Last Updated: Sept. 3, 2020
Like every month, we hope this message finds you in good health. The update below is a continuation of PSA’s ongoing efforts to share business improvements with our customers and collectors. We appreciate your patronage and the advances outlined herein are designed to improve your overall collecting and submitting experience with PSA.
PSA continues hiring push
We continue to expand our workforce and added 21 new employees in August. Our recently completed Virtual Career Fair (VCF) was a huge success and attracted more than 600 applicants. They visited our virtual booths and asked questions to 19 different hiring managers about available positions. We are now exploring future VCF opportunities given the high demand to join PSA’s ranks. We encourage collectors to visit www.PSAcard.com/Careers to see our current lineup of open positions.
New ‘Customer Request Center’ unveiled
We’re constantly looking for ways to improve the process for responding to customer requests and inquiries. With that in mind, we are excited to announce the launch of PSA’s Customer Request Center. The CRC provides customers with an easy path for three frequently requested topics: Label corrections, research requests, and damage reviews. Simply go to your account page and click on the link in the left navigation to access the CRC and quickly and easily file a request. Be on the lookout for more improvements to our customer response efforts as we strive to advance the level of service and attention we provide to our customers.
New Submission ID Labels
Another new operational improvement to announce – next week we'll be introducing Submission ID Labels! The days of writing the service level on the side of your package are over! Now when you print out your online submission form, you will also be asked to print out a Submission ID Label to affix a barcode to the side of your package. This new process also supports sending in multiple submissions in the same box. When your package arrives at PSA, the barcode on the submission ID label will be scanned, and you will immediately receive an email alerting you that your submission(s) have arrived, with details on what comes next. No more wondering if your package has arrived at PSA!
We hope the theme of this monthly update is obvious. “New’ hires. ‘New’ customer request center. ‘New’ submission ID labels. We are committed to providing our customers with significant improvements to our operations and our communications. It’s an exciting time and there’s plenty more to come.
We are sure you may have additional questions about PSA and our ongoing efforts to expand our operation amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Please read through the information below to see if your questions can be answered here. Our website is likely your best option in finding the answers to your questions.
Here are answers to some of your most pressing questions:
Can I send in a submission?
Yes. We are accepting submissions for all service levels. PSA autograph and memorabilia authentication services are accepting orders in California and New Jersey.
Due to unprecedented demand, there is also a backlog in opening packages delivered to PSA. If you send in a submission, there will be delays of up to seven weeks in entering the order for processing, as well as processing delays.
Please note that we eliminated our triplicate carbon copy forms on April 1, and now encourage all collectors to submit orders through our online submission center. For thorough information on how to submit your order to PSA, follow these step-by-step instructions.
Can I verify PSA received my package?
Yes, simply use the Find My Package feature located inside your customer account. It will allow you to enter your tracking number and verify that your package has been received by PSA. If it does not confirm that your package has been received, you will need to contact your courier for updated information.
How significant are the delays? If I submit now, how long will my order take?
PSA closed on March 20, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and it is estimated that this will impact current orders with an additional four-week delay. As noted above, there is currently a backlog of orders that have been delivered to PSA and have not yet been received into our system. These orders are in addition to the existing backlog of orders that have already been received into the grading system.
Due to these circumstances, it is extremely difficult to estimate with any accuracy how long new orders will take. However, you can see the current average turnaround times on our website for the most severely impacted service levels. Please note that this time does not include the time between the delivery date and order entered date (referenced in question 1).
What is PSA doing to add capacity?
We understand the frustration in the long turnaround times for our services and want nothing more than to grow our capacity in order to meet demand. We made excellent progress prior to COVID-19, and despite the momentary setback, are again taking aggressive steps to meet the demand for our services.
PSA is taking a three-pronged approach to grow capacity. Each of the three efforts are being done in concert and each represents a portion of the company’s operational focus to grow.
The first step is hiring. We have numerous open positions on our Careers page. If you are interested in joining the team at PSA, or if you know someone who would be a good fit, we encourage applications to be submitted following the instructions on our website. Collectors Universe is a healthy, growing company with locations in both California and New Jersey. We offer 401(K) matching, and medical and dental benefits. Even if you do not see an exact fit with your professional background, please apply. We are always looking for passionate, energetic and hard-working collectors to join our team.
The second approach is the implementation and adherence to Lean manufacturing principles. In December, we completely reconfigured our Receiving department to optimize the workflow. The result was a 66% daily unit increase in our ability to input orders into our system. While COVID-19 has caused some inefficiencies, such as changes in workstation configurations and breaking into shifts to account for social distancing, we have returned to pre-COVID capacity levels. Similar Lean changes, such as room reconfigurations and the triaging of orders, have been made to our Research department, which currently represents the bottleneck in our system. Additional Lean improvements to subsequent steps in our progress are also in place.
The third initiative is automation through robotics. PSA has made an investment in special machinery that will allow us to expedite the Receiving and Research of trading card submissions. We expect this technology to be installed this summer with real production benefits being seen before the end of the calendar year. PSA will share more details on our automation efforts as the project develops.
In addition to the above, PSA has also implemented holistic changes to the way we process orders. For example, for efficiency purposes, we have eliminated all triplicate carbon copy paper submission forms and instead require that all orders are submitted using our Online Submission Center. Additionally, PSA Collectors Club Value Service submissions, which account for the lion’s share of our backlog, must now be segmented by year in an effort to expedite internal processing. Many other smaller internal changes have been made as well as we seek continuous improvement to our process. It’s a daily challenge for our staff, and one that they have taken great initiative to institute.
Please look for more information on these fronts as we make progress on our goals.
When is my order going to be done?
We are currently working on finishing all orders that were in process before the COVID-19 pandemic close in March and April. Additionally, with the recent surge in submissions, all turnaround times remain impacted. We are aggressively expanding capacity and you will continue to receive email notifications when your order is entered, finished, and shipped.
Is my order being worked on?
Yes! You can monitor your submission within the My Account section of our website. If the order does not show movement during this time, it is due to the large volume of orders ahead of your order in queue.
My order has been there a long time; can it be expedited?
Unfortunately, due to the size and scale of our operation, and the sheer volume of submissions within our operation, we are unable to accommodate requests to expedite an order.
Will my membership be extended?
We are no longer extending memberships. All memberships and vouchers that were set to expire on or between 3/20/2020 and 4/30/2020 while PSA was closed were extended to May 31, 2020, due to the COVID-19 situation. This change can be seen within the My Account section on our website.
Is PSA’s New Jersey office open?
Yes, PSA’s Woodbridge, New Jersey office reopened on a limited basis on Monday, May 18. Personnel is currently receiving, processing and shipping both incoming orders and those that were already in-house. They are only accepting customer drop-offs and pick-ups by appointment only, so please set and confirm your appointment online between the hours of 9:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. EDT. For additional information, please contact the New Jersey office at (732) 634-3480.
Can I make changes to my order?
At this time, during the COVID-19 situation, we are unable to make changes to an order. This includes the cancelling of an order. Note that we are able to make Shipping Address changes, however. Please provide Customer Service with your submission number and new shipping address before the submission completes its grading process.
Where can I get updates on my order?
To check out the current status of your order during the COVID-19 pandemic, please visit PSAcard.com/MyAccount.