January 11, 2016
I do not think it is a wise idea go to electronic delivery as the default option for delivery of statements. I did not understand how important mail delivery of important documents would be until my father passed away and I needed to get a handle of his obligations and financials until I received the mail delivered to his home after he passed. I can not even imagine how difficult it would have been not having a hard copy paper trail to start, let alone knowing who to contact.
Personally, I sometimes forget all the places I have accounts. Companies names can change, I can lose track of who to deal with and if my computer craps out and I lose my contacts, favorites and other documents electronically, I am in trouble because I have relied upon something that I no longer have access to.
People might not understand the complete repercussions about losing the paper statement. So when there are good reasons to keep it, if they want to stop getting paper documents, they can make that choice and likely would have done so by now if they wanted. There is a reason people have not gone this route….. do not make it easy for companies to forgo a reasonable method to send statements in the mail. It is secure, safe and helpful to more than just the account holder.
Geneva L. Kubal
Assistant to the President, Contract Administration
National Association of Letter Carriers