The districts that led the nation in third-quarter Parcel Select performance have one thing in common: a commitment to involving employees in the process.
USPS exceeded its goal for Parcel Select — the organization’s fastest-growing package product — by almost two-tenths of a percentage point during the third quarter (April 1-June 30).
Managers in the three districts that performed best — Appalachian, Central Pennsylvania and Dakotas — say engaging employees is key to their success.
“We try to raise awareness of the importance of Parcel Select and ensure employees are handling parcels correctly the first time we have them in our hands,” said Appalachian District Manager Wendy English.
Central Pennsylvania District Manager James Drummer said creating a “foundation of awareness with all employees is the most important building block of our success. They assist in identifying scanning deficiencies and are quick to find and resolve hardware issues.”
Other tips:
- Listen to employees. All three districts invite employee feedback. For example, Appalachian conducts daily calls with vital offices where Postmasters are invited to share best practices.
- Know your customers. In Central Pennsylvania, managers post a list of businesses that are closed Saturdays. This is especially beneficial to new city carrier assistants.
- Focus on scanning. Dakotas emphasizes the proper sequence of scanning. Managers pay close attention to distribution scans, which help them see where Parcel Select packages are in the network.
Said Dakotas District Manager Doug Stephens Sr.: “It is all about giving a perfect effort every time so we provide our customers in rural America with world-class scanning.”