Monday 10 July 2017

How To Contact USPS

This post will teach you how to get a person and human being on the phone when you call 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777).

Surprisingly, it is actually quite easy to talk to a human on the phone when you call the USPS 1800 number.

I recently shipped an item through the United States Postal Service and the package was lost. But I had the tracking information, which was not working.


To make a long story short, I could not get a real person on the phone to help me with the situation. All I heard were repeated automated messages, which were not helpful.

usps hold mail

Then, I decided to try a few things to get a human on the phone since I had already wasted an hour using the automated system.

UPDATE 11/19/2016
Getting a USPS human now seems to be a bit easier than past methods.

Here’s what I did today and tested a few times and it worked, although it told me all agents were busy.

Call the phone number.
Enter your zip code and confirm.
Say no to the privacy policy prompt.
Wait a few seconds until the voice starts giving options.
Say “agent”.
You will then be prompted to say what you need. Either say “tracking”, “stamps”, or “something else”.
That’s it! You will probably have to wait on hold for some time or request a call-back, but this is currently what seems to be working.

FYI, the info below does not seem to be working anymore. But I keep it here as archived information.
Thank you everyone for visiting this page to try and get a human on the phone at USPS. Today I tested my other methods listed further below, and they didn’t seem to work anymore.


It seems like they are constantly updating their system to make it more automated and make it more difficult to get a person on the phone.

So I tried another method. Sort of a brute-force attack on their system.

I tried it a few times and it worked each time. The automated voice did say all reps were busy, but that’s better than the crappy looping system they have.

Here’s what I did. Blast the automated system with zeros!

usps com

Seriously
I called the number. And after the Spanish prompt, I hit it with zeros.

PLEASE DON’T TRY THE BELOW 00000000000 METHOD. SORRY FOR THOSE IN THE COMMENTS SAYING IT DOESN’T WORK. I ONLY KEEP THAT TEXT HERE BECAUSE OF THE HIGH RANKING IN GOOGLE AND TRAFFIC THIS PAGE GETS. USE THE METHOD ABOVE. NOT THE ZERO METHOD. IF YOU SEE A GOOGLE SNIPPET WITH THE ZERO METHOD, GOOGLE IS INCORRECTLY SHOWING THE CORRECT METHOD. I CAN’T CONTROL WHAT GOOGLE DISPLAYS IN SNIPPETS BECAUSE THEY ARE SCRAPING CONTENT LIKE MINE TO DISPLAY AS THIER OWN.

So DON’T…

Call the phone number.
After the Spanish prompt, hit zero about ten times in a row, very quickly. Like this: 0000000000
Listen to the automated voice. It will skip and get cut off because of all the requests you made.
If it asks you to do an action after it finishes, hit zero about 15 times in a row, very quickly, like: 000000000000000
Listen to the automated voice again. It will skip even more because of the amount of requests.
If it asks you to do an action after it finishes, quickly hit zero about 20 times in a row, like: 00000000000000000000
Then it should hopefully send you to the part that can connect you with a person, or at least schedule a call-back.
I hope this helps! The call-back message seems to usually say ‘about 40 minutes’, but it only takes a couple of minutes to do the steps above to get there.

And thank you for commenting and keeping me updated when these strategies stop working. It seems like it changes a few times a year, and I try to keep everyone updated on this page.

UPDATE 7/6/2016: Based on a couple recent comments, looks like the USPS might have changed the phone system. I will try to figure out a new way to get a human and update this page.

This is what worked in the past:
First, dial 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777) during their normal business hours.

M-F 8:00am-8:30pm ET | Sat – 8:00am-6:00pm ET | Sunday/Holidays – Closed


UPDATE 3/09/2015: Thank you Chris and ace for your comments! I guess the US Postal Service has changed their automated system and my older method described further below no longer works.

Here is what seemed to be working.
Call the phone number. After the Spanish prompt, press 0.
Let the voice go through all the options. Press 6.
Let the voice go through the next set of options. Press 4.
Then it will talk about a policy. Press 2 to skip hearing it.
You should then be in line to talk to someone.
Then Wait, Wait, Wait…
It may take awhile for someone to answer. That is on them, so please don’t be upset with me if it takes 10+ minutes to talk to someone or you get disconnected or something weird.

