posted on June 12, 2001 12:31:59 PM new
I just have to find out if the PO clerks here are anti-ebay, or if their rude attitude is pretty common around the US?
The PO close by has 2 (3 on a full day) clerks working at a time, so it is small, but busy. The previous 3-4 employees were WONDERFUL. Very chatty and polite. They were all transferred to other PO's and the replacements are just terrible. So bad I think I'm going to have to drive to the larger (and 20-25 minute drive away) PO just to get away from them.
For example, yesterday I took only three ... *THREE* boxes to be mailed. The one guy (we'll call him Mel) helped one lady mail ONE package (she had NOTHING ready), gave her something like TWENTY boxes (he NEVER gives me boxes... says I MUST order them myself), some labels and TAPED her package for her.... all service with a smile.
I always have my stuff completely ready. I waited (patiently) in line. when I go to his window, he groans (out loud), and tells me (loudly) that I should NEVER come on a Monday because they're already too busy. (??) I'll mail things any day they're open, thank you very much! LOL
But, they're always groaning when they see me coming (and I always have my stuff together) whether they're busy or not. I'm always friendly and polite, but yesterday I gave Mel a bit of an attitude. Right back at him.
One guy ALWAYS asks what I'm mailing (all my boxes are priority, so it shouldn't matter). When I don't tell him (I usually just tell him it's "stuff" cause I don't figure it's any of his business) he gets SOOOO cranky about it.
And, the attitude I get if I DARE come in after 4:30!! Whoo-boy, they get angry (I have NEVER kept them late, though).
I spoke to another ebay-er outside the PO one day and he says the same thing about them, so I know it's not anything about "ME" in particular... it's just that I sell on the internet! LOL
Incedentally, I also have website and sell handmade children's clothing... when I mailed several packages that were all from that website, I told Mel that it was from MY website, and he was really chatty about THAT. But, mention EBAY... and watch out!! Weird.
Ugh. Do any of your PO employees give you the same attitude, or are these 3 guys the Cream O' the Crop?
posted on June 12, 2001 12:43:38 PM new
Sounds like you have a real sour apple. I've had problems with my local post office, but not problems that are THAT bad (compared to yours). I was kept from using delivery confirmation on anything except for priority mail for quite some time... When I asked for DC on media mail or anything, they would say "nope, you can only use that on priority mail". If I argued with them, they would just insist that you can't. I had to print the rules off from the USPS website and show them before they would let me. And even then they said "Like I said, you can't use it on First Class", which is true, but that's not what I was trying to do!!! Go figure. Another guy tries to tell me that I can't send paperback books via media mail, which you can.
posted on June 12, 2001 12:53:12 PM new
Sorry you are having a problem. I really don't understand why they should be rude. If the post office wasn't busy they wouldn't need as many clerks.
I'd like to give an award to the Post Office I use in Point Roberts, WA. They are the nicest, most helpful, PATIENT people I have ever dealt with.
posted on June 12, 2001 01:03:16 PM new
My PO clerks are absolutely outstanding. It doesn't matter how many packages I bring in they are always helpful, friendly, and have enen saved my receipts for me when I've forgotten to even ask for them. We don't have a large PO, but it isn't small either. Perhaps your clerks are merely angry that they had to show up for work and earn a living?? Just a thought.
posted on June 12, 2001 01:03:20 PM new
I was just talking to a neighbor yesterday who IS a USPS counter person. First, they are always understaffed. Second, all the light duty people get put on the counter and some of them have stress related disorders. Third, their management really doesn't care if they have supplies like stamps available. And management changes frequently.
He is leaving that position and now when we mail our stuff we will have to put up with slow and slower and dumb and dumber and days when 75% of the staff calls in sick.
Obviously the bureaucrats don't consider this a business and wouldn't know how to run one if they did!
Fill out customer service forms every time you have a problem with any of the clerks or the way they handle your business. The postmaster cannot continue to ignore these problems forever. Keep copies. If postmaster does ignore them send to his/her superior!
I've even gone so far as to call the postmaster personally when my carrier was rude about the number of packages we receive. It worked and he is so sweet now it makes me gag.
We don't tolerate being treated this way by clerks in a store, how can we tolerate it from government employees?
posted on June 12, 2001 01:20:28 PM new
My PO is slightly off the beaten path, but the south side of town has developped so much the past 5-10 years, that is gotten to be quite as times. When I go in, they are always happy to see me, because I have all my items ready to go, DC/INS/Customs paperwork filled out and ready to go, all they have to do is weigh, print postage, stick things where they need to go, and we're done...
