The Office of Inspector General for the United States Postal Service (USPS) recently issued a new report that examined how US microbusinesses (defined as companies with fewer than 10 employees) engage with the USPS and areas for improvement. The report highlights that microbusinesses are vital to the US economy, representing 75 percent of all employers nationwide, and are a valuable customer segment for the USPS. The report also notes that as the USPS continues to assess its outreach and services for small businesses, it is essential to understand the microbusiness customer segment and embrace cost-effective ways to bolster its relationship with them.
Key Findings / Recommendations
- The Postal Service’s retail services are highly valued by microbusinesses, of which 66 percent rated their experiences at postal retail locations as somewhat or very positive.
- Many microbusinesses were unaware of postal services that can help small businesses, such as Package Pickup. Only a third of microbusinesses have heard of the service, but nearly 60 percent were interested in using it.
- Existing employee lead generation programs (business development) account for substantial revenue overall, but only 16 percent of microbusinesses surveyed said a postal employee has shared information about ways the Postal Service can help their business.
- The Postal Service can better harness its workforce to promote products and foster relationships with microbusinesses.
- The Postal Service should distribute and make available marketing materials to employees to share with businesses during lead generation (business development) activities.
- The Postal Service is the carrier of choice for microbusinesses — a majority said they use USPS more frequently than other carriers.
The Office of Inspector General for the USPS’ mission is to help maintain confidence in the postal system and improving the Postal Service’s bottom line through independent audits and investigations. Audits of postal programs and operations help to determine whether the programs and operations are efficient and cost-effective. Investigations help prevent and detect fraud, waste, and misconduct and have a deterrent effect on postal crimes. To learn more, we encourage you to visit this link.