I am just trying to help you bypass all the automated crap to get a human on the phone. And be sure to have your tracking number available when someone does pick up.

Thanks and keep me informed in the comments if I should add or edit any steps listed above.

The info below is old information and will not help you reach a human when calling the US Postal Service. I am only keeping it here because this post seems to be found a lot through Google and I don’t want to mess that up.

usps change of address

After you dial the 1-800 number, the recording will thank you and then ask if you want Spanish (para Espanol). Do not speak and do not push any buttons.  It will then say “Main Menu”. At this time, push 0 (zero).

Then the recording will say, “You’ve asked for customer service”.  Do not speak and do not push any buttons yet.  Wait until the recording says, “You can say”.  At this time, push the 0 (zero) button on your phone. Do not speak into the phone.

You will then get another message saying, “Would you like to hear the USPS privacy statement”.  Push 0 (zero) again. Do not speak into the phone.

Then you will be connected to a real live person!

United States Postal Service Customer Service Phone Number
You might get a message telling you that all of the customer service representatives are busy, but it is better to wait for a real person than to go through their automated system. Trust me!

Here are the steps simplified. ** Remember, do not speak into the phone and 0 (zero) is the only button you need to push! **

1. Dial 1-800-ASK-USPS (1800-275-8777)

2. When you hear “Main Menu”, push 0 (zero)

3. When you hear “You can say”, push 0 (zero)

4. After you hear “Would you like to hear the USPS privacy statement”, push 0 (zero)

5. Talk to a real person!

How To Contact USPS

Most questions and concerns you could have for the USPS can be addressed by contacting USPS domestic customer service by phone or online. For some issues, though, there may also be other, more direct ways to contact the appropriate parties.



Call domestic customer service. For general information and inquiries, you can call the domestic USPS customer service line at: 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777)[1]
Note that the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) or Teletypewriter (TTY) relay number is: 1-800-877-8339

does usps deliver on saturdays

You will be directed through a series of prompts. When asked, indicate that you need to be connected to the USPS customer support number: 1-800-275-8777
Make your phone call during customer service hours if you need to speak to an actual person. The hours of operation are 8:00 AM through 8:30 PM Eastern Standard Time on Monday through Friday. On Saturday, the hours are 8:00 AM through 6:00 PM Eastern Standard Time. Customer service is closed on Sundays and on all holidays.
When you call this phone number, you will be led through a series of computerized prompts. If you want to speak with a human operator instead of navigating through these prompts, you will need to press "2" on your phone, then press "0." Wait for the automated operator to speak, then press "0" again. Repeat, pressing "0" each time until the operator speaks, until you reach a live person.[2]
Average reported wait time is 22 minutes.


Send an e-mail. If you need to contact customer service during off hours, send an e-mail and include as much detail as possible in your message.
E-mail the USPS using the online form, found here: https://prd2faq.usps.com/faq/iq/usps/request.do?forward=emailUs
On the form, you will be asked to select your inquiry type (information, problem, suggestion, compliment). Depending on your answer, you will also need to navigate through the topic categories and subcategories before you can type in your message.
You should get a reply back within 24 hours as long as the following day is a business day.


Call for tracking information. If you need to find out information concerning domestic or international USPS tracking, you should call: 1-800-222-1811
The hours of operation for this line are 8:00 AM through 8:30 PM EST on Monday through Friday and 8:00 AM through 6:00 PM EST on Saturdays.

usps holidays


Order stamps. To place a bulk order for stamps or to inquire about a previous stamp order, call: 1-800-Stamp24 (1-800-782-6724)
Place your call during the hours of operation on a non-holiday. Hours of operation are 8:00 AM through 8:30 PM EST on Monday through Friday and 8:00 AM through 6:00 PM EST on Saturdays.


Get technical support. If you need technical help for something concerning the USPS website, you can call: 1-800-344-7779
As with other aspects of customer support, the hours of operation for this line are 8:00 AM through 8:30 PM EST on Monday through Friday and 8:00 AM through 6:00 PM EST on Saturdays.


Ask for free shipping supplies. If you need to request free shipping supplies, you should call the USPS at: 1-800-610-8734
The customer service hours of this line vary from most other lines. Call from 7:00 AM through 11:00 PM EST on Monday through Friday and 7:00 AM through 6:00 PM EST on Saturdays.