I don't mind waiting in line, although I know people behind me have said things when I'm at the counter - but I'm usually in and out faster than they are, because I am prepared.
posted on June 12, 2001 01:24:25 PM new
LOL! My postal carrier is also my neighbor! LOL So, while he comments on the Number of packages we receive, he says it in a kidding fashion (I think?) LOL
I agree that they're seriously understaffed. I had this talk with the previous manager of this PO (the nice guy). They would send him new people, then send them away... wouldn't send a replacement for months. The new replacement would arrive, and BAM, they'd send them away too. I guess that's why the old employees asked to be shipped to another PO.
I think they *are* angry that they just have to show up for work every day. Maybe that's the whole problem. And, internet sales have probably caused them more customers (both with people MAILING things, and more people picking up packages).
Maybe I'll just ask them the next time I'm there. Get it out in the open. ROFLOL! Maybe that'll help them lighten up a bit?
It's just gotten to the point where I *dread* going to the post office because I don't want to hear the comments....
posted on June 12, 2001 01:34:32 PM new
I hear you. I used to live in a city that is about 15 miles from where I live now. The mail post office has the RUDEST clerks I have ever met. One day one of them told me that I couldn't mail more than 8-9 boxes at a time. (AND he would insist that I buy the $3.20 stamps first and then stick them on each box while he dated them-- mind you I did all of this one handed while holding an infant) I was so mad at him that I just quietly agreed and then went home and wrote to USPS about the incident. Someone over his head informed him that I could mail as many packages as I needed to and he was a little nicer after that.
Luckily there is another post office near me where the clerks are wonderful! I think it helps if you have a few post offices to choose from. I will go a little bit out of the way if I know that the experience will be a better one.
posted on June 12, 2001 01:35:50 PM new
I had a couple of run in's with the clerks when I first started eBaying (over mailing software by what was then "standard mail" ) One clerk in particular was well informed, and let the clerk that was waiting on me know I was correct.
After a few weeks, they started being very freindly and would take the time to look things up if I was trying to do something that they hadn't done before and didn't didn't understand.
We do have one clerk who always wants to know what's in my packages, but it's kind of a joke, because her husband sells on ebay, and they want to know what goes good in catagories they don't know that well. I never tell her, and we laugh about it. When I have overseas stuff, and "pink" money orders, if she's waiting on me, she rubs it in that she knows EXACTLY what I sold, and EXACTLY what I got for it. (darn customs tags)
Edited to get rid of a winky face.
[ edited by Microbes on Jun 12, 2001 01:38 PM ]
posted on June 12, 2001 01:47:22 PM new
Is it a actuall post office or is it a substation (you know post office in the back of a store ect)?
There is a substation in a gift shop about a mile from me The peaple that run it a extremly rude and I beleive they bunp shipping chafges up ..Too many times I went in with items that I weighed at a little under 2lbs and got charged for over two lbs priority. I figure they do this becouse they get a percentage of the postal fees.
I quit going to the substation a couple of years ago and now only go to real post offices evan though the closest one is 20 miniues away I find the clerks to be mostly freindly once in a while a grouch but hey I have those days myself.
posted on June 12, 2001 01:50:40 PM new
just to note: kudos to my Canadian post office clerks ... although they aren't Canada Post employees - Canada Post allows other businesses to run postal counters - mine is in a 7-11 convienence store.
while they might not always be up-to-speed with some of the more obscure international mailing ins and outs ... they are always more than willing to learn.
they say that they often prefer us 'ebay-ers' that use their outlet to other customers, as we have our parcels labled correctly, all the right stickers and customs forms on, and we even know the rate of postage for each - verses the person that brings in their once-in-a-lifetime package to the UK or something, and takes hand holding to get it sent. in fact, i've had batches of 10-12 packages processed, and paid for in the time it takes "joe-six-pack" to fill out his/her 1 line customs declaration ;p
now the bank tellers ..... argghh ... don't get me started on their ineptness here!
posted on June 12, 2001 01:58:24 PM new
Ohmigosh I am going to have to make cookies for all my USPS people instead of waiting for Christmas time. (I give them batches of cookies for Christmas) I go to four different post offices (depending which way I am headed that day) They are all very nice and never give me a hard time. They thank me for having everything together because processing 15 boxes for me is sometimes much faster than processing one box for a person who in addition has to pick out his stamp of the week from 60 sheets of stamps. (I've been behind him once or twice - aaarggh) One of the postal guys saves all the decent sized brown boxes, bubble wrap and shredding for me. (which he doesn't have to do)
Kill this guy with kindness. If you are too sweet to him eventually he will come around. Remember his reaction to you has nothing to do with you, but with his own feelings. Being able to remember that has helped me in more than one situation. Good luck
posted on June 12, 2001 01:59:19 PM new
mrspock... Don't even *get* me started on substations!!! roflol! I used 1 (the only one around here that I know of) for a full 2-week period. There were never any lines, so I was sure I'd found a great thing.
