BY ANNA GUIDO
Enquirer Contributor
HAMILTON -- For the first time since it was established in 1993, the customer advisory council of the Hamilton post office is seeking members to fill at least four vacant seats.
The council works with the post office to identify and resolve problems and to provide postal managers with recommendations and ideas to improve services, Postmaster C. Robert Piper said. "We also want to share with customers the reasons why we do the things the way we do," he said. "Basically, it's a two-way street."
The post office recently mailed 4,700 random applications to residents in three of the zip code areas it serves -- 45011, 45013 and 45015.
"We want to get representation from across the board -- male, female, young and old," Mr. Piper said. "The applications of those not chosen will be put in a file; and if, down the road, we need more members, we'll go back to that list."
The Cincinnati District of the U.S. Postal Service mandated creation of customer advisory councils in 1993 in response to then-Postmaster-General Marvin Runyon's concern that the postal system wasn't addressing the needs of its customers, Cincinnati District spokeswoman Bonni Manies said.
"We'd gotten so involved in the processing and delivery part of the system, that we forgot to listen to the customers," Ms. Manies said. "Mr. Runyon reoriented us as a customer service organization."
Mr. Runyon retired this year.
Shortly after customer advisory councils were mandated, the Blue Ash Post Office in Hamilton County implemented a change that came directly out of its council's recommendation, Ms. Manies said. With a daytime, working population much higher than its residential population, the Blue Ash post office was asked to open earlier to better serve the business crowd.
Ms. Manies said advisory councils are no longer required but are an option based on the needs of the community.
"If a council feels that they've gone as far as they can go, then they can disband," she said.
Mr. Piper said recommendations from Hamilton's customer advisory council have included such things as employee recognition events and stamp design contests for elementary school children.
One of the most significant improvements was the addition of two mailboxes on Front Street near the main branch on Court Street. Court Street had been changed from a one-way street to a two-way street a few years ago. Mr. Piper said the change in traffic flow made it difficult for customers to deposit mail at the main branch mailboxes without getting out of their vehicles.
"The council's effort was to find a solution to allow customers a way to deposit mail without exiting their vehicles," Mr. Piper said. "The solution was to install two new boxes at a nearby site. The boxes are two blocks away, but customers can access them without getting out of their vehicles.
Information: 867-8878.
