MEMO TO NEW POSTMASTER GENERAL: Do These Ten Things And You Will Succeed

The 76th U.S Postmaster General quietly took office in July, two months after his appointment was announced. Due diligence into his background having been performed, David Steiner walked into 475 L’Enfant Plaza on July 15, into his office and sat in the chair first occupied by the Father of the American Post — Benjamin Franklin.

At the very start of his leadership, a seasoned executive like Mr. Steiner will reflect on his journey ahead. He will pay careful attention over the next 90 days to see what needs to be done in the coming months and years.

To aid in this process, the editors offer this list of ten things the new Postmaster General must do to succeed.

1. Listen to postal and mail veterans inside and outside USPS

They are at the Postal Regulatory Commission, the Office of Inspector General, and on the floors above and below your office. They are also the veteran mail executives and professionals in corporations and institutions (the customer). All of them know mail. And it’s problems. It’s challenges. It’s value. They may disagree on the diagnosis or prognosis of the United States Postal Service — but what they collectively speak, you need to understand.

2. Respect the mission

It began by a group of revolutionaries who overthrew the world’s greatest military force. It’s why we have generals in the postal service. Because the Post was critical in binding the patriots together with ideas, plans, money, packages, secrets in wartime. The mail is how we became united.

And that spirit — THAT MISSION — continues 250 years later. “To bind the nation together” is its charge, and the U.S. Constitution gives Congress the express power to establish post offices and post roads. That’s how important its mission is, to be enumerated as a federal service to all Americans no matter where they live — a prompt, reliable service that universally connects all Americans with each other.

One of the cringiest displays of ignorance this year was when the DOGE executive on Fox referenced the use of mail mules in the Grand Canyon as if it was a sign of primitive technology by an obsolete bureaucracy. No, you idiot, we thought. The most efficient way to deliver mail to the Havasupai people is with a Mule Train.

And that’s the point. Universal service is the prime postal mission, regardless of cost. For Benjamin Franklin, it’s why we had a revolution — to become a connected union of free states.

3. Focus on small packages

Don’t be all things to all people. Be the cream skimmer for once — weaponize your very-good, small package service to push other “packages” like letters, magazines, cards. Listen to a USPS television ad in the 1980s (click) and they say it clearly — EVERYTHING THE USPS DELIVERS IS A PACKAGE OF ONE SORT OR THE OTHER. Your good with small shipments — let Amazon, FedEx and UPS fuss around with the heavier, larger stuff.

4. Grow First-Class Mail

You need to grow First-Class Mail. And that’s easier said then done. It’s a daunting challenge, given that 3 to 4% your best customers (older folks) are dying every year. Why not ask some of the DOGE team to come up with radical new uses for First-Class Mail?

5. Slash mailing regulations like Marvin Runyon

Commercial mail is over-regulated and complicated. For goodness sake, give business mailers the option of not following the myriad, costly, highly regulated postal discount and penalty matrix. Offer a 10% surcharge for the right to just enter high-volumes of mail. Make it easier to mail!

6. DO NOT RAISE RATES

Obviously that’s an impossible goal. But there is one lesson we learned in the last five years of bi-annual rate hikes: volumes go down as rates go up. Raising rates on business mailers is self defeating because they can reduce their volumes and use alternatives to maintain budgeted spend levels. Dr. Gene DelPolito predicted decades ago this exact scenario.

7. Service, Service, Service!

We all know how bad mail service is — average citizens, business mailers, older folks, rural folks. All the fake-metrics for “on-time” delivery are bitter lies — and we know this because we all experience it. Service stinks. And it’s been stinking for years.

Think of the importance of moving garbage — if it sits around, it starts to stink. It’s the same thing with mail. If you hold half-filled trucks for days and wait for them to fill, it stinks as well. Inside those envelopes is money, payments, greeting cards, tax filings, diplomas, test results, credit card bills and payments, etc. that won’t be timely received — THE LONGER THEY ARE DELAYED, THE WORSE THE SMELL OF DISAPPOINTMENT.

Here’s the simple standard: If you mail something First-Class on a Thursday or Friday anywhere in the United States, it must be delivered by Monday — no fail — unless it’s across the country and then by Tuesday — THAT’S HOW IT WAS FOR A HUNDRED YEARS until very recently. You must fix the service crisis now!

8. Break out of the postal bubble

There’s a whole world of customers and insights to be gained. You know, as the former head of WM, that even though customers come from different communities they share certain expectations: that service is regular, reliable, predictable, and at times exceptional. You need to acquaint yourself with all your customers to know if you’re being successful.

9. Get creative with finances and work with Congress

Sure we want the USPS to be self funding; but what if it can’t offer universal service without government subsidy? Can’t the Congress provide annual funding for, for instance, maintaining unprofitable post offices that still serve citizens? Draw up a list and find supporters in both political parties who want to maintain service for all. You need to get along with congressional leaders, and a good place to start is to hear the concerns of their constituents.

10. Innovate new products like Informed Delivery

You need to deepen the digital connection. The USPS is the bridge between the digital and physical worlds — this is its future. You need to find solutions for citizens to stay connected. But what else did you expect, sitting in Benjamin Franklin’s chair!

— The Editors