"Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds."
We've all heard the phrase, especially when the roads are closed and vehicles can't get through, or when downtown is flooded or high winds knock out the power.
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| Herodutus Picture via Wikimedia Commons |
The roots of the phrase actually go back to the writer Herodotus, who was singing the praises of the Persian war couriers in one of his books.
According to USPS Link, an architect from the firm that designed the New York Post Office was the son of a Greek classics scholar and an avid reader of the works. He picked the inscription from one of the writings and pitched it to postal officials, who approved it.
What do you think? Should we embrace the motto, or dispel it? Comment here.
6 comments:
It's become a tradition and almost a brand. Please, Keep it!
If it snows, our carriers are only required to attempt delivery.
If it rains, yes our carriers deliver.
If it's hot, they take water with them.
All carriers must be back in the office by 1800, way before the gloom of night is here.
So I would say it's a little out dated to the times......but still a catchy phrase.
At this point I don't think we have a choice. If we were to dismiss it, we would look back and our detractors would have yet something else to point to. If we embrace it, we reinforce what we've been saying about customer service all along. Let's embrace it!
While recognizing that it is only an "unofficial" motto, what's not to embrace? It fully describes the dedication of our employees. No other organization has "foot soldiers" out in every area, looking out for their communities, like we do!
I think it still fits - we do our best to deliver whenever possible, where ever possible. As for the gloom of night, the trucks are still out transporting the mail so that fits, too. There will always be some who use this motto against us when deliveries can't be made or the mail service is interupted, but we have to remember that safety comes first.
How can you think we would do anything but embrase it. It is all about customer service and giving them their mail regardless of the conditions. I say keep it.
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