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Pushing the Envelope Blog

A Processing Plant Round Up

Date: 12/20/21 | Category: Mail Processing & Transportation

Throughout the year we completed a series of audits on mail operations and delayed mail at eight postal processing facilities across the country. As we conducted our work, we began to see a consistent story.  So we thought it would be useful to publish a capping report summarizing our results.   

So, what did we find? Plant managers were focused on manually counting the amount of delayed mail at each facility. While that’s good, this type of counting takes time. Last January, when USPS implemented its Mail Condition Visualization (MCV) system, it was supposed to save the Postal Service time and money by using machine-reported scans to track and provide real-time visibility.  But it didn’t, because managers are still spending time, and money, counting.

Why aren’t managers relying on the new MCV system? Because the numbers it reports can be misleading. And that, in turn, is a result of mail that isn’t being processed correctly. Sometimes mail is sent to the delivery unit before it receives its last scan. This creates two problems. First, the mail misses its last scan and shows as delayed in the MCV system even though it might not really be. Second, this mail may have to be manually sorted at the delivery unit.

We recommended USPS work with the processing plants to ensure mail receives the last sort and scan before it leaves the facility. Then, plant managers can start using MCV to identify root causes of mail that is truly delayed.

So, take the time to read our capping report and tell us if you find it helpful.

Leave a Comment

Your Name
Kathy Heath
Jan 14, 2022
Your Comment
I am currently dealing with yet another package that’s missing in the black hole that is the Richmond VA (Sandston) processing center. It is inexplicable why a package would get stuck here for so long, also baffling how it gets scanned into the facility and out of the facility at precisely the same time. And though it shows it left, it’s still not at the local post office across town days later. Worse still, the people who should help me just aren’t.
Your Name
Sherita MartinCaldwell
Dec 31, 2021
Your Comment
I don't understand how a order item departs the same facility 3 times on 3 different dates and nothing arrive at the designated address not even a " sorry we missed you sticker". And the customer service agent wants to know what is the item in question and suggest that I cancel rather than find my package??
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Mohammed Sardar Khan
Dec 23, 2021
Your Comment
Scan every package upon receipt so business don’t look like idiots when they say the package was shipped . Horrible management of my packages. Makes me sick and is hurting small business .
Your Name
Gary Raymond
Dec 20, 2021
Your Comment
I developed a Pay for Performance system 20 years ago. Staff resisted vigorously.
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Sarah Malloy
Dec 20, 2021
Your Comment
I feel like all post offices should have cameras not just certain ones all post office.you have these post workers that works from the inside doing illegal things and not being held accountable for there wrongs,Dodge City Kansas post office is one of them that for sure needs cameras in their office all over the building.