The USPS

[tucker6]

So, I went to my local post office on Friday, only to find them closed at 1:35pm. I check the front door and it says that they are open from 10:30am to 1pm and 2pm to 4:30pm daily. That's five hours per day. On Saturday, they are open from 10am to 11am. That's right folks, the post office is open for one hour only on Saturday. No wonder they are in debt up to their eyeballs. Can you imagine how much money is wasted heating and cooling a building for an hour?

[Clocker]

The wisdom of this policy is obviously over your head. Cliff Clavin will be along shortly to explain it to you. :popcorn:

[tucker6]

The wisdom of this policy is obviously over your head. Cliff Clavin will be along shortly to explain it to you. :popcorn:

I'm giddy with anticipation.

[oughtoh]

Ours is open 4 hours a day, 12-4, closed on Saturdays. You can get packages only 12-1 on Saturdays, but can not buy stamps or mail anything at the window.

[FantasticDan]

What size town is this? And is this a main PO, or one of those small satellite stores?

So, I went to my local post office on Friday, only to find them closed at 1:35pm. I check the front door and it says that they are open from 10:30am to 1pm and 2pm to 4:30pm daily. That's five hours per day. On Saturday, they are open from 10am to 11am. That's right folks, the post office is open for one hour only on Saturday. No wonder they are in debt up to their eyeballs. Can you imagine how much money is wasted heating and cooling a building for an hour?

[MutuelClerk]

Helloooooooo

Newman.

[mostpost]

The wisdom of this policy is obviously over your head. Cliff Clavin will be along shortly to explain it to you. :popcorn:
Cliff is busy so I will provide the explanation. Simply put, you can't have window service hours if you don't have the personnel to staff the window. And you can't have the personnel if you have to pay billions of dollars every year to fund pensions for people who have not even started to work for USPS yet.

[mostpost]

So, I went to my local post office on Friday, only to find them closed at 1:35pm. I check the front door and it says that they are open from 10:30am to 1pm and 2pm to 4:30pm daily. That's five hours per day. On Saturday, they are open from 10am to 11am. That's right folks, the post office is open for one hour only on Saturday. No wonder they are in debt up to their eyeballs. Can you imagine how much money is wasted heating and cooling a building for an hour?
They are actually open eight hours a day seven days a week, but they have that sign to put up when they see you coming. Would that we had such a sign.
:lol::lol:

[FantasticDan]

Helloooooooo
Newman.
Of course nobody NEEDS mail. You think you're so clever figuring that one out? :lol: :ThmbUp:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hox-ni8geIw

[Tom]

Say what? :confused:

[davew]

just wait until Congress starts charging 1cent per email to fund pension for retired postal workers.

[FantasticDan]

just wait until Congress starts charging 1cent per email to fund pension for retired postal workers.What is this, 1997? That's an oldie but a goodie! :coffee: :eek:

[tucker6]

What size town is this? And is this a main PO, or one of those small satellite stores?

Does it matter? Fact is that private enterprise would never open for one hour for reasons of efficiency and cost.

[Inner Dirt]

I will berate and stick up for USPS in the same post. They aren't like any other parcel delivery company as they service all customers at the same rate structure. That puts them behind the 8-ball as far as profits are concerned compared to their competition. The big boys like UPS and Fedex will add surcharges to deliveries off the beaten path, USPS does not do that. USPS delivers letters for 50 cents, the other guys charge $5 and up. USPS gives fair priced prompt service to all, even if you live in an igloo in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness.

As someone who has shipped and received a lot of packages over the last decades I will say this.

Most of the time USPS gets the package there faster, cheaper, and with less damage. If they damage the package they promptly pay claims, the other shipping companies will blame the sender and talk down to them and either never pay or remit the minimum of $100.

Here is the bad. They seem to either have people who are either lazy as can be or dumb as rocks working the counters at the post offices. That is where they get their bad reputation. Living in rural Caroline County, Virginia I think I see the worst. I have actually taken papers that were printed out when I went to make a USPS shipment, taken them to my closest post office and got the reply of "I don't know what that is." Other times she has complained about the weight of what I put in flat rate boxes, and I never put more than 35 pounds in a box where 70 pounds are allowed. Whenever I use a post office different from my local one and mention how bad the local one is I get "We know, just come here."

