A lead from a California employee has resulted in a combined shipping deal worth more than $7 million for the Postal Service.
Vincent Yang, a retail associate at the Burbank Post Office, noticed a customer who was visiting frequently to pay for postage.
After talking with the customer, Yang learned the man had recently started a business and was looking for better shipping options.
Yang submitted a lead through Clerks Care, a program that allows retail associates, call center agents, and machine and distribution clerks to pass on sales tips.
Anival “Martin” Juarez, a California 3 District business development specialist, and Elizabeth Hernandez, a field sales representative, followed up with the customer.
They closed one shipping deal with the customer for $4.8 million in new estimated annualized revenue for the Postal Service. They also worked with two of the customer’s selling partners on a second deal, which is worth another $2.5 million, for a total of $7.3 million.
Sales generated from Clerks Care leads count toward the USPS Power of One campaign to raise revenue through sales leads from employees.
“Customers with new businesses don’t necessarily know that the Postal Service has people who are dedicated to helping them succeed,” said Lou DeRienzo, small-business sales program specialist at the organization’s headquarters in Washington, DC. “That’s why it’s important to get to know customers who come into the Post Office repeatedly. Very often, that frequency is a sign we can do something more for them — and for our bottom line.”
The Postal Service is encouraging as many employees as possible to submit at least one lead through any of its six lead programs by Sept. 30.
The Small Business Sales team is tracking program participation rates through its weekly “Drive to 35” downloadable report. Additionally, the team is publishing a weekly Business Connect Month report in August that shows how districts are meeting their annual activity targets for that program.
The Small Business and Lead Generation Programs Blue page has more information about Clerks Care and the other employee lead programs: Business Connect, Customer Connect, Mail Handlers, Rural Reach and Submit a Lead.
