APWU of Florida

July24, 2009

GOTCHA! or MANAGEMENT UNVEILS ANOTHER NEW PROGRAM
by Richard Phillips, President, Tampa Area Local

Just when you think you’ve heard it all, management comes up with another absurdity. This time it’s directed toward the Sales, Services Associates or Window Clerks in our Stations and Associate Offices. As if the Mystery Shopper program isn’t confusing enough; what, with all of the different methods being used, like External non-postal Shops, External District-level Shops, Internal Shops, Supervisor/Manager observation forms, and on and on - management has devised a new program. This one is called the "Quest for the Perfect Transaction!" Go figure.

We’ve been contesting the way the existing Mystery Shopper programs are graded for some time. Some bad scores have been based upon such subjective observations as "The clerk asked if the customer would like to send the item by Express, instead of saying Express Mail". No, I’m not making this up. Other bad scores have been based upon such uncontrollable measurement standards as "Waiting time in the lobby was too long", which is something that’s caused by short staffing because management Reverted vacant bids. We’ve even heard of reports of a station having an external and internal Mystery Shop at the same time, with one not knowing that the other was going on, and with different results! It’s sort of like a public school getting a passing rating on National standards, yet receiving a failing score on the FCAT standards; and, yes it happens every year.

Frankly, with management always looking for something bad, I don’t see how they can say there’s any such thing as a Perfect Transaction. Hey, based upon unbiased observations of the general public, they would probably get a higher score if they called their new program the Quest for Bigfoot.

Anyway, management recently sent a fax to several Associate Offices, informing all retail employees, supervisors, managers, and postmasters of this new "Quest for the Perfect Transaction!" program. My first thought was that this must be a joke, but then I recalled that postal management was behind it. Here’s how they announced it in the fax (I’ve added my own thoughts as the immediate responses of the Retail Clerks in parenthesis):

"Have you seen someone from District Retail visit your office recently? (No, that’s what keeps us smiling as the line goes out the door) If not, you will! (Fiddlesticks! Here we go again). We (I have no idea of who this "we" is) are out and about (Sounds like a Canadian trapper making his rounds around Loon Harbor) looking for SSAs that are conducting the Perfect Retail Transaction, even when they think no one is watching (That’s why they put locks on the bathroom stalls).

"If you are caught in the act of maximizing the opportunity with our customers (Somehow the image of a patrol officer with a flashlight at the drive-in movies comes to mind) to educate them (But don’t engage them in unnecessary conversation or you’ll fail the Mystery Shopper) on our amazing products and services (But don’t tell them about the product they want, only the up-sale items we are pushing this month) you will receive entry into the Retail Bucks contest! (Geez, another Accountable Item ... what AIC are we supposed to record Retail Bucks under?)

"Hint: Stick with this scenario and you’re guaranteed a shot (Please, don’t go there...) at the grand prize (Which is unknown at this time)."

What followed this message was a list of "things to do" to make a Perfect Transaction. Things that our Retail Clerks normally do, and are otherwise covered by the Mystery Shopper programs. You know, things such as smiling, making eye contact with the customer and saying "Hi, how may I help you?"; things like asking the required HAZMAT questions (Is there anything liquid, fragile, perishable or potentially hazardous in the package); things like asking if the customer would like to send the item by Express Mail, Priority Mail, or insured; and finally by asking if the customer would like to purchase stamps or packing supplies for future mailings. Note that the mention of stamps was thrown in at the conclusion of the questions, along with packing tape.

One big question I have is, will the employee who is from District Retail, or elsewhere, turn their Quest for the Perfect Transaction into a Mystery Shop failure if the retail clerk doesn’t measure up to a perfect score? After all, they wear various hats when they’re "out and about".

Then and again, maybe my observations and expectations regarding this new program are just plain cynical. But that’s only because we have seen other well-intentioned programs go down the dark alley of discipline ... such as the Mystery Shopper program itself. Then, maybe it’s because of the way management has expressed the way their new program will work. After all, what beneficial program ever came out of one founded on the implied negative connotations of being "caught in the act..." of anything. Hey, if you have been paying any attention to the national political scene lately, you’ll recall that even a well publicized Southern governor or Western senator would not want to have to base their political futures on being "caught in the act".

So, what should we to expect from this new program? Well, if the Mystery Shopper program can provide any insight, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a negative "Quest for the Perfect Transaction!" report attached to a 278E, Request for Disciplinary Action. If nothing else, I wouldn’t be surprised to see such a negative report used to generate a subsequent Mystery Shop on the clerk. And, as far as Retail Bucks go, I would suggest that management save them and apply them as the yearly bonus for the genius who came up with the idea of the "Quest for the Perfect Transaction!"

For feedback, both positive and negative, please contact State President, Jack Baldwin at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , and let him know if this program is implemented in your station or Associate Office. Maybe I’ll be wrong, and management will actually be positive, and replace all of their other Gotcha programs with this one. In the meantime, I’m still looking for Bigfoot.

Hoping to "Catch you" attending the next State function.

I remain In Solidarity,
Richard Phillips
President
Tampa Area Local, APWU

July 8, 2009
APWU of Florida Fall Seminar
August 27,28 & 29  2009 in St. Petersburg, Florida

Click here for full details and registration form

at  the:
HILTON ST. PETERSBURG BAYFRONT
333 First St. South,
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
727-894-5000  

Brothers and Sisters;
This will serve as the initial announcement for our Fall Seminar in  Downtown St. Petersburg.

April 23, 2009
The Miami Area Local, in conjunction with the APWU of Florida, Northeast Regional Coordinator Liz Powell, and Retirees Department Director Judy Beard held membership appreciation and a  organizing drive in Miami on April 15 & 16. Over the course of 2 days they traveled between 3 plants, met with members, gave away T-shirts, aprons and goodies, and signed up 20 new members. Everyone worked very long days and into the night to bring the union message to the workroom floor.The reception we got was overwhelming,everyone was glad to see us. If you would like an Organizing Drive in your office, write to APWU of Florida President Jack Baldwin for information.

April 22, 2009
In an article from The Bradenton Herald, U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, sent a letter to the U.S. Government Accountability Office asking for the non-partisan agency that works for Congress to conduct an audit.
See the article here- http://www.bradenton.com/news/local/story/1374106.html

April 21, 2009
The Manasota Local continues to be in contact with Congressman Vern Buchanan and Senator Bill Nelson's offices regarding the USPS decision to proceed with the Manasota AMP. Today, Congressman Buchanan formally requested that the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) audit the USPS Manasota AMP consolidation proposal. 
The GOA is an independent, nonpartisan agency that works for Congress. Part of the GAO's responsibility is to investigate, upon Congressional request, federal government claims of "savings" initiatives like the Manasota AMP consolidation.  Buchanan's official request to the GAO is attached in this PDF.

February 09, 2009
Manasota AMP Plant Consolidation- http://www.keepthemailhere.com

Video of Postal Service deceptive practice- http://postalnews.tv/2008/11/27/does-post-office-hide-its-lower-cost-services/