Access to retail services is an important part of the Postal Service’s universal service obligation. The Postal Service relies on a network of over 31,000 facilities (“units”) where customers can conduct various retail transactions, and this network hosted over 655 million visits in fiscal year 2024. It is imperative for retail units to be accessible to customers by being open during scheduled hours and not closed for prolonged periods of time (such as suspensions).
Open Recommendations
| Recommendation Number | Significant Recommendation | Recommended Questioned Costs | Recommended Funds for Better Use | Additional Details | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Yes | $0 | $0 | ||
| Develop an automated tool for notifying field staff in real-time when units open late or close early and sending justification requests to local staff. | |||||
| 4 | Yes | $0 | $0 | ||
| Develop procedures to ensure justification responses are properly completed and reviewed in a timely manner and that managers are held accountable when units open late or close early. | |||||
| 5 | Yes | $0 | $0 | ||
| Augment suspension-related policies to include strategies for periodically and regularly communicating suspension statuses to impacted customers. | |||||