Since no one ever seems to ask me what I think of the crisis at the Postal Service, I decided that today, I would use my blog to provide my opinion.
First off, I am a fan of the USPS. I remember as a little kid sending postcards and letters to pen pals around the country and the world. I use the postal service regularly for marketing and I still send Thank You notes. That said, I have some comments about the service.
I don't care about Saturday service. There are many services and vendors that I don't have access to on Saturdays and it is just fine. Examples of things I can't do on Saturdays: talk to my accountant or attorney, get dental work done, see a physician--except in an emergency, talk to an insurance adjuster. If I can't do those kinds of business on Saturday, why does it matter if I get the mail on Saturday? I might LIKE to get the mail on Saturday, but I don't NEED to get the mail on Saturday (truth is, I don't even like getting it on Saturday...it is kind of nice to have a break from the bills and catalogs).
There has been a lot of talk about how budget cuts will result in a lack of next day delivery for letters. I did not even know that that was the expectation. If I need to get something there the next day, I use a next-day-shipping company. If they want to slip the delivery time, I expect I can wait a day on my Pottery Barn Catalog or my Verizon bill. Isn't two or three days okay for delivery? I am glad they have such high ambitions, but if that is causing all this trouble, then slip the expectations a bit. I don't get that many Thank you notes or invitations, it isn't going to matter if I get them on Monday instead of Friday!
The USPS has a great website that allows you to ship packages from your home. I use this service all the time. I keep a couple of flat rate envelopes at my house and can easily put a care package together for my daughters. Today, I did two care packages and two Christmas packages without leaving my home. I will drop them off at the post office tomorrow (and I could even arrange for pick-up on the website) and they will be done (and you don't have to stand in line, just have to hand them to a clerk). This is a service that they need to spend more money advertising! It is also super convenient to order stamps and have them show up in your mailbox. The $1 charge more than covers what it would cost me in time and gas to drive to the post office, stand in line, get my stamps and drive home again.
Postal Buddy is another cool Post Office thing. You can go in, weigh your package, put in the zip code and print out your postage. You can even do it after hours since these machines are usually in the lobby where the P.O. Boxes are. There are limitations on what can be mailed, but it is a perfect service for mailing large letters.
I don't see a time when we don't need the Postal Service, but I do see that they should be open to changing their business model. Just like any other business, those who adapt to the changing needs of the public are the ones who survive. As a Realtor, I can tell you that is very, very true!
Comments(51)