Comments on: Upselling at the Post Office http://thefinancebuff.com/2009/04/upselling-at-the-post-office.html like a friend telling you about money ... Sun, 14 Mar 2010 23:00:26 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: L J http://thefinancebuff.com/2009/04/upselling-at-the-post-office.html/comment-page-1#comment-2139 L J Mon, 01 Jun 2009 00:52:00 +0000 http://thefinancebuff.com/2009/04/upselling-at-the-post-office.html#comment-2139 This script is a load of crap invented by a pencil pusher to justify their job. The post office needs to dump the script, let the managers actually manage, leave the clerks alone, and drop the mystery shopper program altogether. This script is used as a tool upper management who have no idea what the actual work entails. It borders on harassment and deters repeat customers, rather than enhancing the customer experience!! As for the aforementioned clerk who always does this, they are the one who is doing what they are supposed to do. The others, if found not following the script, will be disciplined for not following it if they are mystery shopped. This misdirected program is one of the many reasons that the post office is operating in a deficit. And the powers that be wonder how to cut costs!!!!!! This script is a load of crap invented by a pencil pusher to justify their job. The post office needs to dump the script, let the managers actually manage, leave the clerks alone, and drop the mystery shopper program altogether.

This script is used as a tool upper management who have no idea what the actual work entails. It borders on harassment and deters repeat customers, rather than enhancing the customer experience!!

As for the aforementioned clerk who always does this, they are the one who is doing what they are supposed to do. The others, if found not following the script, will be disciplined for not following it if they are mystery shopped. This misdirected program is one of the many reasons that the post office is operating in a deficit. And the powers that be wonder how to cut costs!!!!!!

]]> By: dont care no mo' http://thefinancebuff.com/2009/04/upselling-at-the-post-office.html/comment-page-1#comment-1874 dont care no mo' Thu, 09 Apr 2009 19:28:52 +0000 http://thefinancebuff.com/2009/04/upselling-at-the-post-office.html#comment-1874 @Don: Yes, some products and services are cheaper or better quality for me because of market density. But you live in a house on a piece of land the size of a sports field, while I cram into a small apartment with no parking and an extra fee for pets. No one forces either of us to live where we live, we look at the trade-offs and make our choices. Then how is it fair that I am forced to subsidize some of those products and services for you? Maybe you can pay part of my rent so that I can move to a building with an elevator and don't need to walk up 4 floors? @Jim: even if it competes with private companies, USPS still has uncompetitive advantages. It doesn't answer to shareholders. The feds will lend it money, but probably at better-than-market rates, and anyway a loan that you know will not be repaid is not really a loan, but a giveaway. What will happen to USPS if it cannot repay its debts? Can it go through bankruptcy? In my mind, the difference between USPS and Amtrak is of appearance and legal language, not of substance. BTW, Amtrak advertises too, just saw its ads on the TV. @Don: Yes, some products and services are cheaper or better quality for me because of market density. But you live in a house on a piece of land the size of a sports field, while I cram into a small apartment with no parking and an extra fee for pets. No one forces either of us to live where we live, we look at the trade-offs and make our choices. Then how is it fair that I am forced to subsidize some of those products and services for you? Maybe you can pay part of my rent so that I can move to a building with an elevator and don’t need to walk up 4 floors?

@Jim: even if it competes with private companies, USPS still has uncompetitive advantages. It doesn’t answer to shareholders. The feds will lend it money, but probably at better-than-market rates, and anyway a loan that you know will not be repaid is not really a loan, but a giveaway. What will happen to USPS if it cannot repay its debts? Can it go through bankruptcy? In my mind, the difference between USPS and Amtrak is of appearance and legal language, not of substance. BTW, Amtrak advertises too, just saw its ads on the TV.

]]> By: BobV http://thefinancebuff.com/2009/04/upselling-at-the-post-office.html/comment-page-1#comment-1872 BobV Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:42:20 +0000 http://thefinancebuff.com/2009/04/upselling-at-the-post-office.html#comment-1872 If I am sending anything priority, I just use the postal website. It gives you free delivery confirmation, no hassles from clerks, and best of all, I print it out, tape it to the box and walk past the 25 people in line and drop off the package at the front. If I am sending anything priority, I just use the postal website. It gives you free delivery confirmation, no hassles from clerks, and best of all, I print it out, tape it to the box and walk past the 25 people in line and drop off the package at the front.