During that second week, packages were returned to ME because they put a $3.20 stamp on the package, they "forgot" to POSTMARK it. Sooo.... since they were over the 16 oz (or whatever the limit is) weight limit for mailing from "home"... they were returned to me with a flourescent green sticker notifying me that I had to go to a postal station to mail the packages. LOL
I was sooooo ticked off. I probably received 8 or more packages back because they weren't postmarked (they didn't have the auto-scale thing the PO has that prints off the sticker with the barcode, they actually counted out stamps and put it on the boxes).
I'll definitely never deal with substations again for that reason alone. Not to mention they never knew how to deal with insured packages. Acted like they'd never even heard the concept before! LOL
posted on June 12, 2001 02:05:14 PM new
We live in Macon, GA and I must say, "we have wonderful postal people!" We have a main post office and several branches and everyone is kind and considerate as well as helpful. As a matter of fact, all the places we have been especially in Georgia and Florida have been wonderful. I'm glad to add my $0.02 worth.
posted on June 12, 2001 02:09:22 PM new
I'm from a small town in the southeast approximately 15,000. I think we have the very best postal clerks around. I have a retail shop and when I first started selling on eBay, we took our packages to the front window just like everyone else. They saw us coming everyday, so it was suggested that the packages be brought to the back loading dock and put on a cart. We simply leave a blank check, they fill it in for the correct amount and send us the carbon in the mail.
I realize this could probably only be done in a small town.
Can't get any easier than this, no waiting at all.
Reading all these posts really makes me appreciate them all the more. I feel very fortunate.
posted on June 12, 2001 02:17:28 PM new
Ok, looks like somebody has to put in a good word for substations - not all of them are bad. There's one in the building where I work, and I do most of my shipping through them over my lunch hour. It's located in a gift shop, and while there is high turnover of clerks, the shop owner (who has been running the place for decades) is always around to help out the new clerks. The only drawback is that they can't handle very large or foreign packages, so when I have to send those, I must go over to the main P.O. over lunch, and the time spent in line consumes most of my lunch break. But the substation people here are great, they always smile, know me by name - and you can't beat the convenience of being able to mail out packages in your own building, usually with no line to stand in at all.
posted on June 12, 2001 02:41:39 PM new
My "substations" are all in the grocery stores--right at their courtesy counter.
And as much as I dislike typical teenage cashiers, believe it or not, I get the friendliest service (AND FASTEST!!) at these grocery store courtesy counters.
They are severely limited by what they can process (e.g. 1st class, Priority, Parcel, Media ONLY, but no delivery confirm, no insurance[at some], etc..) but even after standing in line behind 3 others getting cigarettes, money orders or with a small handful (< 8 items) of groceries, even with ONE clerk, I've never waited longer at a grocery store than any time at christmas at the actual government post office facilities!
Plus they're a lot faster accepting my credit card than the post office.. (no separate system, dual receipts that need register printing/signing, etc...). It's faster than handing them cash and getting change back at the grocery stores.
Check them out... they may be in your grocery stores too (This is in the upper midwest for me)
posted on June 12, 2001 02:46:16 PM new
Somebody said "First, they are always uderstaffed..." Well, so isn't K-mart, Rite Aid, etc., etc., etc. Anti-kudos on that argument...
But, I am happy to report that my relationship with the [my] Post Office is extraordinary! I live in a small town and the Post Office is tiny. The Post Master does ALL the work. He is the only employee at the location.
Often I drop 150-200 boxes per occasion. He [Post Master] lets me put them inside by his desk. I leave him a check [a blank check - I trust him 110%] and I'm gone. The entire transaction takes only a matter of minutes!
I'd Also like to say that he is handicapped and wheel chair bound; yet, he excells in every department, including customer service, PO knowledge-accuracy, speed, truly a Postal trouper that never tires! He's just the best, and I sincerely appreciate him - he works hard.
On the other hand... Upon occasion, I'll drop at other PO locations. If they don't know me, the first thing asked is "how much insurance do you want?" They ask because of the "insured" stamp on the box. I explain that my parcels are "commercially insured." That never settles well. They can't grasp the concept, I guess. Explain, explain, explain... And they are so slow! Often rude! Just a PITA.
