A Good Deed 'Saves Christmas'

Ellen Uptgrow "saves Christmas."

Customer Maureen Guerra wrote to Juan Nadal, Manager, Marketing, to praise and thank Business Development Specialist Ellen Uptgrow for her holiday assistance at the Plantation Post Office. Her letter, along with correspondence from Nadal, is provided below.

Hello Mr. Nadal,

I am getting this to you late, as I did not have your correct email address.  Hopefully this makes its way to you in due time, so that you may be blessed by it.  Thank you for taking the time to read it and respond to it.

I am writing to let you know that I was so happy to see someone in the foyer of the Plantation Post Office who was going to help me with the "self -service" shipping machine.  It is a wonderful machine and pretty easy to use. But on occasion, it can act up and not let you exit the screen ... with your credit card still active in it!  Ellen Uptgrow was there and helped every single person either with the machine, or just directing them to the correct place to efficiently mail their packages.  It was such a nice experience, I wished her a Merry Christmas on the way out, secretly wishing that I could have done more for her, like a small gift of some sort.  

Then the unthinkable happened ... and right before Christmas no less.  Later on that day, I went into a store to purchase a Christmas present and looked in the spot where my credit card usually is in my wallet.  It was not there.  Of course I looked everywhere else in my purse and car; gone.  I knew where I must have lost it and could only imagine that it was being used and abused by whoever had found it ... unless ...

I drove all the way back across town and ran into the empty foyer of the Post Office.  I knocked at the door toward the back and tried to get someone’s attention to see if anyone had found the card.  Then Ellen walked up behind me and smiled brightly as she said, "I knew you'd be back sometime today!"  I burst out, "Did you find my card!?"  She said yes, and I knew that she had saved the day, and Christmas for me. 

I have been a customer of my Plantation Post Office for 21 years now and always have found it to be a comfortable, quick, efficient, professional, and friendly place to be, and do my shipping and mailing business.  I am going to save this letter in my computer to hopefully post it in the Plantation Times Magazine.  Because I love my Plantation Post Office, and I want everyone to know how special you all are to me and this community.

Sincerely,

Maureen E. Guerra

***

Good morning,

Thank you for your correspondence complimenting Ms. Ellen Uptgrow, Business Development Specialist for the South Florida District Marketing Team.  Much of the extra effort provided by our employees often goes unrecognized, so your comments are well appreciated.

I’m pleased that Ellen has been of service to you and sincerely appreciate your taking time to let us know.  We strive to instill in our employees the desire to serve the public and to provide the very best possible service. Your comments are proof that our employees value and provide good customer service. 

During the holidays, it always is a challenge to ensure adequate staffing and support are available for our customers, and receiving your letter and voicemail at this time of the year really means a lot.  I’m extremely grateful that Ellen was able to provide such an impact and “Save Christmas.”  We randomly selected offices to have additional support for the Self Service Kiosk and Plantation was on the top of the list and it is reassuring to learn of the value it provided to you and our customers. 

Thank you for taking the time to share your appreciation with us.  Ms. Ellen Uptgrow will be informed of your comments and sincere appreciation.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and thanking you for being a postal customer. 

Sincerely,

Juan Nadal, Manager, Marketing, USPS South Florida District