{"id":100125,"date":"2016-05-05T09:31:35","date_gmt":"2016-05-05T14:31:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/csinewsnow.com\/?p=100125"},"modified":"2016-05-05T09:31:35","modified_gmt":"2016-05-05T14:31:35","slug":"nd-pilot-usps-new-customer-service-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/csinewsnow.com\/?p=100125","title":{"rendered":"ND pilot, USPS new customer service program"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"SenatorHeitkampofficial\"Washington\u00a0 (CSi)\u00a0 \u2013<\/strong> U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp has announced that the U.S. Postal Service, inspired by Heitkamp\u2019s Fix My Mail initiative<\/a> and survey<\/a>, is launching a new customer service program aimed at improving mail delivery and service. The program will initially pilot in North Dakota with the goal of resolving mail service problems in individual and rural communities before potentially expanding to more states.<\/p>\n

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The U.S. Postal Service\u2019s new \u2018Your Mail Matters\u2019 program is encouraging North Dakotans to share their individual mail service challenges with the U.S. Postal Service via email, YourMailMatters@usps.gov<\/a>, and a service line, 605-333-2648, which will be managed and operated using existing resources from North Dakota\u2019s U.S. Postal Service District Office in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The U.S. Postal Service modeled the program after Heitkamp\u2019s Fix My Mail survey<\/a>, which has garnered nearly 500 responses from North Dakotans about the persistent issues with mail delivery North Dakotans have experienced.<\/p>\n

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Heitkamp will be closely monitoring \u2018Your Mail Matters\u2019 to make sure the U.S. Postal Service follows through on its efforts, remains accountable to North Dakotans, and works to resolve customer issues in a timely manner.<\/p>\n

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\u201cFor too many North Dakotans, the U.S. Postal Service is a lifeline for medication, important tax information, and keeping business and family ties strong \u2013 but for too long, that service has continued to decline,\u201d said Heitkamp. \u201cWhile today\u2019s U.S. Postal Service initiative is aimed at rejuvenating the agency\u2019s relationship with North Dakotans, they\u2019ve got a lot of ties to mend, and I\u2019ll be working to make sure this effort works effectively. Like my Fix My Mail initiative, where hundreds of North Dakotans shared their concerns with me about chronic service and mail delivery problems, responsive action to customer concerns is key. Last week I shared North Dakotans\u2019 challenges directly with U.S. Postmaster General Brennan, and received a commitment to respond to their concerns in short order, and to visit with them about these issues in the state. It\u2019s my hope that the U.S. Postal Service uses its \u2018Your Mail Matters\u2019 program as an opportunity to build on my Fix My Mail initiative and achieve real results for our communities.\u201d<\/p>\n

Just last week<\/a>, Heitkamp met with U.S. Postmaster Megan Brennan, who committed to addressing issues relayed to Heitkamp in the survey \u2013 from chronically delayed or mixed up mail delivery, to difficulty accessing quality service at post offices \u2013 and accepted Heitkamp\u2019s invitation to visit the state to hear firsthand about the issues North Dakotans are experiencing.
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Heitkamp\u2019s Fix My Mail survey<\/a> builds on her original Fix My Mail initiative<\/a> which she started in January 2014, when she heard from more than 200 North Dakotans about their frequent poor mail delivery. Those stories prompted the Postal Service to take action in North Dakota, and at Heitkamp\u2019s request, the U.S. Postal Service Inspector General issued a report confirming<\/a> the problems North Dakotans had shared with Heitkamp. The accounts from North Dakotans also helped inform a bill<\/a> Heitkamp introduced to improve mail delivery and service in rural communities. Because many North Dakota communities still face problems with mail delivery, Heitkamp\u2019s Fix My Mail survey continues these efforts by gathering new feedback from North Dakotans to identify where additional improvements are needed.<\/p>\n

Those living and working in rural communities rely heavily on U.S. Postal Services for their businesses to function and to connect with family, and are disproportionately impacted by poor customer service and delivery \u2013 a point echoed<\/a> in a U.S. Postal Service Inspector General report on mail volume. Over the past few years, communities in rural America have faced increased delivery times, reduced service standards, and a distressed U.S. Postal Service workforce.<\/p>\n

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Heitkamp\u2019s Fix My Mail initiative seeks to build momentum for the work she has already done for North Dakotans in rural communities and across the state to improve their mail service issues, including:<\/p>\n

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