How much mail do you think is lost by the USPS every year?
It’s a tough statistic to nail down, and nearly impossible if you’re looking for a reliable number. Most lost mail that can’t be delivered or returned to the original sender ends up at the Mail Recovery Center in Atlanta, essential a “lost and found” headquarters for mail and parcels.
The employees at the Mail Recovery Center certainly have their work cut out for them. They’re in charge of doing anything they can to determine where each individual piece of mail is supposed to be. Mail and packages are scanned and sometimes opened in the hope of finding address information so the item can make its way where it belongs. Anything that doesn’t have an owner, in the end, is recycled, donated, or auctioned off.
With millions of pieces of mail being handled daily, it isn’t surprising that the occasional piece of mail is going to be lost. Overall though, there a few key reasons why mail ends up getting lost.
~ Incorrect Address
~ Shipping Label is Damaged
~ Shipping Label Falls off
~ Recipient Didn’t Update Their Address
~ Address Can’t Be Read
For the most part, these issues are something the sender of the mail or parcel can control. For USPS employees working in retail operations, you can reduce the amount of lost mail by reminding customers of these potential issues. We understand that you’re busy, but taking the time to do this can cut down on a lot of headaches for both you and the customers.
But if you do find yourself in a situation where a customer’s mail has gone missing, it is important to provide that customer with excellent customer service. Explain in detail how a customer can find their missing mail without laying the blame on them. This is even more important with parcels, as customers have a variety of courier options and could stop utilizing the USPS if they find the services to not work for them.
Take the time to listen to customer concerns and assure them that their concerns are being taken seriously. Don’t make customers jump through hoops to get answers. If you’ve been to the official USPS Facebook account lately, you’ll see there are a lot of angry complaints in the comments. Do what you can to reduce those complaints by offering excellent customer service to every single person.
Do your part to cut down on lost mail with excellent customer service, attention to detail, and the right pre-inked Postal stamps!
