A customer pays $23.75 for postage with a $50 bill. You accidentally give them change for $30 instead of $50. The customer does not immediately notice and begins to leave. What do you do?

CASH HANDLING ACCURACY and FINANCIAL INTEGRITY are absolute requirements for USPS customer service roles. There is only one correct response to recognizing a cash handling error: correct it immediately and transparently. IMMEDIATE CORRECTION: (1) Call the customer back before they leave the premises — 'Excuse me, I made an error in your change; can I get you to come back to the window?'; (2) Count the correct change aloud so both you and the customer can verify; (3) Acknowledge the error simply: 'I apologize — I gave you change for $30 instead of $50'; (4) Correct the error completely: the customer should receive the additional $20.25 they are owed. WHY TRANSPARENCY IS MANDATORY: The error works in the customer's favor — this is not a situation where you are protecting yourself; this is about doing what is right; postal employees are subject to strict standards of financial accountability; intentional misappropriation of even small amounts is grounds for termination and possible prosecution; an uncorrected cash discrepancy will appear when the cash drawer is counted at end of shift — better to document the error than to have an unexplained shortage/overage; USPS mystery shoppers and cash drawer audits catch cash handling errors. ABOUT HESITATION: in this scenario, there is no ambiguity — you KNOW the error occurred and which direction it went; hesitation or hoping the customer doesn't notice is a form of dishonesty. PATTERN ERRORS: if you find yourself making repeated cash handling errors, report this to your supervisor so you can receive additional training; this is better than accumulating errors that damage your record and customers' trust.