Equipment, Hardware and Supplies

[KimRKB2]

Hi,

Last year we purchased Pitney Bowes e-certified service for our DM500. We would process the mail in our office, print receipts on the postage tape, and then take it all to the PO for them to round-date stamp the postage meter tape receipts.  We don't really care about proof of delivery, but we do need proof of mailing.

This system worked smoothly for 8 months. As of last month, our PO refuses to round-date stamp the receipts printed on postage tape.  They're telling us that the receipt is proof enough. Well, it IS proof the item was processed in our office, but it is NOT proof the item was mailed. (We could have processed it and lost the envelope on the way to the PO, for example.)

We've gone back and forth with them and had several meetings to no avail. So, for the last couple of weeks, we have gone back to hand-writing the green and white certified slips and not using our e-certified service at all.

What SHOULD  we be using as a mailing receipt the PO can stamp for us?

Thank you,

Kim

Message Edited by KimRKB2 on 03-19-2009 01:19 PM

[PB-Jeremy]

Hi Kim,

Thank you for explaining in detail this scenario.

I do agree that the best way to confirm that the USPS has actually received your mail pieces for delivery is to have the Post Office round date stamp your book as proof that you have physically handed over your mail pieces to the USPS for delivery.  The only reason I can think of as to why the USPS would refuse to provide you with a round date stamp is a policy change.  I would like to investigate this.  I have sent to a private message, as I would need some specific information in order to determine what we can do for you.

Thank you,

Jeremy

[stolensiren]

I am having the same issue.  It is great to provide e-certified for so many reasons.  But when I get to the PO, I need them to enter it into their system but due to a policy change they can no longer do this.  I used to be able to have them enter it and the status would be "Accepted" and list the PO.  Now that they can't, I can only enter it into my DM800 as e-certified and hope that the PO does their job to track it.  Unfortunately there have been many (almost all) times that they do not and the purpose of "tracking" the piece is null.  The status always just says that basically the info was received (because I entered the info into my DM800) but then the piece goes into limbo and the service my clients are paying for is nonexistent.  PB is great in doing their part, it is the PO's that are not providing the service they promise.  The price is for guarenteed tracking so how do I get my money back on the 100 or so they did not enter? I have been a COM for PB for 10 years and the PO just recently started with this bad process rendering the e-certified process junk and turning the non-green way (regular certified) into the only way to get the proof the customer paid for.  Now what?

[PB-Jeremy]

stolensiren,

I am very surprised to hear that you are experiencing the same exact problem with your Post Office.  Can you let me know, at your Post Office, did they tell you there was a policy change, and if so, did they give you any details on this change?  When you are attempting to have this stamped at your Post Office, on what are you attempting to have this stamped (a note book, a USPS form, other)?

As for how to be reimbursed for the mail pieces that still show a delivery status of Electronic Shipping Info Received, this will be difficult.  Basically, the USPS will claim they never received these mail pieces for delivery (for the ones that have Electronic Shipping Info Received).  Because the USPS would not provide you with a stamp proving that you actually gave them the mail piece for delivery, there is no proof that the USPS has actually received these.  My only suggestion would be to speak to the postmaster at your area Post Office and explain this scenario, and see what kind of compensation or solution the Post Office is willing to offer you. 

Thank you,

Jeremy

[karios]

We do not have the e-certified service on our machine, so I have always used the green and white certified mailing slips from the PO. However, I have also noticed a change in how certifieds are handled on the USPS tracking site. Years ago, I would take the certified mail to the PO, have it date stamped and, by the next morning, confirm on the USPS website that the article had been received by the PO. Beginning a couple of years ago or so, there were times when I would try tracking a certified on the USPS website, but there was no record available until the article was delivered. Occasionally, I could verify on the USPS website that the article had been received by the PO, but there was no record that the article had been delivered (when, in fact, it had been delivered). I mentioned this to a clerk at the PO and he told me that often the clerks didn't have time to scan the certifieds, so they set the certifieds aside until they were less busy. Obviously, though, they often didn't get around to scanning them at all, and sometimes the postal carrier neglected to scan the item when it was delivered. I rarely have need to send mail certified any more, but the last two times I did so and tried tracking the items on the USPS website, there again was no record that the PO received the items (although I did take them to the PO and the clerk date-stamped the receipts). But now I notice that certified mail is categorized only as a confirmation service; the description does not include a tracking service. With so many changes in USPS regulations in recent years, even post office employees get confused about the rules and, with time demands, some PO employees may take it upon themselves to interpret those regulation more strictly to the exclusion of certain tasks that they perceive as time-consuming. To track an item through the USPS, it appears you need to send the article via priority or express mail.

http://www.usps.com/shipping/trackandconfirm.htm

[PB-MikeH]

Thanks for sharing your experiences, Karios! Sounds like some of the issues people are having with eCertified are troubling the green-card process too.

  - Mike