use

 

Features New Online Mapping Tool and Credit Card Payment

An online mapping tool and credit card payment are two new enhancements to Every Door Direct Mail – Retail that are making it easier for small businesses to reach the customers who matter most — those in their own neighborhoods.

First launched as a test product in 2011, Every Door Direct Mail – Retail is a simple, affordable service from the U.S. Postal Service that allows local businesses to reach customers without the need for names or addresses. The new online mapping tool facilitates selection of the neighborhoods, cities or ZIP Codes to which the user wishes to market. For added convenience, credit cards are now accepted for both online and Post Office postage payment.

Every Door Direct Mail – Retail also now includes improved search functionality and the ability to create mailings up to 30 days in advance of the mailing date.

“We learned a lot in the last year and a half about how to make the product better, but most of all, we learned just how much the small-business community would use a product that is affordable and easy to use,” said Gary Reblin, vice president, New Products and Innovation. “Local businesses have seen as much as 10, 20 and in some cases, more than 30 percent response rates on their Every Door Direct Mail – Retail campaigns,” said Reblin.

Every Door Direct Mail – Retail can be used with a wide range of formats, from oversized postcards to fliers. It’s ideal for promoting sales and special events or for announcing new businesses to a community. Mailing permits are not required, and at a postage cost of 16 cents per piece, Every Door Direct Mail – Retail is a cost-effective way to place coupons, menus and promotional calendars into the hands of customers and prospective customers.

Every Door Direct Mail – Retail customers can drop off their mailings at their local Post Offices. U.S. Postal Service letter carriers will deliver the mailings to every address along chosen routes.

“Our data show that Every Door Direct Mail – Retail has been a great product to drive repeat business to the Postal Service, and it’s been a great product to drive repeat business to our small-business customers,” said Reblin.

For more information about Every Door Direct Mail – Retail, visit usps.com/everydoordirectmail.
The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

Swainsboro GA Post Office hits 20 RCE perfect scores

The staff in the Swainsboro GA Post Office has achieved 100 percent for 20 straight Retail Customer Experience measurements.

The Retail Customer Experience process gives the Postal Service an objective view of our retail locations.

It can be used as a real-time snapshot of a customer interaction. It is not just about the score.

It is even more important that the results drive changes in behavior that will result in improved customer satisfaction and increased retail revenue.

The attributes measured in the Mystery Shopper program should become so commonplace to our everyday performance that if the program were to end tomorrow, it would not change the customer's retail experience in any way.

Mystery shoppers record how long they spent in line, how the retail unit looked, how courteous the retail associates were, and other details about their visit.

Congratulations to the Swainsboro team (in photo)led by Postmaster Jerry Lawson along with Denise Braswell, Irvin Cox and Mickey Flanders.

Callahan, Hillard Post Offices Shine in Retail Customer Experience

Callahan, Hillard employees were recognied by District Manager Charley Miller (left), Postmaster Steve Gray, SSAs Debra West and Rhonda Denmark, Acting Retail Manager Brenda Johstono, MPOO Keith Pierle.  Not pictured is SSA Phyllis Silcox.

The Callahan and Hillard Post Offices have completed their 20th Retail Customer Experience with no issues.

Recently, District Manager Charley Miller visited these offices to congratulate them on their accomplishment.

The Retail Customer Experience gives the Postal Service an objective view of our retail locations.

It can be used as a real-time snapshot of a customer interaction. It is not just about the score.

It is even more important that the results drive changes in behavior that will result in improved customer satisfaction and increased retail revenue.

The attributes measured in the Mystery Shopper program should become so commonplace to our everyday performance that if the program were to end tomorrow, it would not change the customer's retail experience in any way.

Mystery shoppers record how long they spent in line, how the retail unit looked, how courteous the retail associates were, and other details about their visit.

Daylight Saving Time Starts Sunday, March 10

Daylight Saving Time begins Sunday, March 10, 2013 (and ends Sunday, November 3, 2013).

With modern technology, most phones autoset and computers automatically update to sync with the time change.  However, the time change still can be confusing. 

Most people remember the trick to clock changing by the old quote of "spring forward, fall backward," which reminds us to set forward our clocks for Daylight Saving

Time in the spring and set backward for Standard Time in the fall. 

So what is Daylight Saving Time? Its origins go back to Benjamin Franklin who supposedly came  up with the idea. 

The point of setting back the clocks is to give an extra hour of daylight in the afternoon, while having an hour less of daylight in the morning. 

Yet, it was not put into practice across most of the United States until 1967.  And beginning in 2007, Daylight Saving Time was expanded --- Americans now observe Daylight Saving Time from the second Sunday of March until the first Sunday of November. 

Likely few people will move the clock hand, or dial, forward an hour exactly at 2:00 am local time.   But that's when Daylight Saving Time officially begins on Sunday, March 10. 

Ever wonder why we change the clock at 2:00 am?  Visit http://www.webexhibits.org/daylightsaving/.

During the time change, the National Fire Protection Association and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommend that consumers change the battery in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.     

