(TheeErin)
Leesha says her local post office has gone upsell crazy. They wouldn’t let her mail a letter without sitting through an extended spiel about express and upgraded options. When she tried to fast-forward through the song and dance, the guy behind the counter snapped. Or, as the saying goes, “went postal.”
Leesha writes:
In the middle of his offer for express mail for some ungodly amount I told him “No thanks I just want regular mail.” He was slightly hostile and snapped “We dont have regular mail!” and started from the beginning again.I scanned the screen and told him “fine I want flat rate service.” He became more hostile at this point raised his voice and told me, “I CAN’T DO THAT. I HAVE TO READ EVERY LINE AND YOU HAVE TO TELL ME YES OR NO.”
If the letter wasn’t for business, I wouldve turned around and left. But unfortunately the document couldn’t be faxed and I was forced to listen to the spiel of every item on the list before I was allowed to pay for flat rate service.
Next time, just buy your USPS postage online. You can print out the label on normal computer paper from your printer. Then you can just drop off the package or letter in a dropbox or zip into the post office and stuff it in one of their boxes without interacting with any goons who have had all discretion micromanaged out of them.
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A bit of a twist on the above scenario – last week I was upsold then denied service while attempting to mail a package to France. I needed tracking as the previous 1st class parcel had been lost. They said that the next upgrade, Priority Mail ($28), did not offer any means of tracking, so the only way to go was Express ($33) or Global Express ($64).
They then refused me Express because I didn’t have a “state” listed on my shipping address. I reminded them that I was not sending within the United States and La Poste requirements do not require a state – simply the name, street address, city, postal code, and FRANCE. No matter what angle I took they refused, saying they had to enter something in the computer for the “state” field.
I got frustrated and told them I HAD to mail it and the address was correct (it was). The response I got amounted to a shrug and suggestion to forget about tracking and send it regular mail. Then they wouldn’t have to enter a state into the computer. Brilliant.
Next time, turn it back around on him. Act interested in every service, and have it explain each one in detail to you. See if you can make it past the 1 hour mark.
Last time i was actually INSIDE a post office, about 4 people were ahead of me.
Suddenly, almost a dozen others came inside.
There were TWO postal clerks working behind the desk…and all of them seemed to have most of the life sucked out of them, by the way they were moving ( s l o w l y ).
When it was my turn at the counter, i asked (tongue in cheek – but don’t think it was recognized as such), if there was anyone else that could come to the counter to start helping the others in line.
Just about then, another gentleman poked his head out from behind the thick felt curtain that lined the open window behind the counter.
I pointed excitedly at the guy and said “How about HIM?! He can help.”. To which the guy helping me waved him off, saying “he can’t help. he’s management”.
i quickly said “what, did he NOT pass the exam that covers dealing with people?”
the guy tried to stop smiling, but you could see he enjoyed the joke.
the people waiting in line heard it too and started laughing. the management guy scowled and went back into the abyss of the backroom.
i SWEAR i thought i heard the sound of a shotgun shell being racked-up come from the abyss.
Got out of there as fast as i could.
Going to USPS stores has become so comical that I hope we shut down more of these stores to get rid of these workers who do absolutely nothing all day other than screw customers
I buy all my postage online so I can avoid those scumbags