eCommerce is changing the way America ships, and the Postal Service is right at the center of it. Tune in to hear Heather Maday, Senior Director of Sales Enablement at USPS, explain how USPS is powering the online shopping boom. Through USPS’ expanding processing network, data-driven logistics, and innovative products, businesses are shipping smarter and saving money. Whether you’re an online seller or just curious about what keeps your packages moving, this episode offers an inside look at how USPS is meeting modern delivery demands with speed, flexibility, and reliability.
In this episode of Mailin’ It!, hosts Karla Kirby and Jeff Marino jump into the fast-paced world of e-commerce shipping with guest Heather Maday, Senior Director of Sales Enablement at the US Postal Service. Heather shares how USPS has transformed its operations to support today’s eCommerce economy, where shoppers expect speed, visibility, and value with every order. From data driven logistics and new fulfillment technologies to transparent pricing, Heather explains how USPS helps businesses reach customers affordably and efficiently.
Karla:
Hello and welcome to Mailin’ It!, the official podcast of the United States Postal Service. I'm Karla Kirby.
Jeff:
And I'm Jeff Marino. Karla, today we are talking about something that's become a huge part of everyone's lives over the past couple of decades—e-commerce. Now, e-commerce has come a long way since the days when you'd order something from a website and then wait a week or so for it to show up on your doorstep. Today, when it comes to the all-important part of delivering e-commerce merchandise, customers are demanding speed, flexibility, and visibility.
Karla:
That's right, Jeff. When the online world meets the real world, businesses need shipping solutions that offer value through not only affordable options, but also reliable service. Next, and even same day delivery have also become staples of e-commerce made possible thanks to breakthroughs like data-driven logistics and software that connects e-commerce platforms directly to the companies that ship their products. There's a lot going on behind the scenes. Luckily, today's guest is the right person to help us make sense of all of this. Heather Maday is our Senior Director of Sales Enablement.
These days, shoppers expect precision and some seriously smart tech, like data-driven logistics and software that links online stores straight to the shipping floor. It's a complicated dance, but we've got the perfect guide to walk us through it. Welcome, Heather.
Heather:
Thank you, Karla. Thank you, Jeff. Happy to be here.
Jeff:
Heather, you've got a pretty big role in making sure USPS sales teams are set up for success. So can you talk us through what sales enablement means and what a typical day of sales enablement looks like to you?
Heather:
Absolutely. Sales enablement is the act of equipping sales with strategic resources, tools, and the supportive key revenue initiatives. This includes developing and executing sales training programs like onboarding, continuous learning, ever boarding, to our 1000-person strong Salesforce nationwide. We develop and create strategies to help teams succeed. We create sales assets and content, which is collateral and work closely with our marketing partners. We're responsible for sales and cross-functional communications, an enablement platform, which is like a sales toolbox, sales technologies, seller tools, and we work with senior leaders to carry out industry specific strategies. My group and Sales Enablement fall under the VP of Sales Intelligence and Support, which operates as the central means of intelligence for optimum revenue opportunities and USPS growth.
Karla:
So Heather, you took on this role in 2020. What has surprised you most about how online shopping has evolved since then?
Heather:
In 2020, COVID changed everything for businesses, for customers, for everyone, as well as the shipping industry. Nothing as we knew it will ever be the same again. When the pandemic began, brick and mortar retail stores, they were forced to shift to e-commerce offerings and online-only retail exploded. It grew tremendously. E-Commerce is now status quo. If you don't offer e-commerce options, you're going to struggle to compete and every year e-commerce becomes easier and more appealing for consumers. E-Comm tech evolves as well. Companies now use AI to upsell, and consumers are now using voice search to search and shop, putting a major focus on voice search optimization, flexible payment options such as Venmo, PayPal, Google Pay, they're now industry standards. USPS had to evaluate everything it knew about e-commerce, especially the shipping business, supporting technologies and adapt to the changing market.
Jeff:
Did sales enablement as a career field or as a function even exist before COVID? Was it thought of in this kind of detail?
Heather:
It was. Successful sales teams always need a support arm. So we're like the food and the fuel for sales success. So we've always had one. I think it's evolved with the technologies. The technologies that fuel sales are different than what they were pre-COVID, and those are the demands with the ever-evolving technology that's coming out. We had to grow with that as well.
Karla:
So sales enablement really isn't a new function. It is something that has evolved to be something that is much more critical or essential in this land of e-commerce.
Heather:
Yes, like the rest of the organization, not just with e-commerce, but with what we're evolving as an organization. Efficiency and precision is part of everything we do, and sales enablement was very much included in that we want our sales teams to be in front of customers. So it's our job to give them that fuel and those resources so they're not spending the time looking for it.
Jeff:
So how has the rapid growth of e-commerce in these recent years impacted the priorities of businesses that need to ship all of these things that everyone orders online?
