Cover Story
Premium Forwarding Service Continues to Be a Big Hit With Customers
Premium Forwarding Service® (PFS®) continues to be a big hit with our customers. There were over 145,000 customers signing up for the service in fiscal year (FY) 10, and more are expected in FY 11. So we must make sure we are providing our customers the best service possible.
New functionality was added to the point-of-sale (POS) terminals last month, which makes calculating the weekly fee a snap. No more manually figuring out how many weeks the customer will be away or how much to charge. POS will do that for you. (See the November 9 issue of Retail Digest for more information on the POS upgrade.)
PFS is a winner when it comes to revenue too, earning over $19 million in FY 10. PFS is a win-win for the Postal Service™ and our customers. It is a service customers want and need. Remember, offer the service as an option when customers inquire about change of address (COA) or Hold Mail service.
Here are a few key facts to keep in mind when providing this service to our customers:
n The service is for anyone going away for a minimum of 2 weeks up to 1 year. If customers will be away for more than a year, they can still use the service, but must pay a new application fee (currently $15.00) after the first year.
n Customers can extend their service by simply making the request and sending in the additional payments to the origin Post Office™ providing the service.
n Customers’ mail is shipped once a week on Wednesday and does not include any Extra Services like Delivery Confirmation™ service. Do not add Extra Services to the weekly shipments when shipping out the mail. You add cost to the service that is not covered in the price we charge the customer.
n Headquarters no longer requires a copy of the PFS application. If you are sending copies to Headquarters, please stop. Doing this also adds cost to the service that is not covered in the price. It is a waste of money.
n Make sure you are using the most up-to-date edition (May 2009) of PS Form 8176, Premium Forwarding Service® (PFS®) Application. A new version will be printed and available for use by the end of this calendar year 2010.
Find more information about PFS, including terms and conditions, at www.usps.com/receive/premiumforwarding.
Projected Developments in PFS in FY 11
Short-term — Form-fillable PS Form 8176 on www.usps.com
Customers can complete the form online, print it, and take it into their Post Office facility. This will save time for both the customer and the retail associate at the window.
Long-term — Online PFS application
This online application would have full functionality, making it possible for customers to sign up from anywhere they have access to the Internet. Customers will be able to apply, pay, and manage their PFS mail online.
— Special Services,
Retail Products and Services, 12-2-10
