Residential Customer Service Experiences
BACKGROUND:
The U.S. Postal Service’s ability to facilitate positive experiences for its customers and enhance their perceptions of the Postal Service is critical to growing revenue at a time when customers have many service options available from competing sources. Residential customers represent a crucial component of the Postal Service's customer base.
The Postal Service’s Consumer and Industry Affairs Office is responsible for monitoring, analyzing, and improving customer service experiences. It collects data on customer service experiences and public perceptions via the Customer Experience Measurement survey, which is sent to random residential customers throughout the country. The postmaster general stated that a core business strategy is to improve the service experience of its customers.
Our objective was to evaluate the Postal Service’s actions for improving and measuring the service experience of its residential customers.
WHAT THE OIG FOUND:
The Postal Service’s actions for measuring and improving the service experiences of its residential customers are sound, but could be enhanced. Specifically, management could enhance the Customer Experience Measurement survey by linking responses to the actual location of the recipient's experience rather than the recipient's mailing address, as they may differ. In addition, the Postal Service would benefit from measuring customer experiences at alternate access channels such as self-service kiosks, as use of these channels has grown significantly.
The Postal Service has taken positive actions to improve residential customer service experiences; however, additional attention is needed to ensure the agency implements corrective actions promptly and its Customer Experience Measurement goals are met. It is also important that the Postal Service monitors residential customer experiences as it implements operational changes that may impact those experiences.
WHAT THE OIG RECOMMENDED:
We recommended the Postal Service update the Customer Experience Measurement survey to identify the location of the recipient’s experience, measure experiences at other access channels, develop a strategy for implementing corrective actions in a timely and responsive manner, and ensure monitoring of residential customer experiences as operational changes are implemented.