File a general online complaint. You will need to use the online customer service contact form, found at: http://faq.usps.com/adaptivedesktop/faq.jsp?ef=USPSFAQ&dest=EmailUs
From the "Inquiry Type" drop down menu, select "Complaint."
Choose the basic category type for your complaint: receiving mail, sending mail, buying, business, or customer service.
Navigate through the remaining subcategories as they pop up. When all subcategories have been selected, press the "Continue" button to be led to the correct complaint form.
You should be able to type your complaint in the "Additional Information" box on the next page. When done, click the "Continue" button and submit your complaint.


Call in a general complain. You can make a general complaint using the standard customer service phone number: 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777)
Note that the TTY number is: 1-800-877-8339
Customer service hours of operation are 8:00 AM through 8:30 PM EST on Monday through Friday and 8:00 AM through 6:30 PM on Saturday. The office is closed on Sundays and holidays.


Write to the Postal Service's Consumer Advocate. Send a letter describing your complaint in detail to the USPS consumer advocates mailing address.
The correct mailing address is:[3]
United States Postal Service
Office of the Consumer Advocate
475 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Room 4012
Washington DC 20260-2200

usps tracking


Speak with a local postmaster. If you have a general complaint regarding mail service to your home or business, go to your local post office and ask to speak to the station manager or postmaster.
If you do not know where your local post office is, you can find out by looking it up in the front of your local phone directory or by using the online "Find Locations" tool on the USPS website.
That tool can be found at the following URL: https://tools.usps.com/go/POLocatorAction_input


File a claim of abuse committed by the USPS. If you believe that your local USPS office or an individual USPS employee has committed theft, fraud, waste, or another form of abuse, you should file a complaint with the USPS Inspector General's Office (OIG).[4]
You can send a direct e-mail to the OIG by sending it to: hotline@uspsoig.gov
If you would prefer to file the complaint by phone, call: 1-888-USPS-OIG (1-888-877-7644)
The TTY line can be reached by calling: 1-866-OIG TEXT (1-866-644-8398)[5]
There's also an online complaint form you can use, located here: https://www.uspsoig.gov/form/new-complaint-form/
Note that you will need to indicate if you are employed by the USPS and whether you want to file anonymously or without confidentiality. You also need to indicate whether or not you have previously filed this complaint and what the category of your allegation is (mail theft, financial fraud, etc.).

Wednesday 12 October 2016

How To Address A Letter To An Embassy

An embassy is an official office of a country's ambassador. The ambassador acts as the official representative of a country and carries out many diplomatic duties. Embassies and consulates are in the same location from time to time, and both offices handle the affairs of one country while in another country.

If you wish to address the ambassador or another part of the embassy staff, you must write a formal letter. This letter should include your personal details, requests and reasons for writing, and formal salutations, or it may not issue a response. A letter address is often different from a spoken address. Read more to find out how to address a letter to an embassy.

Writing And Addressing Your own Letter


1. Research specific etiquette used in the country to which you are writing. A quick Internet search including the country and the words "etiquette" or "letter" should provide a basis. You may also be able to find this information in a large travel book to that country, found in many libraries.
Also, be aware of any elements that should be in the letter you are writing, such as identification numbers, invitation instructions or financial details. These are often included as attachments to your letter.

2. Find the name and information for the person you would like to address at the embassy. Internet sites, such as Project Visa or Embassy World as well as Internet searches for the country and the word "embassy" work well. Call the country's embassy to learn the best contact.

3. Type your letter in "block" format; it is the most common type of format used with business letters. This means that the letter is justified to the left with single spaces in paragraphs and double spaces between paragraphs.


4. Type your letter on a computer. Handwritten letters are harder to read, and will most likely not garner official action from the embassy.

5. Begin the letter by placing the date at the top. Type the date you will sign and send it, if it is in the future.

6. Adopt a formal tone when writing your letter. Always address the person by their title and be courteous in all statements, even if they are a criticism.

7. Type the name of the person you are addressing, the name of the embassy and the address of the embassy to which you are writing. For example, Mr. Potter, Canadian Embassy and the physical address.
If you are writing the ambassador himself, write The Honorable Mr. Potter, Ambassador of Canada, Canadian Embassy and the physical address.
If you are writing to another country's ambassador, write the title "Excellency" in front of the ambassador's name. For example: His/Her Excellency Mr. Potter, Ambassador of Canada, Canadian Embassy and the physical address of the embassy.

