The Binghamton, NY, Sorting and Delivery Center was the top performer in the first phase of the Postal Service’s Customer Experience Vision Activation 90-day pilot program at four S&DCs across the nation.
The Binghamton facility was followed by the S&DCs in Kalamazoo, MI; Oxnard, CA; and Fort Lauderdale, FL.
Managers and supervisors at the four facilities met with employees during daily huddles and emphasized the importance of delivering good customer service. The four S&DC postmasters also met during weekly conference calls, sharing best practices, recognition for their teams, and fixes they made based on employee feedback.
Jacob Silverstein, the Binghamton postmaster, said that the letter carriers and retail associates easily put customers first because they talk with them so much.
“They know everything about their customers, so they really appreciated the fact that the huddles were geared toward customer service — that was really our No. 1 thing that we talked about, as well as the issues we’re having and follow up with the employees about the issues they’re having,” he said.
This pilot, which ended on July 21, measured service requests, customer satisfaction and employee availability. The goals were based on the tenets of the USPS strategic plan and focused on appreciating and recognizing employees who provide customer-centric service.
The Postal Service developed the Customer Experience Vision Activation program after more than a year of research and conversations with more than 300 field and frontline employees throughout the organization.
The program focused on providing excellent customer service, whether that means prompt package delivery, reducing the amount of time customers wait in line at Post Offices or offering knowledgeable answers when a customer calls.
“Each of the pilot participants really motivated their competitors to do better, not just for their own good but for the customer’s good. They shared their tips if someone was having an issue, discussed how they approached it and shared those best practices on a regular basis,” said Melissa Rodick, business consumer insights consultant.
The Postal Service is planning more pilot programs focused on improving the customer experience.
The Customer Experience Blue page has more information, including the Postal Service’s customer experience vision statement.