]]> By: Don http://thefinancebuff.com/2009/04/upselling-at-the-post-office.html/comment-page-1#comment-1865 Don Thu, 09 Apr 2009 12:16:20 +0000 http://thefinancebuff.com/2009/04/upselling-at-the-post-office.html#comment-1865 @dont care no mo' on: You might feel like that if you are from an urban area. But delivery and service by the private companies is a lot less "proven" for rural customers. Personally, I would not give up my USPS, because where I live there are no serious competitors. @dont care no mo’ on: You might feel like that if you are from an urban area. But delivery and service by the private companies is a lot less “proven” for rural customers. Personally, I would not give up my USPS, because where I live there are no serious competitors.

]]> By: Jim http://thefinancebuff.com/2009/04/upselling-at-the-post-office.html/comment-page-1#comment-1864 Jim Thu, 09 Apr 2009 11:04:18 +0000 http://thefinancebuff.com/2009/04/upselling-at-the-post-office.html#comment-1864 TFB: If you read a little further in the first Wikipedia post, it says, "The Postal Reorganization Act signed by President Richard Nixon on August 12, 1970, replaced the cabinet-level Post Office Department with the independent United States Postal Service. The Act took effect on July 1, 1971." The same article, though, also says "The USPS is often mistaken for a government-owned corporation (e.g., Amtrak)," so I was incorrect in using that term (though I did say that I was not sure what the correct term is). The article on independent agencies of the US government says that each independent agency is run according to the statutory grant that sets it up, and that "The United States Postal Service is operated by an autonomous public corporation that replaced the Post Office Department in 1971." I don't know ALL the restrictions on the USPS, but I did consulting work for them for about three years. They ARE on their own, in that they have to break even over time (though the feds will lend them money if they get into too much financial trouble). They are not bound to many of the regulations governing most government agencies, such as the Federal Acquisition Regulations. And they really do think unlike any other government agency I have ever consulted to - much more like a corporation (they call themselves a corporation, have vice presidents rather than assistant secretaries or commissioners, enter into partnerships with other corporations, and worry about their competitors). But again, I don't claim to know all the details. Bottom line is that they ACT like a typical American COMPANY - trying to find a way to get you to buy more of their product. They worry about marketing, trying to improve customer service, making Post Offices more attractive, reducing costs, making their competitors look bad, and, unfortunately, upselling. TFB: If you read a little further in the first Wikipedia post, it says, “The Postal Reorganization Act signed by President Richard Nixon on August 12, 1970, replaced the cabinet-level Post Office Department with the independent United States Postal Service. The Act took effect on July 1, 1971.” The same article, though, also says “The USPS is often mistaken for a government-owned corporation (e.g., Amtrak),” so I was incorrect in using that term (though I did say that I was not sure what the correct term is). The article on independent agencies of the US government says that each independent agency is run according to the statutory grant that sets it up, and that “The United States Postal Service is operated by an autonomous public corporation that replaced the Post Office Department in 1971.”

I don’t know ALL the restrictions on the USPS, but I did consulting work for them for about three years. They ARE on their own, in that they have to break even over time (though the feds will lend them money if they get into too much financial trouble). They are not bound to many of the regulations governing most government agencies, such as the Federal Acquisition Regulations. And they really do think unlike any other government agency I have ever consulted to – much more like a corporation (they call themselves a corporation, have vice presidents rather than assistant secretaries or commissioners, enter into partnerships with other corporations, and worry about their competitors). But again, I don’t claim to know all the details.

Bottom line is that they ACT like a typical American COMPANY – trying to find a way to get you to buy more of their product. They worry about marketing, trying to improve customer service, making Post Offices more attractive, reducing costs, making their competitors look bad, and, unfortunately, upselling.

]]> By: dont care no mo' http://thefinancebuff.com/2009/04/upselling-at-the-post-office.html/comment-page-1#comment-1862 dont care no mo' Wed, 08 Apr 2009 21:11:46 +0000 http://thefinancebuff.com/2009/04/upselling-at-the-post-office.html#comment-1862 @the weakonomist: in the age of proven private delivery business models and electronic documents, remind me again why do we need a government-run or even "utility-like" postal service? Just allow any private company to deliver mail, sell USPS to private investors (ok, maybe break it up first), and let it compete with UPS and Fedex. No utility-like regulation required. @the weakonomist: in the age of proven private delivery business models and electronic documents, remind me again why do we need a government-run or even “utility-like” postal service? Just allow any private company to deliver mail, sell USPS to private investors (ok, maybe break it up first), and let it compete with UPS and Fedex. No utility-like regulation required.

