|
Nine members of the 1st Ward post office Customer Advisory Council (CAC) along with 1st Ward Alderman Manny Flores office met with Chicago Postmaster/District Manager Gloria E. Tyson and ten of her managers from the U.S. Postal Service in the eighth meeting of the CAC at the 1st Ward Service Office on Western Avenue in Chicago. The CAC members were from three zip codes (60618, 60622 & 60647).
The post office managers were the Station Managers for Wicker Park Station (60622), for Daniel Doffyn Station (60618) and the acting Station Manager for Roberto Clemente Station (60647). Also joining the meeting were the Customer Care representatives assigned to 60618, 60622 and 60647. Additional USPS guests included the Managers of Customer Service Operations for post office Area 2 and Area 5, the Chicago Manager of Post Office Operations and the Chicago Manager of Human Resources. 60647 is still without a regular Station Manager. Ms. Valerie Cranford continues as acting manager until further notice. The USPS has reopened the search for a permanent manager at that location with a new closing date for the posting of January 30, 2008 and has expanded the search for candidates beyond the Chicago District. Roberto Clemente Station has recently filled 16 of 18 open full-time carrier positions. Employee stabilization, employee attendance and manager accountability are District priorities for that location. Chicago Postmaster Gloria E. Tyson announced a further tightening of allowable absenteeism to a daily maximum of 3.2% per station. The CAC asked Ms. Rochelle Israel, Chicago Manager of Human Resources, why no appropriate candidate for the open Roberto Clemente station manager position could be found within the Chicago area. A "back to basics" manager/supervisor training program is being instituted for the USPS Chicago District. CAC members noted that late delivery, mis-delivery and non-delivery seems at its worst on the first day after a holiday. Customer Care representatives are now in place at all three post offices serving the 1st Ward. These positions report to the Chicago District Office rather than to the local Station Manager to provide more independence for that position to assist customers with a complaint that might involve personnel at that Station. The reps explained to the CAC how they attempt to solve customer issues, including seeking out face-to-face meetings with customers or landlords when appropriate. At 60618 the rep is Mr. Martin Lugo, 773-478-1099; 60622 customers can call Ms. Kelly Wells, 773-278-2069; for 60647, Ms. Esther Clas can be reached at 773-489-2855. Daniel Doffyn Station (60618) renovation is now completed for the entire south side of the building after a brief holiday hiatus to avoid customer lobby disruption. Shortened counter lines are the result that is most obvious to customers with two new lobby clerk positions having been added. Station Manager Gregory Willis reports satisfaction with the contractor's ability to prevent dust from reaching customers and has not received any complaints about the work that has been done. The project is continuing. Wicker Park Station (60622) Manager Mr. Carlos Johnson reports that a new facility is still a priority for Wicker Park Station. Parking for the station's delivery fleet is currently in a month-to-month rental lot, employee parking is non-existent and the building is in need of extensive repair and redesign in spite of some improvements that were done in 2007. Given the rising prices for commercial property and new development in the vicinity of the 1635 W. Division Street building, the landlord has little incentive to enter into a long-term lease at a rate that would allow USPS to invest in the necessary renovation there. Alderman Flores' office is working with Mr. Johnson to try to find scarce on-street permits or reasonably-priced off-street parking slots for the employees. 60622 multi-unit buildings without working key-keepers for postal carriers are being sent reminders of this requirement. USPS will replace non-working mailbox locks on approved boxes if the owners contact the Customer Care rep or Station Manager for their Zip Code. A customer suggestion to alleviate traffic congestion around the drop-off mailboxes along Division Street in front of the Wicker Park Station entrance (60622) is not practical now because of the likelihood that the entire facility will be relocated. Station Manager Johnson pledged that an improved drive-up drop-off design would be incorporated in any new facility. The CAC questioned Postmaster Tyson and her managers about a number of specific USPS policies and practices: >> Uncollected mail should be reported by the carrier so that the Customer Care Representative can attempt to contact the customer. >> Misdelivered mail can be dealt with by the customer who received it in one of three ways: Contact the post office to report it so that it can be collected by USPS; point it out to the carrier who will collect it; drop it in a mail box. Customer Service Operations Managers Loretta S. Wilkins (Area 5 312-446-4030) and Larry Miller (Area 2 773-316-1574) discussed USPS initiatives to improve service: >> "A.I.M." is a program for address verification in which all physical addresses are checked against the post office database. This has been completed here. >> "Accuracy of Delivery" cards are distributed to a sampling of customers and the feedback is used to build a performance index for the area. >> Attempts are made to get building managers to supply up-to-date information on tenants to USPS. This is often not successful and USPS cannot force building owners to label mailboxes. >> Change of Address confirmation is sent to a customer's old address once notice has been received about a move by USPS. Consideration will be given to including a self-help "Do's & Don'ts" checklist (see below) with that confirmation to assist in the delivery transition. >> A "30-Day Watch" delivery verification program is available to monitor service to customers who request it through their Customer Service rep. The CAC noted that service complaints received through this web site and via eMail have gone down at 60647 over the past two months but are the most impassioned we receive when they do come in. Complaints received regarding 60618 have almost disappeared. 60622 complaints continue to be received and might be characterized as involving poor customer treatment upon contacting that post office. Alderman Flores and the CAC asked Postmaster Tyson about USPS support to help the CAC assist customers. CAC contact information will be placed in USPS lobbies including on bulletin boards which she ordered reinstated in the post offices. Ms. Tyson also ordered that customer suggestion boxes be added to the lobbies. Alderman Flores has assigned a representative from his office to work with Ms. Tyson's staff to develop a customer "Do's & Don'ts" self-help list to make mis-delivery or non-delivery less likely on days when the customer's regular carrier is not available. The list will be included in the Alderman's quarterly newsletter and on his website. The CAC suggested that USPS distribute it to all lobby customers in Chicago. The final version of the list may been seen here. Jeanine Otte, Director of Constituent Services to Alderman Flores, reported on her recent meeting with Ms. Israel and Mr. Miller and Congressman Danny Davis (7th District - Illinois). Topics included a campaign to improve mailbox labeling and the establishment of a Chicago-wide Postal Customer Council for businesses. Work continues to create a process for the Alderman's office to intervene in the new building permit process so that a developer is required to complete a checklist that will ensure proper placement and labeling for newly installed mailboxes. Ms. Otte and Richard Newton, USPS Delivery Growth Co-ordinator, have been assigned the project. Carlos Johnson, 60622 postmaster and Rochelle Israel, Chicago Manager of Human Resources, will participate in a Town Hall Meeting sponsored by the Wicker Park Committee. The public gathering will be Wednesday, February 6, 2008, 7-9 PM at the Bucktown-Wicker Park Library community room, 1701 N. Milwaukee Avenue, 60647. The next CAC meeting is scheduled for 5:30PM, Wednesday February 20, 2008 at Alderman Flores 1st Ward Service Office, 2058 N. Western Avenue (60647). |
| The fine print: Except for the "Do's & Don'ts" page, the content of this web site is not directly provided by the United States Postal Service, The City of Chicago or any of the Aldermanic offices. It is in no way controlled by, endorsed by or financially supported by any entity or organization other than the members of the Customer Advisory Council who contribute to and edit the site. Although we may furnish some links from this web site to other locations, those are provided at our sole discretion for your convenience and do not imply any actual endorsement from this Council for those sites. Or, probably, vice versa. |