Heather:
Jeff, shipping is one of the biggest expenses for many retailers, and it has grossly impacted priorities. Shipping costs can total as much as 30% of total operating costs. With so much of the budget committed to shipping, it's no surprise that retailers, e-commerce companies, are constantly looking for cost savings. Another impact was access to rural communities or low-access zones. There is an increased demand for delivery in these underserved areas. Ultimately, the goal for most shippers is maximizing their logistics spend. And with USPS's simple transparent pricing, that means no delivery area surcharges, no residential surcharges, and no fluctuating fuel surcharges for e-commerce companies. Eliminating unexpected and unnecessary surcharges and fees means USPS can help e-commerce companies control the largest source of year-end costs.
Karla:
So Heather, from your seat, what are the biggest changes the Postal Service has made to handle this E-commerce boom.
Heather:
USPS has transformed and continues to position itself in e-commerce fulfillment. Small, mid, large e-commerce companies can get cost-effective ways to access the USPS network, whether it's through local, regional, or a mix of entry points. Value. That's a big one. USPS has created and will continue to create new products and additional ways to partner directly with businesses. Contract simplification and faster pricing. This one's exciting, especially for full network volume. Up to 20 pounds makes it very favorable for businesses to have a direct relationship with the United States Postal Service.
Jeff:
So what about technology changes? What improvements have we made there?
Heather:
USPS has also improved data-driven technologies to deliver innovative solutions to end merchants. API, or application programming interface, is a set of rules and protocols that allows different software applications to communicate and exchange data with each other. Our USPS APIs, they provide dynamic shipping capabilities, enhanced business reach, package preparation, and payment needs. Anything from local entry facilities to label generation, tracking returns and much, much more. USPS Ship is our next generation package platform for postage payment. It does adjustments. It simplifies the shipping process, the next generation package platform. It harnesses weight dimensions, but also payment intelligence. And finally, the new and improved Click and Ship. It's our online application that allows customers to create and pay for, plus print shipping labels for free. Click and Ship now includes rich features like importing orders from e-commerce platforms, bulk label generation, expanded payment options, but also exclusive access to discounted commercial and business rates.
Jeff:
Sidebar here, Click and Ship is new and improved. Click and Ship’s been around forever.
Heather:
Click and Chip has a new phase and a new drive behind it that allows easier access, bulk generation of labels and exclusive access to discounts that are commercial and business. These, these are new, Jeff.
Jeff:
Well, there definitely have been some significant changes in the past several years. So, can you discuss how USPS is equipped to handle the e-commerce growth?
Heather:
Absolutely. Our new Chief Performance Officer group has built operating standards and disciplines to achieve prompt, reliable, and efficient service for our customers. USPS has also built additional capacity into our processing, logistics, and delivery infrastructure to meet our customer's evolving mail and package needs. We've added new processing machines, helping us increase capacity. With 9,500 pieces scanned per hour on our high speed automated package processing system, we have invested 3.8 billion in our network to reliably and affordably ship packages of all sizes. USPS operates the largest integrated mail and package network in the nation, and it's continuously evolving, Jeff. It's exciting to work with e-commerce companies to determine how to best leverage it too.
Karla:
So e-commerce expectations have increased at every stage of the journey—from brand awareness, to shipping, to building loyalty, and consumers simply wanting more. What are you hearing about the changing demands from end users?
Heather:
Today's consumers expect more personalization, faster shipping, easier returns, plus they want a seamless interaction across all channels and all devices. Now more than ever, the success of e-commerce business depends on delivering an orchestrated responsive experience from end to end with delivery expectations higher than ever. We're continually looking for how we can innovate with reliability, visibility, and value to meet these demands. It helps to have a reliable partner with the infrastructure and expertise you can depend on to deliver the best possible experience for businesses and their end customers. The United States Postal Service is that partner.
Jeff:
To take advantage of the technology and operational improvements, we realized we needed to offer online retailers and regional businesses a reliable next day shipping option. How does Priority Mail Next Day fill that need?
Heather:
In May, USPS introduced Priority Mail Next Day, a regional overnight delivery service targeting e-commerce retailers. The contract-only offering delivers packages up to 20 pounds within 150 miles of eligible regional processing centers. Currently across 62 markets and counting, businesses can strategically position inventory near these hubs to reduce their transit time, lower their shipping costs, and enable same-day processing for next day delivery. The Postal Service has seen huge success over the past few months, even as we evolve and continue to build out the offering as needs for affordable and fast shipping evolve, it's exciting to be part of the growth that positions USPS as a key player in e-commerce success.
Karla:
So Heather, where does Ground Advantage fit into our shipping offerings for e-commerce companies?
Heather:
I am very excited about this one. It's one of the most significant changes that we've made organizationally to compete in the e-commerce market. Ground Advantage, launched in 2023, is an affordable option for lightweight and mid-weight packages, and many e-commerce sellers use Ground Advantage to ship products reliably and affordably. Ground Advantage gives them a low-cost alternative, and with no hidden surcharges or fees, companies can accurately forecast their shipping spend.
Jeff:
It's good to know that even after 250 years, we're still evolving as an organization and staying on top of our customers’ needs as they change. Heather, what does the future look like from where you sit?
