Last week, while testifying before Congress, Postmaster General Jack Potter said that the Postal Service needs to leverage our reach.
"We have a network of 37,000 retail outlets. America loves them and we want to keep as many open as possible, but we cannot just sell stamps in them," he said.
He mentioned driver's license renewal in Austrailia, banking in Italy and other countries that do more than deliver mail.
The Italian example is interesting, because more than half their profit comes from the banking portion of the Post.
So, what do you think? What kinds of services should we offer -- and which ones should we stay away from? Comment here.
16 comments:
Presently, banks are over saturated in supermarkets, but maybe some ATMs and vending machines would be good.
As an option, we should sell the service UPS stores do - total packaging. The customer just brings the items in that they want shipped and for extra fees we do all the boxing, sealing, and shipping.
We should be doing more of services like banking especially savings ,cds, bonds, savings certificates which are more safe and secure and long term and maybe when we need a bailout we will be the first to bailout since we have banking in us.
The post office used to be the keeper of the Savings Stamps program. The thought behind this operation, was everyone interacts with the post office so why not let them save there with a US Government secured program.
I would be all for driver's license renewals, and even auto registration renewals. These are already sent by mail to the BMV...we could provide instant service for this.
We had a perfectly good program in place with the Liberty Cash Card - a prepaid debit card to be used for postage and services. My customers loved it and the benefits to the Postal Service were so obvious.
We accept passport applications, why not issue International Driver's Licenses to go with them? And since President Obama indirectly linked the USPS to a government run health insurance program at a recent town hall meeting, we could keep postal nurses busy by administering some of the immunizations travelers need when they travel to other parts of the world.
Not a week goes by that someone doesn't ask if we have notary service.
We should create mini business centers, where the public could come and access desks with local phone service, computers with printers, copy and fax machines, staplers, hole punchers, calculators, etc., all for a fee. I read that there are informal executive-type suites now, where beginning entrepreneurs share office space with others; we could offer that, especially in some of our excess capacity facilities where we are downsizing but cannot sell the property because of the depressed market.
Definatly the drivers, and car license renewal. Every community needs them, but most have only one place to go per county, the county seat. They are also usually run by private indiviuals, submitting bids to the state. They are extremely busy places especially towards the end of the month. And many of them are only open a few days of the week. Perfect fit for the USPS.
I lived in Italy for 4 years and we paid our utility bills at the post office. Perhaps we could collect utility bill payments and make weekly disbursements to the utitliy companies?
I liked some of the other ideas already shown, especially the packaging idea....I have so many people who bring in what they want to ship and already ask me what would work best. Then they have to leave to package it and bring it back? This would be a great service in the smaller, so called underworked rural offices.
We already sell Federal Migratory Bird Stamps. How about the state bird stamps,fishing licenses, trout stamps, hunting licenses etc?
I'm for adding money wiring services. Not just for international business but adding it to domestic use. I get lots of customers asking where the nearest Western Union office is at so they can wire money.
If we packaged parcels for our customers could be gain revenue and more customers that way? I think we may be able to do it at a lower cost than our competitors and give them a run for their money.
How about selling some ready to mail gifts and cards for the last minute shopper to send. Advertise it on holidays such as Valentine's day, Mother's day and Father's day.
How about providing venues for conferences, meetings and events. We could use our free parking space during weekends when it is not used much. All this for a fee and be able to use good revenue generation alternative. We could also offer consulting IT services for local and other government and other business. Postal as IT Services Provider.
Post a Comment