Here is the problem I have, the lazy bitch who runs my local post office is making $60,000 a year and she would not last 2 hours working at McDonald's at minimum wage. She has a federal job for life and probably a nice pension. FTS, time to drain the swamp.

[tucker6]

Here is the bad. They seem to either have people who are either lazy as can be or dumb as rocks working the counters at the post offices. That is where they get their bad reputation. Living in rural Caroline County, Virginia I think I see the worst. I have actually taken papers that were printed out when I went to make a USPS shipment, taken them to my closest post office and got the reply of "I don't know what that is." Other times she has complained about the weight of what I put in flat rate boxes, and I never put more than 35 pounds in a box where 70 pounds are allowed. Whenever I use a post office different from my local one and mention how bad the local one is I get "We know, just come here."

You think you have it bad. I took a letter in the other day for postage, and was asked whether my letter contained liquids!!! It's a freakin letter folks.

[highnote]

You think you have it bad. I took a letter in the other day for postage, and was asked whether my letter contained liquids!!! It's a freakin letter folks.

Well... did it?

;)

[chrisl]

I will berate and stick up for USPS in the same post. They aren't like any other parcel delivery company as they service all customers at the same rate structure. That puts them behind the 8-ball as far as profits are concerned compared to their competition. The big boys like UPS and Fedex will add surcharges to deliveries off the beaten path, USPS does not do that. USPS delivers letters for 50 cents, the other guys charge $5 and up. USPS gives fair priced prompt service to all, even if you live in an igloo in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness.

As someone who has shipped and received a lot of packages over the last decades I will say this.

Most of the time USPS gets the package there faster, cheaper, and with less damage. If they damage the package they promptly pay claims, the other shipping companies will blame the sender and talk down to them and either never pay or remit the minimum of $100.

Here is the bad. They seem to either have people who are either lazy as can be or dumb as rocks working the counters at the post offices. That is where they get their bad reputation. Living in rural Caroline County, Virginia I think I see the worst. I have actually taken papers that were printed out when I went to make a USPS shipment, taken them to my closest post office and got the reply of "I don't know what that is." Other times she has complained about the weight of what I put in flat rate boxes, and I never put more than 35 pounds in a box where 70 pounds are allowed. Whenever I use a post office different from my local one and mention how bad the local one is I get "We know, just come here."

Here is the problem I have, the lazy bitch who runs my local post office is making $60,000 a year and she would not last 2 hours working at McDonald's at minimum wage. She has a federal job for life and probably a nice pension. FTS, time to drain the swamp.


Perfectly stated

[Clocker]

You think you have it bad. I took a letter in the other day for postage, and was asked whether my letter contained liquids!!! It's a freakin letter folks.

Well programed roboclerks never go off script. I went into a Panera Bread a while back, walked up to the counter, and asked for a loaf of French bread. Without missing a beat, the roboclerk asked, "Is that for here or to go?"

[mostpost]

Speaking of stupid. I have had customers asking me to mail a package air mail to the adjacent town. I have had customers bring in items wrapped only in Christmas wrap and expect me to insure it. I have had customers ask that I return a letter to sender because their name wasn't "Current Resident."

I have had customers (many of them) come in at 8 in the morning and ask me to cash a $700 money order, then yell at me because I do not have that kind of cash on hand at that time of day. Anyone who has worked at any kind of retail establishment knows that you start out with a small bank.

And, I had a woman-an old woman-come in one day, put a very large knife on the counter and tell me I had better find her Social Security check or I was going to be cut. I told her that I thought I had seen in the back (I did recognize her from other encounters) and that I would go look for it.

Of course I called the local constabulary and they came and took her away. Later I was called to testify, but the case was plea bargained down a stay in a mental health facility and a promise to take her medications regularly.

