As complex as the mailing rates and regulations are, it is little wonder that at some point mailers will take issue with a ruling from their local post office or in-house Detached Mail Unit (DMU). Although it is always best to try to head off these situations before the mailing occurs, that is not always possible, particularly given the rapid pace of change in postal requirements.
Start at the local level
When a situation occurs where a mailer disagrees with a local post office ruling, it is always best to try to work it out at the local level. For this reason, we highly encourage mailers to develop and maintain good relationships with multiple postal staff members at the local level. Inviting these people to your mailing facility for meetings and tours is extremely beneficial in helping them to understand how your business works and what the impacts are when mail acceptance is delayed or additional postage assessed. Mailers should also get to know their local Business Mail Entry (BME) office staff, as well as the clerks who are staffed at the BME and/or the in-house DMU. It is also helpful to develop and maintain a good working relationship with your local Mailpiece Design Analyst. These people can be a wealth of information and assistance during the design and production stages of your mailpieces.
Next levels of escalation
In the event that your issue cannot be resolved at the local level, you may need to escalate the problem further. The first level of escalation would be the District Business Mail Entry office. The next level would be to contact the District Marketing Manager or the Business Mailer Support (BMS) analyst if you have a DMU or use Special Postage Payment Systems. In any case, you should prepare for these contacts by gathering all the pertinent information about the mailing, and presenting your case in a calm manner. If resolution cannot be reached at these levels, then the next step in the escalation process would be the Area Marketing Manager.
Final escalation level
The final level of escalation is the Pricing and Classification Service Center (RCSC) in New York. Any rulings from this office are final. Mailers may also email their concerns to MailerSOXConcerns@usps.gov. The email should include a description of the issue/concern, the people you have already contacted, and the results of that contact at each stage of the process.
For more information, visit www.windowbook.com
Start at the local level
When a situation occurs where a mailer disagrees with a local post office ruling, it is always best to try to work it out at the local level. For this reason, we highly encourage mailers to develop and maintain good relationships with multiple postal staff members at the local level. Inviting these people to your mailing facility for meetings and tours is extremely beneficial in helping them to understand how your business works and what the impacts are when mail acceptance is delayed or additional postage assessed. Mailers should also get to know their local Business Mail Entry (BME) office staff, as well as the clerks who are staffed at the BME and/or the in-house DMU. It is also helpful to develop and maintain a good working relationship with your local Mailpiece Design Analyst. These people can be a wealth of information and assistance during the design and production stages of your mailpieces.
Next levels of escalation
In the event that your issue cannot be resolved at the local level, you may need to escalate the problem further. The first level of escalation would be the District Business Mail Entry office. The next level would be to contact the District Marketing Manager or the Business Mailer Support (BMS) analyst if you have a DMU or use Special Postage Payment Systems. In any case, you should prepare for these contacts by gathering all the pertinent information about the mailing, and presenting your case in a calm manner. If resolution cannot be reached at these levels, then the next step in the escalation process would be the Area Marketing Manager.
Final escalation level
The final level of escalation is the Pricing and Classification Service Center (RCSC) in New York. Any rulings from this office are final. Mailers may also email their concerns to MailerSOXConcerns@usps.gov. The email should include a description of the issue/concern, the people you have already contacted, and the results of that contact at each stage of the process.
For more information, visit www.windowbook.com