I'll stick with [my] Post Master. And I'd recomend that if anyone could ship with a smaller Post Office on a regular basis, they may have a better experience.
MTown
PS I ship USPS on parcels up to three pounds. Over that it's FedEx baby.
posted on June 12, 2001 04:51:45 PM new
We had a postal clerk charge us an extra $0.45 to mail a priority package!! he told my husband it was a surcharge for using their free priority boxes!! can you believe that!!
posted on June 12, 2001 05:17:01 PM new
My grandfather was a Postmaster so this topic is of great interest to me. Of course he worked during a simpler time and so never experienced some of the stress things that so many postal employes face today. However, all mail and all customers were treated with respect. One day the Rural route carrier was too sick to drive so my aunt who had never driven before delivered the entire route in first gear!
We are in a good sized city with a main PO and several branches. We learned early on that anything breakable that we mailed at one branch arrived broken. Never had that problem at the Main PO so we stick with it. I remind the clerks occasionally that it takes just as long to do one customer's order with 25 packages as 25 customers with 1 package and the lines don't look so bad.
And a real benefit to the clerks is that we all have all the paperwork ready and organized so their job is even easier.
No excuse for being rude to us at all and once again, I just will not stand for it. We are paying their salaries and they are paid very well!
posted on June 12, 2001 05:28:29 PM new
There are two post offices near me and you would never know that they are run by the same organization. One is nice and the other is torture to use.
I think it boils down to the manager in each one. One runs it by threats and abuse and the other is reasonable and respectful of his people.
posted on June 12, 2001 08:10:13 PM new
Lots of post offices near me. They vary, I found one that is good (always lots of staff, etc.) - I come fully prepared, everything is already stamped. Yesterday, had a bad experience there though, I had a bunch of stuff that was weighed/stamped already, I just wanted to give it to them - The clerk said she had to verify everything. I informed her that I could drop this stuff off in the mail box, why couldn't she just take it for processing later? Anyway, I put the stuff back in my bag, and then had her process the stuff that had to be done at the counter - insured mail, over 1 pound, etc. She really worked at a snail's pace, which I think she did on purpose. Anyway, she wasn't rude, but I was unhappy with her. I then went to the mail box and placed the rest of the stuff that did not need her attention.
Overall, the clerks I've dealt with are really nice, but you get a bad one every once in a while..
Alan
posted on June 12, 2001 08:21:34 PM new
I live in a fairly small town, and the clerks here are (for the most part) sweet little old ladies. One of them is a bit cranky sometimes, but these days, who isn't? he he
The only problem (if you can call it that) is that anything other than First Class or Priority Mail shipping is often Greek to them. When I first started selling, international shipping was over their heads, but they've got it down pat now. And just recently I started using electronic delivery confirmation, which is free. They weren't too sure about it, so I printed out the information from the post office's website and took it to them so they could read about it.
In other words, they don't seem to get updates about new services in a timely manner (probably not their fault), but they do try to check into things when I spring something new on them. Keeps 'em on their toes!
I always send them a "little something" at Christmas as a way of saying thanks, and have my packages ready to go (forms filled out, postage, etc.) so it won't take so long.
posted on June 12, 2001 08:46:35 PM new
I recently moved from a small town with a great post office staff to the suburbs of Boston and let me tell you, the post office is Russian roulette.
I also use the free e-Delivery Confirmation and the big city post office clerks never heard of it and complain that it is free.
They also hate more than one package at a time and I had the "no more than ten packages" rule invoked on me yesterday, as well as an outright refusal to tap in the zip code as the postage was being printed out. Got into am argument and even the postmaster insisted that all this bar coding did no good "it can't be read anyway".
The problem is whether a postal window person sees us customers as a good thing or a bad thing. One sour clerk can alienate hundreds of people a week from using the post office. And since s/he has civil service seniority, when the cutbacks come, they won't feel it.
Those clerks from pre-computer days are the worst offenders in my opinion. They just want to sell stamps like they did for most of their lives.
posted on June 12, 2001 08:48:34 PM new
I have a great relationship with the USPS staff. They have been very helpful arranging to get USPS to design custom boxes for us. If anyone needs custom boxes that they'd use alot please email me.
As far as the "post office" in the local drug store goes, they are so rude. I only go there when I'm in a big hurry and don't have too much to ship. One time they just threw stamps down on the counter and told me to put them on myself!
posted on June 12, 2001 11:41:18 PM new
The Postal Service here LOVES us. We've spent and continue to spend considerable fundage with them.