[mostpost]

I will berate and stick up for USPS in the same post. They aren't like any other parcel delivery company as they service all customers at the same rate structure. That puts them behind the 8-ball as far as profits are concerned compared to their competition. The big boys like UPS and Fedex will add surcharges to deliveries off the beaten path, USPS does not do that. USPS delivers letters for 50 cents, the other guys charge $5 and up. USPS gives fair priced prompt service to all, even if you live in an igloo in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness.

As someone who has shipped and received a lot of packages over the last decades I will say this.

Most of the time USPS gets the package there faster, cheaper, and with less damage. If they damage the package they promptly pay claims, the other shipping companies will blame the sender and talk down to them and either never pay or remit the minimum of $100.

Here is the bad. They seem to either have people who are either lazy as can be or dumb as rocks working the counters at the post offices. That is where they get their bad reputation. Living in rural Caroline County, Virginia I think I see the worst. I have actually taken papers that were printed out when I went to make a USPS shipment, taken them to my closest post office and got the reply of "I don't know what that is." Other times she has complained about the weight of what I put in flat rate boxes, and I never put more than 35 pounds in a box where 70 pounds are allowed. Whenever I use a post office different from my local one and mention how bad the local one is I get "We know, just come here."

Here is the problem I have, the lazy bitch who runs my local post office is making $60,000 a year and she would not last 2 hours working at McDonald's at minimum wage. She has a federal job for life and probably a nice pension. FTS, time to drain the swamp.
Be more specific. You said you have taken papers which were printed out when you went to make a USPS shipment. Did you mean you were mailing a single package and you filled out either insurance forms or customs forms, or Express Mail forms or something similar.

Or did you mean that you were presenting a bulk mailing and you were presenting the paperwork for that mailing. In the latter case, it is possible that a window clerk would not know how to process bulk mailings, particularly in a larger office where jobs are more specialized.

[chrisl]

Speaking of stupid. I have had customers asking me to mail a package air mail to the adjacent town. I have had customers bring in items wrapped only in Christmas wrap and expect me to insure it. I have had customers ask that I return a letter to sender because their name wasn't "Current Resident."

I have had customers (many of them) come in at 8 in the morning and ask me to cash a $700 money order, then yell at me because I do not have that kind of cash on hand at that time of day. Anyone who has worked at any kind of retail establishment knows that you start out with a small bank.

And, I had a woman-an old woman-come in one day, put a very large knife on the counter and tell me I had better find her Social Security check or I was going to be cut. I told her that I thought I had seen in the back (I did recognize her from other encounters) and that I would go look for it.

Of course I called the local constabulary and they came and took her away. Later I was called to testify, but the case was plea bargained down a stay in a mental health facility and a promise to take her medications regularly.

What a tough day at work...It must be so stressful..Maybe the taxpayer can pay for some counseling. Sorry brother..No one should have to endure that kind of anguish..Hang in their..

[Inner Dirt]

Be more specific. You said you have taken papers which were printed out when you went to make a USPS shipment. Did you mean you were mailing a single package and you filled out either insurance forms or customs forms, or Express Mail forms or something similar.

Or did you mean that you were presenting a bulk mailing and you were presenting the paperwork for that mailing. In the latter case, it is possible that a window clerk would not know how to process bulk mailings, particularly in a larger office where jobs are more specialized.

For some reason if I send multiple packages to the same address using MY USPS, I get a sheet printed out that looks like it needs to be scanned when I drop off the packages. Finally when I presented it to a third post office I was told it just gives them the option of scanning each bar code on the sheet instead of the stack of boxes. It says on the sheet to present to the clerk. I was concerned if I didn't present it and something gets lost or damaged I am screwed as I always insure for full value. The second post office told me they aren't trained on USPS website features. Since all the post offices individually scan, I have been told I don't need to bring that sheet as they don't use them.

My complaint is the varied level of service. I use quite a few different post offices with regularity as I ship a couple times a week and hit whatever one is on my route for my daily errands. The closest one is the worst, the lady knows next to nothing about her job and complains about everything. She isn't a rookie either and probably in her 40's. Next in line a little larger one where they can answer half your questions and the other half is met with "That must be an online issue we aren't trained on". Second best is downtown (not much of a town) the lady provides good service, while not a walking encyclopedia she will call someone and get you an answer to your question. Best is the one next to the bank 20 miles away, between the small staff of 2-3 they seem to know everything you would ever inquire about.