Heather:
We are definitely keeping an eye on e-commerce as it develops, and the future looks bright. We are the only carrier who delivers to every house, every business, with an unrivaled network, but also a powerful legacy. Being part of the changes over the past several years has been tremendous and watching the organization continuously evolve, it makes me very confident about the future of e-commerce and the role that USPS plays in it. At the end of the day, USPS needs to be and will be ready to deliver.
Jeff:
So you're not in sales, you don't close a deal. What gives you satisfaction at the end of the day?
Heather:
Well, I have closed many deals.
Karla:
So based on the data that you access or that you have access to, what are the trends that you see in the e-commerce marketplace? Are there any trends that you're seeing?
Heather:
The trends that we see, which are primarily focused by end operations and customers, definitely lends back to what we started with today. And that's overall shipping costs and speed to market. I see a lot of changes and increased rates from our competitors, which lends to new conversations or new partnerships that we didn't previously have because as those fees and rates continue to rise, and with the birth of our new products and Ground Advantage, customers are now coming back to us saying, we'd like another go. We'd like to try USPS. We have faith in the service. We're seeing the improvements. We've heard about the transformation and with great new products and priced to back it up. We're ready to partner with you directly.
Karla:
I guess when I look at the e-commerce traffic, I generate myself,
Heather:
Absolutely. And for those e-commerce companies that are not lending that or adding that to the consumers, they're taking on the additional cost of their bottom line. At the end of the day, why would you pay surcharges at all if you don't have to? USPS has transparent pricing, and that puts us in the front of the line to help with conquering those costs.
Karla:
So for our small business listeners, our medium business listeners, or even our big business listeners, how do they get on board?
Heather:
With the enhancements we've made to Click and Ship, we've made it very easy for small and even mid-size businesses to now use our online platform for free. And as discussed earlier, the rates that we are providing or business rates, they're the lowest you will find on these online platforms with a grow-with-you model and easy to execute, negotiated service agreements for our mid-market customers. It's never been more quick to execute a negotiated contract and agreement with the United States Postal Service. And of course, larger and more complex shippers also have the ability to customize their fulfillment contracts with the United States Postal Service.
Jeff:
So, if a retailer was interested in learning more about our shipping products or our how to ship with USPS and maybe get into these agreements, how would they contact us?
Heather:
If a company doesn't already have a, a working or an existing relationship with a USPS sales representative, they can absolutely call our inside sales line at 1-833- 877-7249.
Jeff:
Well, Heather, thanks for coming in and chatting with us today. This was really interesting,
Karla:
Definitely informative. Always good to know what the Postal Service’s doing and the evolutions we're taking to meet the needs of our customers.
Heather:
Well, thank you both so much. It's very exciting and I look forward to the future of what's next with USPS.
Karla:
Definitely. And excited to see what's next.
But what's next for us, of course, is another round of “Did You Know?” where we dive into fascinating facts about the Postal Service. I'll get us started this time.
Jeff:
What have you got for us today, Karla?
Karla:
You're gonna like this one, Jeff.
Jeff:
I like all the “Did You Knows?” we do.
Karla:
Okay, well then you're really gonna like this one. It takes us back to a major turning point in Postal Service history, the beginning of US Air Mail service. Did you know the Post Office Department took over control of Air Mail service in August of 1918?
Jeff:
Well, it seems like a no-brainer that we'd be in charge of Air Mail. Well, who was doing it before the Postal Service though?
Karla:
When Air Mail service launched in May of 1918, the Post Office Department set up a route that included Washington D.C., Philadelphia, and New York. The twist, the mail was flown by Army pilots in Curtis JN-4H “Jenny” training planes.
Jeff:
That's interesting. So the Army pilots handled those first flights.
Karla:
They did. It wasn't until three months later that the Post Office Department hired their own pilots and mechanics bringing in six brand new mail planes that were much more powerful than the ones the Army was using. If the name Jenny rings a bell, that's because that type of airplane was the subject of one of the most famous postage stamps.
Jeff:
That's right. The inverted Jenny was famous because one sheet of them was printed with the airplane upside down. Those became real collector's items worth a lot of money to anyone lucky enough to find one. Thanks for sharing.
Karla:
Of course. So Jeff, Heather brought a lot of great information. Definitely not surprised, but happy to hear that we continue to evolve as an organization, as you mentioned, after 250 years. And we are meeting customers whether they are big, small, you know, mid-size. We have basically everything that's needed to be successful as a shipper.
Jeff:
I think the insight that the Sales Enablement team brings to the whole process is really interesting. The data that they're able to generate and then the analysis that they can provide to the sales team is helping drive those tools that you're talking about and the innovations and to continually meet the needs of those customers and all drives from the data that they're pulling and developing and putting together to give to our sales team and produce these products. It's, it's a really interesting kind of process of sales that I hadn't really thought about.
Karla:
That's all for this episode of Mailin’ It! Don't forget to subscribe to Mailin’ It! wherever you get your podcasts. To make sure you don't miss the next episode, and follow along on Instagram @USPostalService, X @USPS, Facebook and YouTube.com/@ USPS.