8. Type what the letter is regarding, by typing "RE:" and the subject of the letter. This allows the embassy to direct the letter to the right member of staff. For example: "RE: Invitation to French Consulate Party."

9. Type the person's name if you are addressing the Consul General or an embassy employee. For example, "Dear Mr. Potter." Type "Dear Honorable Ambassador," only if you are addressing the ambassador.
Type "Sir or Madam," if you do not know the name of the person you are writing to.
10. Type your letter. Be careful to include all the elements that are required for a response.


11. Type a farewell address, such as "Sincerely,"

12. Leave space for a signature on the letter.

13. Type your full name and any other identification that may be needed, such as an address, identification number, email and phone number.

14. Print your letter and sign it. Make a copy of it for your records.

15. Print and include attachments


16. Add your name and address on either the back or the top left section of the envelope, depending upon the country's custom.

17. Address the envelope in the middle or right lower section by writing the same address as the top of your letter. For example: The Honorable (or His Excellency) Mr. Potter, Ambassador of Canada, Canadian Embassy and the physical address.

18. Affix the proper postage and send.


How To Pack And Ship Internet Sales

Owning your own online business has many advantages. Not only can you make your products available to just about anyone in the world, but you can also post an entire warehouse of goods online, without needing extra rental space to store items. To ensure transactions run smoothly, learn how to package and ship merchandise, so you can be rest assured that your customers receive their items in one piece.

Packaging Fragile Items For An Online Business


1. Pack fragile items, such as glassware, mirrors and any delicate items with bubble wrap. Take the bubble wrap. Wrap it 2 or 3 times around the items you are shipping.

2. Use heavy-duty packing tape to secure the bubble wrap to the gift. The tape on the bubble wrap secures the item and prevents it from moving around and breaking when it is in transit to its destination.

3. Open the cardboard box or box you will use to send the fragile item(s). Place packing peanuts at the bottom of the shipping box. Make sure you have at least 2 inches (5 cm) worth of packing peanuts to support the bottom of the item.

4. Place the item inside the box. Now take more packing peanuts and fill the remaining space inside the box with packing peanuts.

5. Secure the lid shut with heavy-duty packing tape. Press the right and left side flaps down. Place 3 strips horizontally across the lid, where the right and left sides meet.

6. Take the packing tape and place 3 more strips vertically, over the lid, where the right and left sides meet.


Method 2.


1. Pack small items using bubble mailers. Wrap small items, such as jewelry, CDs and makeup with tissue paper or bubble wrap sleeves.

2. Tape the ends with scotch tape. The tape helps to secure the item placed inside the bubble wrap.

3. Tape the ends with scotch tape. The tape helps to secure the item placed inside the bubble wrap.


Method 3.

4. Fold shirts neatly. Place tissue paper around the shirt. Secure the left and right folds in the center with tape. Bring the top and bottom folds in the middle. Secure this with tape.


5. Use medium-sized zip lock bags to keep shirts secure while in transit. The zip lock bags also prevent water or other substances from coming into contact with the merchandise inside the bag.

6. Place the wrapped shirt inside a polyurethane bag. Remove the film that covers the adhesive at the top of the bag. Fold the top of the bag over and secure it shut by pressing down the adhesive on the polyurethane bag.


Method 4. Process And Print Shipping Labels Using PayPal

1. Log into your PayPal account. Go to the area in your account that lists the items sold. Click on this link.


2. Log into your PayPal account. Go to the area in your account that lists the items sold. Click on this link.


3. Press the "Print Shipping Label" option. A new screen will open up. Click "Print."

4. Wait for the shipping label to print. Once it prints, take your scissors and cut around the dotted lines on the shipping label.

5. Place the shipping label on the package of the item you are shipping. Secure with tape. Place a strip of tape over the name and the address of the person you are shipping the item to.

6. Go by the post office and drop the item inside the drop off bin at the post office.You can also call the post office and have a postman pick up the item.

USPS hold mail

Spam mail

USPS address change

USPS tracking number

USPS office hours