[Inner Dirt]

Or did you mean that you were presenting a bulk mailing and you were presenting the paperwork for that mailing. In the latter case, it is possible that a window clerk would not know how to process bulk mailings, particularly in a larger office where jobs are more specialized.


It was two packages going to the same address. I did not use the bulk mailing option on MY USPS. That was a small post office staff of two, that lady is always on the counter for all seven years I have been here. Like I said with her attitude she wouldn't last taking orders at McDonald's for two hours. I honestly thinks she is trying to drive regular customers away so she can sit at her desk and talk on her cell phone all day long and not work. I don't give a crap whether she knows the answers to my questions or not, she can call someone who does. For the record when I get the "I don't know" response, I was the only customer within a mile of that post office. She knows how to use a phone as she usually is talking on one every time I come in.

[Inner Dirt]

Speaking of stupid. I have had customers asking me to mail a package air mail to the adjacent town. I have had customers bring in items wrapped only in Christmas wrap and expect me to insure it. I have had customers ask that I return a letter to sender because their name wasn't "Current Resident."

I have had customers (many of them) come in at 8 in the morning and ask me to cash a $700 money order, then yell at me because I do not have that kind of cash on hand at that time of day. Anyone who has worked at any kind of retail establishment knows that you start out with a small bank.

And, I had a woman-an old woman-come in one day, put a very large knife on the counter and tell me I had better find her Social Security check or I was going to be cut. I told her that I thought I had seen in the back (I did recognize her from other encounters) and that I would go look for it.

Of course I called the local constabulary and they came and took her away. Later I was called to testify, but the case was plea bargained down a stay in a mental health facility and a promise to take her medications regularly.


What is you point? If you deal with the general public you are going to run across people that have low intelligence, lack common sense, and some that are just plain bat crap crazy. That is no excuse for performing a job poorly like the some of the post offices I deal with. Especially since I am the good frequent customer. I use the flat rate boxes, everything is tightly packed with prepaid computer generated labels that are unwrinkled and taped nicely on.

[tucker6]

Well... did it?

;)

I probably had the most disgusted look on my face, but she calmly waited for my NO before proceeding. Common sense is dead, and the govt obviously breeds it out of their employees.

[Parkview_Pirate]

I have few complaints about the USPS. Just recently signed up for the "Informed Delivery Daily Digest", so now I get an email with a scan of what's arriving that day. Saves me a trip all the way across the street to the neighborhood mailbox on some days.:D (which is good if it's raining)

The zip+4 program wasn't too smooth. Few of us were mandated to use those last 4. Would have been much smarter to add a letter or two to the end, reserving Z for "unknown", and then penalizing people not using it with manual sorting and slower delivery. Could have subdivided existing zip codes into 20 or 400 areas. Why add 4 digits for 10,000?

As for money saving ideas, I can't believe that 3 day per week home delivery hasn't been considered. Businesses could remain at 5 days per week, and home addresses could pay extra for daily service. Seems a pretty simple way to reduce the vehicle fleet and personnel.

Oh - forgot for a minute it's a .gov organization. Never mind.

[MutuelClerk]

95% of the home mail is junk. I prefer the Kramer route. Keep your mail. Plenty of other ways to contact me these days.

[thaskalos]

Mailmen receive a lot of undeserved abuse...but mine has been able to retain his sense of humor in spite of the rigors of his profession. It was raining the other day...and I went to the door just as I heard him close my mailbox after delivering my mail. When I opened the door, I saw that he had left an Amazon package of mine WAY beyond the reach of my roof's overhang...and the package was getting rained upon. I called out to him as he was crossing my neighbor's lawn, and told him that he should have stood the package up against the door, so it wouldn't get wet...to which he replied: "Sir...my job is the delivering. The displaying is YOUR job".

