If you want to know why Dakotas District is a national leader in scanning, talk to folks at the Brandon, SD, Post Office.
Managers and supervisors at the office, which serves a city of about 9,000 residents near Sioux Falls, continually drive home the message that every scan matters.
“I talk to my carriers every day about scanning, from the time the mail arrives until the mail is delivered,” said Brandon Postmaster Kelley Lehfeldt.
This approach is typical in Dakotas District, which often boasts a scanning rate of 99 percent or higher, leading the Postal Service’s 67 districts in the organization’s weekly scanning snapshot.
USPS has made accurate scanning a priority as part of its core strategies to deliver excellent customer service and grow revenue. Scanning allows customers to track their packages and mail, which is increasingly important in the digital era.
Mary Anderson, a Brandon resident, uses the Postal Service’s online tracking tools to follow her mail and packages as they move through the network.
“I love the scanning feature,” said Anderson, whose mailbox is located far from her house. “I know when my package is arriving, and I don’t waste a trip to the mailbox before the carrier arrives.”
Employees praise Mobile Delivery Devices, Intelligent Mail barcodes and other innovations that make it easier to scan.
“Nowadays pretty much every package has a barcode, so you know that when you grab a package you need to grab your scanner, too,” said Charlie Anderson, a Brandon rural carrier.
Dawne Bridwell, a Dakotas District operations program specialist, said the Brandon office’s focus on scanning serves as a model for others.
“Offices like Brandon are helping set the pace for the nation,” she said.