Passport Day in the USA to continue at Post Offices on March 9

Many Post Offices will host special passport days on March 9 to provide passport information to U.S. citizens and to accept passport applications. Here are the locations that will be participating in the North Florida District:

FACILITY NAME                     ADDRESS                            STATE
Aiken Post Office                       307 Laurens St NW               SC
Beaufort Post Office                   501 Charles St                       SC
Branford Post Office                  104 Suwannee Ave Nw           FL
Eglin AFB Post Office                307 W Van Matre Ave             FL
Fleming Island Post Office          1880 East-West Pkwy             FL
Gainesville NW Postal Store       4111 NW 16th Blvd                FL
Glen Saint Mary Post Office       7345 W Mount Vernon St        FL
Gonzalez Main Post Office         1450 Old Chemstrand              FL
Pensacola Navarre Station          1910 Navarre School Rd        FL
Panama City Main Post Office    1336 Sherman Ave                  FL
Pine Mountain Post Office          158 N McDougald Ave           GA

The U.S. Postal Service and many non-Department of State Passport Acceptance Facilities, including post offices, clerks of court, and libraries will celebrate Passport Day in the USA, a national passport acceptance and outreach event.

U.S. citizens must present a valid passport book when entering or re-entering the United States by air.
U.S. citizens entering the United States from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda at land borders and sea ports of entry must present a passport book, passport card, or other travel documents approved by the U.S. government. 

Information on the cost and how to apply for a U.S. passport is available at travel.state.gov.

U.S. citizens may also obtain passport information by phone, in English and Spanish, by calling the National Passport Information Center toll-free at 1-877-487-2778.

Due to the budget sequestration, Department of State Passport Agencies will not be participating and will be CLOSED on Saturday, March 9.*

Before Email: Letters from Black America in Jacksonville

As part of the Black History celebration, the Ritz Theatre and Museum along with Director, Emanuel Washington presented a night of history, understanding and love of the art of letter writing. 

The letters were presented in the style of Readers Theatre. “Readers Theatre is an activity in which students or actors, while reading directly from the scripts, are able to tell a story in a most entertaining form, without props, costumes, or sets. Actors are asked not to memorize their lines. 

They are, however, encouraged to “ham it up” and use intonation and gestures appropriate to their characters and their characters’ words.” The actors presented each letter as if they were the writer themselves. The voices, the gestures the play on words, it was all there.  

The actors read letters from W.E.B Dubois (Stamp issued in 1992), Madam CJ Walker (Stamp issued in 1998), Michael Leon, Toni Morrison, Zora Neale Hurston (Stamp issued in 2003), Martin Luther King Jr. (Stamp issued in 1979) and many more. Behind the reader was a picture of the writer or copy of a stamp as issued from the  United States Postal Service.

Mr. Washington gave the Postal Service many accolades for honoring Black Americans on the postage stamp and having such a diverse workforce. 

“This event gave incite to why it is so important for all Americans to continue writing letters to their friends and family. 

The art of writing has to come back. Events like these will help to ensure, we as a people see the value of the written word and use it to our advantage.” Wanda Mckinney, Customer Service Supervisor.

Mr. Washington and his actors were presented a plaque from the Postmaster’s office to add to the black history event. 

This was the first annual event for the group, they plan to make this a tradition.

Claxton Post Office continue to provide excellent service

 
This past holiday season the Claxton Post Office made a connection with the local bakery. Claxton Bakery was shipping with UPS prior to the holiday season, when an employee mentioned the United States Postal Service flat rate and regional rate boxes. 

The bakery took a chance and used the priority option as offered by the USPS to ship their world-famous Fruitcakes.

Will Parker, Office Manager for Claxton Bakery was happy to say that they had a great season of shipping the Fruitcakes, and had very little problems. 

“The Claxton Post Office and Carriers did a great job getting the Fruitcakes where they needed to be!” Says Will Parker, Office Manager for Claxton Bakery. Dale Parker the VP stated that they would save a lot of money by shipping with the regional rate boxes though the Postal Service vs. UPS.

Although the holidays are over the carriers continue to pick up 25-100 packages daily from the Bakery.

“We understand how important service is to not only our customers, but their customers too!” says Postmaster, Rosalie Bolton.

Thanks team!

The Northeast FL PCC continues to do big things

Darnell Babbit, MacPapers and Dan Lawlor,
TC Delivers, Industry-Co Chair

Recently, the NEFLPCC asked Darnell Babbit, Human Resources Manager, for MacPapers to be the keynote speaker. 

The presentation was refreshing to say the least. Ms. Babbit explained the essential elements when dealing with new hires, interviews and communication between employees.

The Northeast FL PCC host a monthly meeting geared toward educating businesses and their employees.

The Postal Customer Council (PCC) is a local and national network of business mailers, mail industry representatives, and USPS representatives, who gather regularly to discuss and resolve local mailing issues, develop content rich education programs, and work continuously to improve communications between the Postal Service™ and mailers by promoting an effective networking platform. 

If you are looking to find ways to improve your knowledge or skills, locate a PCC or visit the Northeast FL PCC’s website: http://www.northeastflpcc.com