posted on July 24, 2006 10:03:55 AM
All right... I'm livid right now. I just returned from our Local Post Office. The Postmaster there just told me that if any one had 10 or more packages, that they would ring up the first 10, then require you to get to the back in line, wait in line again, and then go through the whole process again for the next ten. She said it was a new policy. Is she full of !@#$, or did I miss something?? Advice, please!
posted on July 24, 2006 10:15:30 AM
Ask her when the new policy went into effect, and have her give you a printed copy of it. I have a feeling this is a "policy" cooked up by herself and some of the clerks on the side, and the people in D.C. are not aware of it. It should be easy enough to check out once you give her a little more rope.
If Murphy's law is correct, everything East of the San Andreas Fault will slide into the Atlantic
posted on July 24, 2006 10:22:32 AM
Sparkz, thanks for the speedy reply. I've already asked for a printed copy. She spent about 20 minutes on the phone with some one to try to find the policy... and after no success, said she'd have the other person fax it to her and send a copy to me in the mail. I highly doubt it will appear. I did tell her that without a written policy, I would not be abiding to the terms, and that I would expect it not be enforced. I also have a phone number for her boss... and have been trying to get ahold of him. I'm FURIOUS right now, though!!!
posted on July 24, 2006 10:27:38 AM
Yea, this definitely sounds like something they made-up. I've been in line in the past with 20+ packages and have finished faster than someone next to me who only had 1 or 2. It depends on who you get helping you.
Last week I had to actually sit there and explain what Airmail Letter was and that my box that was 6x6x6 and weighed 12 ounces qualified to be shipped to Canada as this. ...He was like "yea, but it's not a letter".....My jaw just dropped!
Anyway, needless to say for all domestic shipments I LOVE the free USPS pick-up service..It saves me TONS of time.
posted on July 24, 2006 10:46:25 AM
There are a couple of ex-postal employees (one a guy named bulk-mail) on the eBay shipping board that have been a great help to me. You might post over there.
posted on July 24, 2006 11:01:22 AM
I do not use pick-up. I use my DH (grin) He takes all packages to PO six days a week less one Saturday (once every month we take a long weekend to beach)
He goes about 6 am and they get them at the back.
It is soooo nice! My PO is very helpful , they are always helping me out.
I also ship international, ship to military bases, ship express on request. He hands those to the postal clerk .
YEP they are always there before 6am.
There has been times when I did not know exactly how much postage or how to send something. I put the information in a vanilla envelope and they take care of it.
I have money on hand with the PO.
posted on July 24, 2006 11:13:54 AM
Sounds like her SB made up policy. Call the complaint line and ask them.
here is a contact statement at USPS.
Corporate Customer Contact (CCC) provides customers with easy, toll-free access to a broad range of products and services through a comprehensive network of toll-free numbers. CCC handles a wide variety of general information inquiries through 800-ASK-USPS. An additional toll-free number, 800-222-1811, handles international and domestic Express Mail inquiries, as well as domestic delivery and signature confirmation inquiries. It accepts customer orders for stamps through 800-STAMP-24. CCC also provides support for the majority of e-mail customer contacts through the Contact Us page on www.usps.com. The overall goal is to improve customer service, improve operating efficiency, decrease general information calls to local offices, and increase revenue. The CCC network has centers in Denver, CO; Orem, UT; Jacksonville, NC; and Columbia, MD. This contact center network annually responds to 62 to 68 million phone and e-mail inquiries from across the nation. Queries range from general information, such as mailing rates, hours and locations of local Postal Service facilities, and service opportunities, to stamp orders, track and confirm inquiries, and technical problems related to the Web site.
posted on July 24, 2006 11:29:06 AM
deur1 - I also love my small town PO. Before I used the free pick-up service I used to show up an hour before they opened to the public and they would always take my boxes. Also, the service is so much better. They are actually REAL people and not robots in a USPS uniform like many encounter at the typical larger city PO.
And hey, that once per month trip to the beach sounds great! Must be nice!!!
posted on July 24, 2006 11:38:00 AM
That is outrageous.
But I must ask if you have considered using on line postage with paypal or one of the other on line services? Sounds like that what your post office wants you to do.
posted on July 24, 2006 11:44:25 AM
fksports
My local post office is wonderful. They are so willing to help. I was looking for a package that disappeared and one guy took it on himself to look for it and called me at home to let me know he couldn't find it. I live in Jacksonville, Fl - far from a small town. But not all of the post offices here are so friendly, believe me!!!
posted on July 24, 2006 01:48:52 PM
It's not made up and it's not new.
Sorry.
It was implemented when UPS workers went on strike in 1997.
Most local post offices invoke it only rarely, but mine will if someone comes in with a large number of unstamped/unmetered parcels and there's a line of people waiting.
