Smartphone screen displaying Informed Delivery image

Businesses and other organizations can use Informed Delivery to add interactive content to the notifications that consumers receive.

The Postal Service ended 2020 with more than 33 million Informed Delivery subscribers — a 50 percent increase over 2019.

Launched four years ago, Informed Delivery is a free feature that allows consumers to digitally preview their incoming mail and manage their package delivery from computers, smartphones and other devices.

At the end of 2019, Informed Delivery had 22 million subscribers and reached 13.5 percent of eligible households. By the end of last year, the household reach number increased to 19.8 percent.

In 2020, a total of 6.05 billion Informed Delivery daily digest emails were sent, covering more than 19 billion mailpieces. More than 4.25 billion of those emails were opened by subscribers.

"Informed Delivery is an integral part of the Postal Service's efforts to add value to the mail," said Bob Dixon, the USPS product technology innovation director. "We're proud of the immense growth Informed Delivery experienced in 2020, and we look forward to working with employees and customers to keep the momentum going this year."

One area of potential growth: advertising.

Businesses and other organizations can use Informed Delivery to add interactive content to the notifications that consumers receive. When a customer clicks on this content, he or she is taken to the company's website to receive offers, coupons or more information about the firm's products and services.

In 2020, 1,907 mailers used Informed Delivery to deliver their content, a 53 percent increase over 2019. These mailers conducted 80,322 interactive campaigns in 2020, an 85 percent increase over 2019.

Also during 2020, the Census Bureau used Informed Delivery to provide customers with a link to a website where they could compete their census questionnaire, and USPS began testing email notifications to some subscribers within 20-30 minutes of the time their mail is actually delivered.

The Informed Delivery Blue and LiteBlue pages have more information.

Share your feedback at uspslink@usps.gov . Your comments could be included in the "Mailbag" column.

Masked woman stands in office setting

Lila Lozano, a Dallas administrative assistant, recently used the Submit a Lead program to generate new annualized revenue for USPS.

An administrative assistant's tip has resulted in more than $52,000 in new estimated annualized revenue for the Postal Service.

Lila Lozano, assistant for the Dallas Postmaster, spoke with a woman who was interested in promoting her real estate business through direct marketing.

Lozano submitted the tip through Submit a Lead, a program for employees who are not eligible to participate in the Postal Service's other lead-generation programs.

Anthony Sanchez, a Dallas District business development specialist, and James Allen, a senior field sales representative, contacted the customer, who agreed to an Every Door Direct Mail deal worth $52,250 in estimated annualized revenue.

Sales generated from Submit a Lead submissions count toward the USPS Power of One campaign to raise revenue through sales leads from employees.

The Small Business and Lead Generation Programs Blue page is tracking participation in Submit a Lead and other employee lead programs: Clerks Care, Customer Connect, Business Connect, Mail Handlers and Rural Reach.

"Lila's action shows that all employees can help customers and contribute to the financial success of the Postal Service, no matter what type of job they do," said Mary Anderson, small-business engagement director at USPS headquarters.

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.

Share your feedback at uspslink@usps.gov . Your comments could be included in the "Mailbag" column.

Masked employee examines folder near file cabinet

USPS employees must follow federal guidelines established under the Privacy Act of 1974.

The Postal Service collects various types of personally identifiable information about customers, employees and businesses in order to carry out its mission.

USPS employees and contractors have a legal and ethical obligation to hold personal information in confidence and protect it from unauthorized disclosure and misuse.

Under the federal Privacy Act of 1974, you must follow these rules:

• Don't disclose the contents of any record or information about another individual to any person or organization without proper authorization. Managers must provide guidance to all employees who handle such information.

• Don't maintain a secret system of records — such as a file, database or program — that contains information about individuals. All records systems containing personally identifiable information about individuals must be reported to the Privacy and Records Management Office.

• Adhere strictly to the Postal Service's established privacy policies and procedures to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of information about individuals that is collected, maintained and used for official USPS purposes.

To learn more about Postal Service policies and procedures governing the privacy of information, refer to Handbook AS-353, Guide to Privacy, the Freedom of Information Act, and Records Management and the USPS privacy policy.

To contact a Privacy and Records Management Office team member, send an email to privacy@usps.gov .

Poster showing heat safety information

The USPS Heat Illness Prevention Program includes a visual aid that details symptoms and proper first aid responses.

Winter is still in the air and snow is on the ground in many places, but it's not too early to start promoting heat safety.

As part of the USPS Heat Illness Prevention Program (HIPP), a heat safety awareness poster is now available for facilities to download from Blue.

A visual aid that details symptoms of heat-related illnesses and proper first aid responses is also available.

The HIPP is triggered when weather reports for work locations, issued by the National Weather Service, indicate that outdoor heat index temperatures are expected to exceed 80 degrees during the course of a workday or work shift.

Heat stroke is the most severe heat-related illness. Other illnesses include heat cramps and heat rash.

Drinking plenty of water; dressing in light, loose-fitting clothes; and remaining in the shade when possible helps guard against heat illnesses.

To prepare for warm weather, facility managers or their designees can order heat safety posters, vehicle stickers and badge cards from the Topeka, KS, Material Distribution Center eBuyPlus catalog.

The Postal Service is also providing this information to employees through stand-up talks, HERO Skillsoft training, lanyard badges, vehicle stickers and by posting information in each facility.