[mostpost]

For some reason if I send multiple packages to the same address using MY USPS, I get a sheet printed out that looks like it needs to be scanned when I drop off the packages. Finally when I presented it to a third post office I was told it just gives them the option of scanning each bar code on the sheet instead of the stack of boxes. It says on the sheet to present to the clerk. I was concerned if I didn't present it and something gets lost or damaged I am screwed as I always insure for full value. The second post office told me they aren't trained on USPS website features. Since all the post offices individually scan, I have been told I don't need to bring that sheet as they don't use them.

My complaint is the varied level of service. I use quite a few different post offices with regularity as I ship a couple times a week and hit whatever one is on my route for my daily errands. The closest one is the worst, the lady knows next to nothing about her job and complains about everything. She isn't a rookie either and probably in her 40's. Next in line a little larger one where they can answer half your questions and the other half is met with "That must be an online issue we aren't trained on". Second best is downtown (not much of a town) the lady provides good service, while not a walking encyclopedia she will call someone and get you an answer to your question. Best is the one next to the bank 20 miles away, between the small staff of 2-3 they seem to know everything you would ever inquire about.
OK, this is something new since I retired 12 years ago, but the short answer is that any postal employee who works the customer service counter should be trained in online procedures at least to the point of knowing what forms are used.

I think you get varied levels of service everywhere. In the PO at which I worked we had excellent window clerks (Me) and some that were not so competent. One fella was constantly chatting up the customers, oblivious to the seething customers waiting in line. When a supervisor would walk by and assess the situation things would get better for awhile then revert.

I see the same things you see at the Post Office in private businesses. The waitress who is never around when you need her. The salesperson who is too busy talking to take care of you or who doesn't have answers to your questions. The chatty Cathy in the checkout line. These things have happened to me as often in a private business as often as at the Post Office.

And, you know what, those people are there for years.

[PaceAdvantage]

Mailmen receive a lot of undeserved abuse...but mine has been able to retain his sense of humor in spite of the rigors of his profession. It was raining the other day...and I went to the door just as I heard him close my mailbox after delivering my mail. When I opened the door, I saw that he had left an Amazon package of mine WAY beyond the reach of my roof's overhang...and the package was getting rained upon. I called out to him as he was crossing my neighbor's lawn, and told him that he should have stood the package up against the door, so it wouldn't get wet...to which he replied: "Sir...my job is the delivering. The displaying is YOUR job".No tip for him next month!

[mostpost]

What is you point? If you deal with the general public you are going to run across people that have low intelligence, lack common sense, and some that are just plain bat crap crazy. That is no excuse for performing a job poorly like the some of the post offices I deal with. Especially since I am the good frequent customer. I use the flat rate boxes, everything is tightly packed with prepaid computer generated labels that are unwrinkled and taped nicely on.
That is my exact point. There are a lot of stupid people around. You found one who happened to work for USPS. I can tell you that good postal employees are just as frustrated with the bad ones as you are. If we see someone doing something incorrectly we tell them about it; and if they keep doing it we tell the supervisor. Although usually I would put in terms like, "Newman doesn't seem to know how to handle registered mail. Perhaps you could go over the procedures with him."

[Tom]

Want to either balance the budget or improve postal service?

Charge $1 for every piece of junk mail.
That is what, 90% of the USPS's volume?

How many trees, ergo, more help with the environment would that be?

[Inner Dirt]

That is my exact point. There are a lot of stupid people around. You found one who happened to work for USPS. I can tell you that good postal employees are just as frustrated with the bad ones as you are. If we see someone doing something incorrectly we tell them about it; and if they keep doing it we tell the supervisor. Although usually I would put in terms like, "Newman doesn't seem to know how to handle registered mail. Perhaps you could go over the procedures with him."

Problem is if she worked for anyone other than a state government or federal she either shapes up or gets fired. I would not say she is stupid, she just makes no effort to learn her job, doesn't care and is extremely lazy. Her poor job performance is no secret. The post office in the other direction is run by a lady that that would probably be stretching it to call her average intelligence. Everyone is perfectly happy with her, including me. She is always helpful, courteous and if she doesn't know the answer she will call someone who does.