
Postal service provider says it’s suing customer service for using terms like “self service”
Postal Service has asked a federal judge to dismiss its lawsuit against customer service representatives for using a term that it says is misleading and deceptive.
The dispute, filed last month, alleges that Postal is using the term “self” to mean “service” or “the service itself.”
The court’s order on Tuesday did not address the lawsuit’s claim that the phrase is misleading.
But the Postal statement said the service was using a phrase that was “clearly intended to convey a misleading impression.”
In a statement issued Monday, Postal said it was “disappointed” that the case was dismissed and would defend its rights to use the term.
The company said it would continue to enforce its policy prohibiting the use of the phrase.
Postal’s lawsuit follows a series of other consumer-rights complaints filed in recent months by companies that use the word “self.”
The company, along with the National Association of Consumer Advocates, has called on Congress to change the law to clarify the definition of “self-service” in the U.S. Code, which it says defines service as “the act of providing, maintaining or administering a business or enterprise.”
Postal has argued that it is the only service provider that uses the term to describe its business, as opposed to a service provided by the Postal Service, which uses the phrase to describe the postal service’s work.