Customer Participation is Encouraged When Post Office Discontinuance Studies are Performed

NAPUS has received complaints from members of the Post Office Preservation Committee that some postal officials are in a hurry- up mode to schedule community meetings to discuss possible post office closings. In some areas, customers from more than one community are told to travel to another location where several community meetings are being held at one time. Postal Service policy encourages customer participation in communities where Post Office discontinuance studies are being performed. Handbook PO 101 requires that community meetings be re-scheduled if the original time is inconvenient to most customers. Listed below are some important policy procedures in Handbook PO 101;

25 Community Meeting
251

General

A community meeting can be held anytime after the questionnaire is sent (see 242.12) and before any final determination is expected to be made, unless otherwise authorized by the Vice President, Area Operations, or the Vice President, Delivery and Post Office Operations. A community meeting should be forgone only where exceptional circumstances make a community meeting infeasible, such as where the community no longer exists because of a natural disaster or because residents have moved elsewhere.

At the community meeting, customers should be provided with an explanation for the proposed change in service. State the advantages and disadvantages for customers and for the Postal Service (for example, tell customers whether their address will be affected and whether PO Box fees will change if they choose service at a neighboring retail facility). Make it clear that no final decision has been made. Do not argue or raise your voice with customers. Always tell them the truth. If the answer to a customer’s question is not apparent, obtain the customer’s name and address and respond in writing after the meeting. Make notes of customer concerns and responses for inclusion in the official record. However, do not tape the meeting, because this inhibits open discussion. Immediately terminate the meeting if you feel your safety or the safety of others is at risk.

251.1

Selecting Date and Location

The Marketing Manager should discuss the time and location of the community meeting with the Postmaster, OIC, or other responsible personnel. Be sure to schedule the meeting at a time that encourages customer participation, such as during an evening or weekend. Potential community locations include a community center, church meeting room, city hall, school, or the postal retail facility. Designate a set time for the meeting, but be flexible enough to extend the meeting if necessary to answer customer questions. Dress appropriately for the community. If a second meeting is warranted, plan and schedule it according to the same guidelines as the initial meeting.

251.2

Notifying Customers

Notify customers of the community meeting date, time, and location at least five to seven days in advance. If you receive information that the time is inconvenient for most customers, reschedule the meeting at a more convenient time.

Charlie Moser
August 31, 2011

2 Responses to "Customer Participation is Encouraged When Post Office Discontinuance Studies are Performed"

  1. I am one of the local Postal employees whose town meeting is scheduled for Nov.2,2011. I had planned on going to the meeting but was told by another employee that we were not allowed to go.Is this true?

    Alicia – post your question in one of PEN’s forums for a faster answer.

  2. My office is scheduled for a town meeting this week on Sep. 7th. The meeting was set for 3 – 5 PM when most folks are at work. The POOM was trying for 10 AM but I informed them the news was out as to date and time and it was too late to change.

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