Florence postmaster believes in customer service
Exuberant is a word which aptly describes Susan Klassen, the new postmaster at the Florence Post Office.
"I don't think you can beat a small town," she said with a smile. "People here really care about each other."
After spending 17 years as a hair stylist in Hillsboro, Klassen began her career with the postal service nine years ago working in North Newton as a PTF Clerk, then went on to work in Valley Center where she began taking on additional duties.
"I started working as a temporary boss at other post offices," she explained. "That's one thing I love about the post office: You can always do a variety of different things and can learn something new."
In her quest to learn new things, Klassen became postmaster at Cedar Point, then took on additional duties serving as postmaster in Council Grove.
Klassen began serving as postmaster in Florence on July 28. However, her official installation ceremony was scheduled to be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday (Nov. 13) during a ceremony in the post office lobby.
"You can choose the date of your installation," Klassen said. "I chose Nov. 13 because that was the day I started with the post office nine years ago."
A native of Antelope, Klassen attended Centre schools, but played ball with the girls in Marion, she said.
"I sang in a country western band with my brother and we played around here," she said with a laugh. "So, I'm real familiar with the area."
Klassen said she loves people and feels customer service is the most important aspect of her job, but at the same time, the post office also is a business.
"An office has got to show revenue to show it's part of what a community needs," she said. "We're here to provide customer service, otherwise people aren't going to come back."
To that end, she has already made books of stamps available at the Florence grocery store so people can buy stamps when the post office is closed. She also hopes to make stamps available at the local convenience store.
"I remember driving all around Marion County years ago looking for a 20 cent stamp," she said laughing. "I want stamps to be available here 24-7 (24 hours, seven days a week)."
She and Gary Klassen live in Hillsboro with their son Randy, a junior at Hillsboro High School. They have a daughter Erika, who attends K-State of Salina. Klassen is the daughter of Frances Bezdek of Marion.