So why are some clerks mad?
Well simple. The postal service is effectively broke, bankrupt.
In fact right now they have investigators going around all over the country looking for clerks and staff to lay off while the management sits on a VERY nice salary at these postal offices and does? Effectively nothing.
I presumt you know that the postal service does not courrier much freight? Until just a few years back they did not even own a plane.
They subcontract the movement of most "wide area" freight and this has been through Emery Freight. So when you ship from your town all the way accross the lands the USPS is not getting it there, Emery is.
Priority mail is handled no different than first class mail. The difference is you get a free box. And that box isnt free. Basically they are advancing you the box in the hopes you use it and ship. This is why if you "reverse" priority mail boxes say for domestic or international orders not only will you loose the ability to send further parcels they can fine/prosecute.
Basically your paying about $2 or so for the box (which if you bought your own would be about .25 - 1.25 depending on how large a volume of boxes you bought). Lots of places sell em', Browncor is a biggie.
But the actual movement of it? No different than 1st class mail.
Now Fed-Ex has won the contract. Fed-Ex is an interesting courrier. "Obviously" the writing is on the wall for "parcels" at the postal service. People we have spoke with say within 2 years FedEx will be the only way to ship parcels at a postal office. If your a business and doing volume you'll get business rates. If your a private citizen expect to pay dearly.
The postal workers are Internet happy and not internet happy. They have made ALOT of money of parcel freight via places such as eBay.
So that makes them happy, they are not however doing volume such as FedEx or UPS does nor are the services comparable. For example, a credit card processor does not consider "priority mail confirmation" to be a valid proof of delivery. They do consider UPS or FedEx tracking as proof. Why? Shrug. Got me. But its true.
So why do that get upset?
Well... Its work for one. Consider postal service jobs. For the most part we are talking avg. manual labor ya know? A mail courrier needs not be a brain surgeon nor does a clerk nor does a router monitor etc.
A custodian of a building has a "larger skill set" yet makes no where near the wage.
Secondly and here's the biggie is the core revenue base of the postal service has been mail. Just normal everyday mail. Well... Ding Ding Ding?
Between things like automated payments for bills and folks using email its put a HUGE BINGO dent in revenues and this is whats really hurting the postal service. This is why there has been and continues to be talk about surcharging email usage.
It has not and never will go through because A. The Fed cant justify it to the people...
"Here save this bloated dying American mainstaty the USPS so every email you send ends up with money in someone elses pocket who need not even work for it"
Wont fly.
B. They are not in any way shape or form in the direct path of email so exactly how can it be justified at all?
But thats why they are in a love/hate relationship with the web.
The reason you get to SEE it is because your THERE. If the avg. Joe walked up and said I need a stamp for this, I cant wait until I can do this over the web Joe will get scoffed at too.
Your getting it because your making money at the Internet, they know it, the internet more than likely will eventually leave them jobless while your making money at it.
Our clerks treat us like gold as when the "inspectors" visited them to see exactly how much work they do we decided to do right by them and hold off some shipments for a few days. So when we waltzed in with 16 zillion bags of parcels that inspectors eyes just hit the floor.
We didnt play it out as we knew he was an inspector. We just said, Welp, be back in a few days with more, next shipment is bigger than this one. We've written them commendations turned into the local postmaster.
So its an issue of understanding their plight.
Signed: WhyNot!
posted on June 12, 2001 11:47:50 PM new
Our local post office here is very nice -- all of the staff are friendly and polite and the service is excellent. One of the postal clerks does magic tricks for us and he can make dollar bills float in the air plus he has a card trick that he does if you ask. He also has a travelling magic show that is quite professional that he takes on the road in his spare time. On top of that our mail delivery people here are excellent and efficient and they work very hard from what I have seen, and that is plenty.
posted on June 13, 2001 12:01:08 PM new
Sometimes I help the office manager take the packages to the post office. We have two to choose from: The Mean Office or the Nice Office. The Mean Office is close by. The Nice Office has the nicest clerks. They have become like family. There is one guy who runs when he sees us coming. We only use the post office for international packages but we always come prepard with all paper work filled out.
posted on June 13, 2001 12:14:32 PM new
Sometimes I help the office manager take the packages to the post office. We have two to choose from: The Mean Office or the Nice Office. The Mean Office is close by. The Nice Office has the nicest clerks. They have become like family. There is one guy who runs when he sees us coming. We only use the post office for international packages but we always come prepard with all paper work filled out.
And, internet sales have probably caused them more customers (both with people MAILING things, and more people picking up packages).