]]> By: TFB http://thefinancebuff.com/2009/04/upselling-at-the-post-office.html/comment-page-1#comment-1861 TFB Wed, 08 Apr 2009 20:37:21 +0000 http://thefinancebuff.com/2009/04/upselling-at-the-post-office.html#comment-1861 Jim - Wikipedia <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usps" rel="nofollow">says</a> "The United States Postal Service (USPS) is an independent agency of the United States government (see <a href="http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/39/201.html" rel="nofollow">39 U.S.C. 201</a>)." That piece of law says "There is established, as an independent establishment of the executive branch of the Government of the United States, the United States Postal Service." Jim – Wikipedia says “The United States Postal Service (USPS) is an independent agency of the United States government (see 39 U.S.C. 201).” That piece of law says “There is established, as an independent establishment of the executive branch of the Government of the United States, the United States Postal Service.”

]]> By: Pablo http://thefinancebuff.com/2009/04/upselling-at-the-post-office.html/comment-page-1#comment-1859 Pablo Wed, 08 Apr 2009 19:47:13 +0000 http://thefinancebuff.com/2009/04/upselling-at-the-post-office.html#comment-1859 The USPS web-site isn't a whole better in this regard. I recently had the occasion to send a regularly-sized letter from the US to Canada. The USPS web-site's lowest quoted option is above $10 (Express Mail). I called the postal service hotline, and learned that a 96 cent stamp was all that was needed. I was in NYC on biz, and decided to visit the main post office to purchase and mail the letter. Net = the actual price was 72 cents. Ignorance was definitely in play, here, but, I can't help but get annoyed by the USPS web-site not even offering a reasonably priced option. The USPS web-site isn’t a whole better in this regard. I recently had the occasion to send a regularly-sized letter from the US to Canada. The USPS web-site’s lowest quoted option is above $10 (Express Mail).

I called the postal service hotline, and learned that a 96 cent stamp was all that was needed. I was in NYC on biz, and decided to visit the main post office to purchase and mail the letter. Net = the actual price was 72 cents.

Ignorance was definitely in play, here, but, I can’t help but get annoyed by the USPS web-site not even offering a reasonably priced option.

]]> By: Jim http://thefinancebuff.com/2009/04/upselling-at-the-post-office.html/comment-page-1#comment-1858 Jim Wed, 08 Apr 2009 19:20:43 +0000 http://thefinancebuff.com/2009/04/upselling-at-the-post-office.html#comment-1858 This bothers me, too, but you have to remember that the Postal Service is not a "government-run" entity. They are a government-owned corporation (I am not sure what the exact nomenclature is), are expected to break even over the long run, and are not funded by taxpayer dollars. They also are losing money (billions) as people stop using letter mail in favor of email and electronic bill paying. So, unfortunately, they apparently are adopting the tactics of other corporations that try to get you to "supersize" your meal or at least order fries with your hamburger, or buy the bigger TV, or get the premium channels. I don't like it either, and it may come as a surprise that caveat emptor applies to the Postal Service as well as the local fast food joint, but I guess it's what happens when an entity is fighting for survival. This bothers me, too, but you have to remember that the Postal Service is not a “government-run” entity. They are a government-owned corporation (I am not sure what the exact nomenclature is), are expected to break even over the long run, and are not funded by taxpayer dollars. They also are losing money (billions) as people stop using letter mail in favor of email and electronic bill paying. So, unfortunately, they apparently are adopting the tactics of other corporations that try to get you to “supersize” your meal or at least order fries with your hamburger, or buy the bigger TV, or get the premium channels.

I don’t like it either, and it may come as a surprise that caveat emptor applies to the Postal Service as well as the local fast food joint, but I guess it’s what happens when an entity is fighting for survival.

]]> By: the weakonomist http://thefinancebuff.com/2009/04/upselling-at-the-post-office.html/comment-page-1#comment-1857 the weakonomist Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:08:42 +0000 http://thefinancebuff.com/2009/04/upselling-at-the-post-office.html#comment-1857 My local office doesn't do this but it's just one guy. The office downtown is really bad though. We have to go through each one before we finally get to the cheapest ones. I vote we break them up and regulate usps like a utility. My local office doesn’t do this but it’s just one guy. The office downtown is really bad though. We have to go through each one before we finally get to the cheapest ones. I vote we break them up and regulate usps like a utility.

]]>