Trivial? Maybe!

Hi Everyone:

Last week, my wife went to our local post office to buy a stamp and mail a bill. What she got in return amazed her so much that she brought it to my attention. She handed me a receipt from the USPS for the one stamp. The receipt is unbelieveably 11" long by 3" wide. More then half of the receipt are ads for the USPS; i.e., phone numbers, multiple web sites, get a post office box and guaranteed services. I am pretty sure that most Americans know how to contact the USPS either by their web site or in person to get the same information. Why the need to advertise it on the receipt? Seems to me to be a waste of paper.

I am also pretty sure that most Americans are aware that the USPS hasn't been profitable in a long time. FedEx, UPS and email has cut heavily into their buisness and hence their bottom line. The USPS is no longer and hasn't been the only kid on the block in a very long time. In order to cut costs, which is vital to their survival, the USPS must look at every aspect of their business, including something as trivial as the length of their receipts. With all the USPS locations all over this country, reducing the length of the receipts could potentially save millions of dollars on saving receipt paper alone. Instead, what I have heard is that the USPS is thinking about reducing deliveries from 6 days a week to 5 days a week, maybe eliminating Saturday delivery.

It is apparent to me that the USPS is in dire need of some good old fashion common sense. They need to open their eyes wider to look in the microscope to find all the common sense opportunities that would lower their operating costs. Why they haven't done that does amaze me.

Til next week.

Peter