You may have heard that as part of a long-term efficiency plan, the USPS is making some big changes to how it processes and delivers mail. Starting in April 2025, mail delivery may take longer as the postal service shifts operations to cut costs and streamline logistics.

Local mail delivery comes up as a top concern in nearly every conversation I have with prospects and customers. Unfortunately, these USPS changes may make things worse.

But I’m not here to criticize the USPS. The staff at my local post office has always been top-notch, and the USPS seems to be doing what is necessary to modernize a massive system.

However, if you rely on the mail as your sole source of bill delivery and billing-related communications, now is a smart time to consider other options that put you (and your customers) back in control. 

Here are five ways to stay ahead of potential delays:

• Offer paperless billing. Electronic billing eliminates delivery delays. No more wondering if a statement got lost or delayed in transit — it’s in their inbox immediately.
• Offer text notifications. Let customers know immediately, via text, that their bill is available. Again, no more guessing, no more delays. The message goes straight to their phone, prompting action by text (see below) or through a payment portal (also below).
• Offer autopay options. Customers can set it and forget it. Payments are made on time, which keeps cash flow steady and support calls down, among other benefits.
• Offer text-to-pay and IVR payments. Text-to-pay and Interactive Voice Response (IVR) enable frictionless ways for customers to pay without involving your staff or waiting around for the bill to arrive. And the utility doesn’t have to wait around either!
• Offer online payment portals. A user-friendly payment site lets customers pay when and how they want, and with no stamps, envelopes, or trips to the mailbox needed.

Including any one of these options should result in a happier and more efficient utility staff. Imagine if you offered them all! More on that later.

And for those who still want paper bills…

Bonus recommendation! You might be thinking, “But I still have folks who want paper bills!” We get it. That’s where a print and mail service provider makes a lot of sense.

• They specialize in delivering time-sensitive mail efficiently and can often route mail through more responsive channels than in-house teams can manage alone.
• They’re agile and scalable, adjusting as your needs change.
• They free up your staff to focus on service, not folding bills, stuffing envelopes, or wrestling with postcards.

Adding paperless, text notifications, autopay, text-to-pay, IVR, a payment portal, and a print and mail provider will definitely help you overcome the challenges brought on by any mail delivery changes.

And yes, of course, we’re a little biased because these are all standard components of our Utility Process Management (UPM) product offering.

If you’re a UPM customer, you’re already benefiting from all of these!

But this is about giving your utility customers the experience they expect. You can improve customer service while enabling your utility to become more efficient, no matter what delivery changes come down the pike.

And that’s exactly the type of benefits you can look forward to by working with United Systems.