Darryl Johnson likes to get it right.
The Los Angeles letter carrier, who has worked for the Postal Service for more than 30 years, understands mistakes can be costly.
“When a customer gets a broken or misdelivered package, they’ll tell five people, who’ll tell five more. It can keep multiplying until we get a bad reputation,” he says.
USPS encourages all carriers to be like Johnson. By striving for accurate deliveries, carriers can help the organization improve service, boost loyalty and drive revenue.
To help his colleagues, Johnson offers the following advice:
• Read every address. “Before you deliver anything, make sure you’re on the right street,” he says. “So many streets have similar addresses. Even the houses might look exactly the same on different streets.”
• Follow the rules. “Don’t scan packages in the back of the vehicle. Scan them at the delivery point.”
• Protect every package. “If I don’t feel comfortable about leaving a package, I leave a notice for the customer … so that when the customer calls and the clerk or supervisor answers the phone, they can explain what happened.”
Johnson has one more piece of advice: Whenever you see a customer, offer him or her a friendly greeting.
“That way, the customer knows you care,” he says.