I thought I might have to kill someone at the post office today. And the clerk that "helped" me was first in line.
Speaking of lines, I had to wait in a short line a long time. The post office seems to be chronically understaffed. I finally made my way to a clerk who looked like she was not enjoying her career choice. I was shipping eighteen pounds of book via media mail to NovelAction (you should check it out) and had carefully packed and labeled my box. All was going smoothly until she was headed off to the back with my box and then turned around to come back.
She leaned toward me and spoke in a conspiratorial tone, "This box is for liquor - you can't ship in it." This was news to me so I suggested, among other things, that we tape a piece of paper over the word "Vineyard." She replied that she had no paper.
There's not a single piece of blank paper at the post office? No.
How about marking out the word? It's too big.
How about a sticker? Like that one right there? That's a Priority Mail sticker. Can't do that unless you want to switch to Priority Mail.
So there's no paper. No.
Finally she gets constructive and offers to up-sell me a box. I inform her that I have a garage full of boxes (and happened to unfortunately pick the ONE that referenced liquor) and did not want to purchase a box and why doesn't she just issue me a refund.
She then proceeds to hand me a long governmental-looking form that I have to fill out in order to receive my $8.36 refund. A TWO-PAGE FORM. Really? Really. Can I just keep the postage sticker and put it on my own box when I go home so that I don't have to stand in line again? Of course not because it has to be sent through her station and she gets off at 2:30pm and unfortunately I have OTHER THINGS TO DO and cannot make it back by 2:30pm.
I'll take the box.
So she sells me a $3 box that's too small for my other box, but that's okay, 'cause we're able to ghetto-close that contraption together. I hold the half-flaps down while she tapes. Teamwork, finally.
If I had the choice to take my business elsewhere I would, but alas, neither FedEX or UPS offer media mail.
9 comments:
Government institutions are such parodies of themselves. I would be tempted to think you were making this up to be funny, if not for my own run-ins with the ridiculousness of the USPS. I've tried to opt out of USPS service all together but, alas, I have no choice but to be a lifetime customer.
If only it was just the federal government who was so opposed to any semblance of customer service. Sitting at a stoplight the other day, I noticed one of FW's finest sitting 1 car length ahead of me. On the side of the car? "Dedicated to Protect." Even the cops now leave off the "serve" of "to serve and protect." Sad day.
every time i go to the post office, i fear for my life. people get more angry in line at the post office than any other place i go. if not for the post office, i would not be able to relate to the idea of "mob mentality". truly, it seems as though they will unite and conquer. it seems everyone agrees that a great injustice is being place upon them and rising up against it is the only answer.
and i will be honest: i always to side with the employees (only in my head, of course, because the mob does not want to hear from outsiders). it isn't the individual behind the counter's fault there are only two people scheduled and the other was forced to take a break. it isn't their fault a spanish speaking family of 20 came in to get passports they need lots of hands on help. it isn't their fault the postal system is confusing with many cryptic, poorly expressed rules and fees.
someone is to blame, but it isn't the person behind the counter. they are just doing the best they can.
(o:
I hear you. The very first time Nathan ever heard me loose my cool was with the post office. They had a package for me that wasn't sent with enough postage so I had to pay the extra $1.00. They wouldn't leave it at our apt. without payment.
So I called to see when i could come to pay and this particular post office was only open half days during the week (when I was at work). Could they send it to another post office with longer hours? no.
Could they tell me who the package was from so I could decide if I really wanted it? no. Could I pay over the phone? no. So I finally worked out a time to go to this particular post office to pay my COD charge and who is the package from? I'm NOT making this up--it was from THE POST OFFICE! As a teacher, I signed up to received "free" educational tools to be used in the classroom put out by the USPS.
Ever since then, if I start to get upset about anything, Nathan asks me if I'm going to use my "post office voice" because I promise I wasn't very nice at that time!
oh my gosh. that was funny.
It wasn't at the time, but now I can get totally cracked up just thinking about it!!
I can't wait for the government to take over health care... They do so well with mail... Go Universal Healthcare!
I think I've been to that same post office and the same lady helped me...oh wait...EVERY FREAKIN POST OFFICE IS LIKE THAT!
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