1. CUSTOMER FEEDBACK ANALYSIS
The Postal Service uses a variety of methods to communicate with customers about its services, products, policies, and personnel. The aggregated data from these sources allow the Postal Service to formally integrate the voice of the individual consumer into its business practices and provide feedback to operations, where the Postal Service can take action, respond, and improve. In 2002, the number of customer contacts through traditional methods of communications (i.e., letters, phone calls, customer walk-ins, claims) decreased. The number of customer inquiries via Internet, an alternative customer communication vehicle, also decreased.

The Postal Service logged 221,208 customer contacts during 2002, an approximate 9 percent decrease. Of these, 3 percent were compliments, 2 percent were general information requests and 95 percent were service issues.

At the close of 2001, Consumer Affairs, Headquarters, customer service specialists processed a total of 159,804 customer e-mail messages. In 2002, a total of 68,255 customer e-mail messages were handled by Teletech agents.