The Pandemic, the Postal Service, and Public Perception
From wearing masks and working at home to popularizing terms like “social distancing” and “contact tracing,” the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on life has been far and wide. Most people just don’t do things the way they used to, and according to our new survey, that includes some of the ways they interact with the U.S. Postal Service.
As you can see in our recent white paper, Customer Perceptions of the U.S. Postal Service During the COVID-19 Pandemic, our survey found that 96 percent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that mail was important. Yet, while seven out of 10 said they would be comfortable visiting a post office during the pandemic, fewer people reported having done so in the past month compared to previous years.
Respondents were also sending fewer letters and packages but checking and reading their mail more frequently. And — unsurprising for a time of social distancing — more people reported ordering more items more frequently online than in previous years. In fact, the Postal Service delivered more than 1.1 billion packages between October and December last year! Respondents said that, even after the pandemic ends, they expect to continue shopping online more than they did before the pandemic started.
Other trends haven’t changed, though. Most people still to want to resolve postal-related questions in-person at a post office, and almost three in 10 respondents continue to pay their bills through the mail. And people’s opinion of USPS? That one held steady, too: 91 percent of respondents reported a favorable view in 2020, compared to between 88 and 90 percent in the two previous years.
What about you? How have your mailing and ecommerce behaviors changed — or not — during the pandemic? Tell us below!
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do the work of the people as it has done for over 200 years. It is as important today, as it ever was. You are right to say that some at USPS could use some help seeing the way to see their way of doing the right thing for the public!.
persons in Management. One office can do great work while other offices have no standard. Like all networks its
service is only as good as its weakest link. The problems are the same for all companies, but without oversight
the problems only increase. I feel bad for the workers, whos outstanding efforts are going to waste.
Dear USPS:
I for one am very grateful for my local NY 10602 post office being open over the last year in NY so I could get & send mail, & buy stamps and money orders, so I could pay bills on time. The consistency mattered. Really. I'm glad that USPS employees advised the public with posted signs to be mindful with behaving safely with masks and distancing, yet I saw many customers not complying with the rules and being rude and offensive with other customers and USPS employees, almost starting fights and making threats. Irate customers made remarks that their postal needs took priority over others waiting in line, and they acting like they were "more important" than any others, cutting the line and not waiting 10 in line like all the others. It became chaotic though. The USPS wouldn't install a mailbox outside the USPS satellite front door office so public could mail letters. To do so would have alleviated the angry verbal customer fights on the sidewalk outside the USPS office. Public was desparate to mail letters. The USPS employees were too busy with customers to come out and stop the fights. I've been going to my USPS local office for 29 years almost every other day, and I've never experienced such racial name calling, as a customer waiting in line being told I was going to "be arrested by the White Plains cops" because I waited in line early in front of others just getting there and they refused to wait in line. I was was afraid to go there anymore and get my mail from my mailbox. I was afraid about being hurt by the irate customers, both by verbal insults to get out of their way so they could get in first to the USPS office window. I had to change the time of day I went there when there was no one in line. I was afraid of confrontations. I didn't want to be arrested or threatened by customer while mailing bills and buying stamps.
But, so you know, I work in healthcare, and information is very important if you want to get things fixed. Your information system is very poor. You need to do better in providing information, you are dealing with human being not animals.
I am a nurse, and I would not be ok to have you in hospital bed for 6 months for a minor injuries, and even worst when i dont give you any update regarding your health. Treat everyone the way you want to be treated. I just hope this message has an impact on just one person.
Goodbye.
You and your family are what good people go miles to serve. Thank you for noble efforts for your fellow Americans. I know the value of you Nurses hearts. I once had
one holding my hand with a bullet hole a quarter of an inch from my heart. You move mountains for those in need!.