So as to belabour the point about WalMart and other large companies, here is volume 2 pertaining to what you may expect as a result of huge companies and institutions. Never mind what you are hearing about insurance giant AIG and others.
Do many of you remember when the IRS would send you a postage paid envelope for use in mailing in your tax return? Same applied to nearly every government agency?
The year was 1970 and postage was in process of going up from 6 cents to 8 cents. The US Post Office was drowning in red ink, and the new idea was hatched to remove the Post Office from government and make it an independent agency? Thus the U S Postal Service was born. Prior to that it was simply the U S Post Office.
In order to sell the idea, these promises were made:
1) Enhanced services to the public
2) An end to red-ink deficit operations by making the USPS independent.
3) One day delivery anywhere in the continental United States.
The people who knew better saw right through this sham. Nothing was really changing except consumers would now have to start paying postage to communicate with government agencies. The last postage-paid envelope sent out en masse to the populace was in 1973, or thereabouts when the new "independent" post office was fully phased-in.
So what are the results of this huge, resources-rich organization?
1) For services allowed competition, the competition has stolen the show. Even tiny companies who didn't exist at the time have grown to out-do the post office, not to mention competitors such as UPS and FedEx.
2) End to Red-Ink? They kept the Civil Service - you've got to wonder whether they were ever serious about this.
3) One-day delivery? The average delivery time for a first-class piece in 1970 was 2.2 days. Today it is 2.8 days. And this was over 40 years ago.
Reports of waste, fraud, abuse abound just by talking with USPS employees and others.
Have I become a carping critic? Probably. I realize compared to nationalized postal services in other countries, especially Canada, the USPS has been a smashing success. But it seems like the larger it has become, the poorer the service, and the days of "smashing success" were accomplished early-on. Is this aimed at Doug, the personable guy who delivers your mail? Absolutely not -- Doug already knows what we're talking about and can't do anything about it.
Think about who can service your needs when you select next year. A huge publishing company who has purchased the rights to Tax Software, or maybe a couple small outfits in Franklin NC or Augusta GA who literally grew up with the industry. Megalopolis Mart or Paul's Corner Meat Market. Dodge City Bank & Trust, or CitiBank.
Whether it sounds like it or not, there is as much positive in this message as negative. Just think of the opportunities for smaller companies who provide value and service, and patronize them if they so deserve.
Do many of you remember when the IRS would send you a postage paid envelope for use in mailing in your tax return? Same applied to nearly every government agency?
The year was 1970 and postage was in process of going up from 6 cents to 8 cents. The US Post Office was drowning in red ink, and the new idea was hatched to remove the Post Office from government and make it an independent agency? Thus the U S Postal Service was born. Prior to that it was simply the U S Post Office.
In order to sell the idea, these promises were made:
1) Enhanced services to the public
2) An end to red-ink deficit operations by making the USPS independent.
3) One day delivery anywhere in the continental United States.
The people who knew better saw right through this sham. Nothing was really changing except consumers would now have to start paying postage to communicate with government agencies. The last postage-paid envelope sent out en masse to the populace was in 1973, or thereabouts when the new "independent" post office was fully phased-in.
So what are the results of this huge, resources-rich organization?
1) For services allowed competition, the competition has stolen the show. Even tiny companies who didn't exist at the time have grown to out-do the post office, not to mention competitors such as UPS and FedEx.
2) End to Red-Ink? They kept the Civil Service - you've got to wonder whether they were ever serious about this.
3) One-day delivery? The average delivery time for a first-class piece in 1970 was 2.2 days. Today it is 2.8 days. And this was over 40 years ago.
Reports of waste, fraud, abuse abound just by talking with USPS employees and others.
Have I become a carping critic? Probably. I realize compared to nationalized postal services in other countries, especially Canada, the USPS has been a smashing success. But it seems like the larger it has become, the poorer the service, and the days of "smashing success" were accomplished early-on. Is this aimed at Doug, the personable guy who delivers your mail? Absolutely not -- Doug already knows what we're talking about and can't do anything about it.
Think about who can service your needs when you select next year. A huge publishing company who has purchased the rights to Tax Software, or maybe a couple small outfits in Franklin NC or Augusta GA who literally grew up with the industry. Megalopolis Mart or Paul's Corner Meat Market. Dodge City Bank & Trust, or CitiBank.
Whether it sounds like it or not, there is as much positive in this message as negative. Just think of the opportunities for smaller companies who provide value and service, and patronize them if they so deserve.
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