RUMFORD – Three post offices in Oxford County – Bethel, Norway and Rumford – have won the Five-Star Customer Service Award for Postal Quarter III. The post offices are among 32 in the state that have been designated as individual winners of the award for delivering exceptional customer service in their respective communities. Rumford has won the award for two quarters in a row.

The Five-Star Customer Service Program is a familiar rating system used in customer service industries. The postal service’s program uses Customer Satisfaction Measurement (CSM) surveys and Mystery Shopper data as measurement tools.

The Gallup Organization uses CSM surveys to rate postal customers’ experiences. It gathers measurement statistics on accuracy and timeliness of delivery, efficiency of postal personnel in retail lobbies and waiting time in line. Mystery Shopper audits evaluate professionalism in serving customers, product knowledge and merchandising.

“It says a lot about the quality of our Maine employees in general and the winning post offices in particular,” said District Manager Julius Locklear. “It shows we’ve made a commitment to excellent customer service. Now we’ve got the stars to prove it.”

In addition to the three individual winners in Oxford County, the USPS District of Maine was an overall Five-Star Award winner for district-wide performance.

The award recognizes districts and individual post offices that deliver stellar customer service. Each quarter, districts and offices that achieve or exceed a set target score are recognized. During Postal Quarter II, Maine’s statewide score tied for highest in the country for postal districts of its size.