As noted in the article “Premium Forwarding Service Is Now in Peak Season!” in Postal Bulletin 22219 (11-8-07, pages 69–71), Postal Service™ employees should be aware of Premium Forwarding Service (PFS), a fast-growing and popular alternative to temporary forwarding and hold options. The new Publication 621, PFS Guidebook for Employees, describes key features and benefits of this service, and includes frequently asked questions and useful tips for Post Office™ personnel. It also includes information on the processes and procedures involved in the customer application process.
The PFS Guidebook for Employees will help answer employees’ questions about this service, and in turn, give employees a reference to help answer customer questions. Testimonials and tips from Postal Service employees who have worked with PFS are also included.
PFS is a personalized service designed for residential customers who want to receive all of their mail at a temporary address while away from their permanent address for an extended period — from 2 weeks up to 1 year. Most mail is reshipped to the temporary address once a week via Priority Mail® service.
Ordering information is at the end of this article.
Q. How long does PFS peak season last?
A. PFS actually has two peak seasons, one in the Fall-Winter months of October through January and the other in May and June. These seasons normally generate the most revenue,
Q. Can PFS be used for APO/FPO mail?
A. PFS cannot be used by customers whose primary or temporary address is an APO or FPO. See DMM 709.4.2.3d.
Q. One of my PFS customers keeps renewing his PFS application in person and paying the fees, but I’ve just learned from the new owner of his former residence he no longer lives at the primary address of record. The customer still wants to use PFS and not file a COA. What should I do?
A. Even if a customer has not formally cancelled PFS, the Postal Service cannot continue to make PFS available as a service to someone who no longer resides at the permanent address of record on his/her PFS application form. Moving from a primary address is an automatic cancellation of PFS because PFS only reships mail from a customer’s primary address Post Office to a temporary address.
Contact the customer by letter in the next PFS shipment and explain this will be the last shipment the Postal Service can make under the current application. Explain that he should file a change-of-address (COA) immediately, reflecting where he currently lives. A COA can be filed by mail, phone, or Internet. The customer should be alerted that if your office does not receive notification of a COA within 10 days, you will have to return mail to the sender(s) as “Moved, left no address.”
Note that the standard PFS refund policy applies to the weekly reshipment fees paid in advance, but not used.
You can order Publication 621 from the Material Distribution Center (MDC) by using touch-tone order entry (TTOE): Call 800-273-1509.
Note: You must be registered to use TTOE. To register, call 800-332-0317, option 1, extension 2925, and follow the prompts to leave a message. (Wait 48 hours after registering before placing your first order.) For complete TTOE ordering instructions, visit http://blue.usps.gov/purchase/_doc/ops_ttoeins.doc or call National Materials Customer Service at 800-332-0317, option 4.
Use the following information to place your order:
PSIN: PUB621
Description: PFS employee guidebook
PSN: 7610-10-000-5860
Unit of Measure: EA
Issue Increment: 1
Quick Pick Number: NA
Price: $0.00
— Product Management,
Product Development, 11-22-07