The solution, of course, is to have your stuff already with postage on it and be friendly enough with the window personnel that you can just hand them full tubs of parcels.
posted on July 24, 2006 03:09:28 PM
Our little post office has requested we bring more than 9 packages early, about 7:30 a.m. before the p.o. opens for business. I rarely have more than 9 and even then they haven't insisted it's a policy. If I have lots of packages, say, 12 -15, I'll let the folks with package pick-up slips go ahead of me. I've never heard that it's a firm policy.
posted on July 24, 2006 04:25:36 PM
If it's not an official rule then I think it should be, and strictly enforced. It's not right at a normal post office with 3-4 clerks working to have some person show up with 50 packages and tie up 1/3 of the workforce. As others have suggested, use on-line postage, go early. Do something other that stand in line in front of an old lady who's waiting to send 1 package to her kids.
Can you cite your source? I've looked all over and I haven't found any information that backs up this so-called "policy".
And to those of you who've posted that feel that I'M the one in the wrong... well... let's just say that I disagree emphatically. First of all, it IS a small post office we're talking about. Even with my average 25-35 packages, my stuff gets rung up in about 5-10 minutes. The longest line that's ever been behind me is maybe 4 or 5 people (and 1/2 of those form while I'M waiting to be served). All my stuff is pre-labeled and has all the forms filled out. Internet postage is not an option for me. I am in a rural area where only dial-up is an option, and on-line postage is far too slow. I work a full-time job in addition to my eBay sales... so showing up at odd hours is not an option, I can only go during my lunch break. I PAY for their service of metering and weighing my packages, and expect to be treated as a valued customer. I spend approximately $4,000 to $6,000 a year on postage alone. Plus, even though there is a SECOND window at our PO, they never staff it (even when there's extra personell just hanging out in the back). If the Postmaster really wanted to provide better service for her patrons, she could man the extra terminal for the very brief period that I'm around.
I am waiting calls back from the main USPS support line, as well as from the Area manager. We'll see what happens... but if it is an actual policy (and I will insist to see it in writing), then it's absolutely ridiculous. Besides making ME wait... it actually increases their workload, would just make different people wait in line behind me when I entered the line a second time, PLUS they'd get charged a Credit Card Processing transaction Fee EVERY time I got to the window... so for 35 items, they'd get charged 4 Credit Card processing fees. I guess that's typical government efficiency... but we shouldn't have to supplement such idiocy with our tax-payer dollars and massive postal increases.
posted on July 24, 2006 05:22:42 PMCan you cite your source?
Yes. The United States Postal Service.
I PAY for their service of metering and weighing my packages
You most emphatically do NOT.
You pay nothing extra above the cost of postage. Or -- I should say -- if you do pay extra, you really should let Congress know. Everyone loves a full-scale Congressional investigation.
expect to be treated as a valued customer
All I can say to that is if you feel you've been treated badly, you have the same option every other customer has: take your business elsewhere.
Internet postage is not an option for me...on-line postage is far too slow.
Ever hear of stamps?
This is what I meant by getting friendly with the window clerks. When you put stamps on a parcel 1 lb or over, it has to be handed to a clerk (never mind the APS, that doesn't apply here). If you train the clerk to understand that you know what you're doing, they'll happily take boxloads of prestamped packages from you.
Just the way my local post office does from me and all the other eBay sellers who go there.
posted on July 24, 2006 05:24:39 PM
My postal clerks are great and love to see me coming but then I do postage on-line and keep them informed of their own policies. It makes no difference if you have one package or 40 they are there to serve the public and you are the public.
Tell you what-- you do -- get all your friends lined up for your next big postal visit everyone line up with 2 or 3 packages. NOW this is good part you stand there with your trusty credit card and sign for each person. This will slow them down due to having to charge and sign about 20 credit card receipts instead of just one. Kinda like going in and paying your bills with pennies and standing there counting them out. That is another idea pay in pennies and count them out like most little old ladies I get behind in the grocery store. LOL Then they would have something to be miffed about. LMAO Revolt --I am with ya!
I am with eauctionmgnt he she deserves full attention just like anyone else since they are forking out more money than anyone else most likely they are due respect......... Next time they say anything tell them your money is as good as the next person. Now you got me on the soap box. LOL
Edited to add: NOW Fluff, if this happened to you we can all bet you would have your chair down there picketting the post office.. YES she does pay for their service who do you think pays the postal employees salaries-----Stamps, postage and the patronage of their customers. The government does not pull the money they pay the employees out of their a$$es it comes from you me and every Tom Dick and Harry and eauctionmgnt who walks through their doors......
**************
Well, aren't we a ray of sunshine.
[ edited by irked on Jul 24, 2006 05:29 PM ]
posted on July 24, 2006 05:31:52 PMshe deserves full attention just like anyone else since they are forking out more money than anyone else
Do you really want to go there?
What about the person ahead of her in line who brought in 250 packages? Does he deserve 10 times as much respect? Will she be okay with it when his gigantic shipment causes her to run out of time on her lunch hour?
I've waited in line at the post office (not mine, thankfully) behind people who brought in their entire Christmas shopping -- unpackaged -- and proceeded to do their packing, addressing and shipping right at the window. Clerk couldn't ignore them because they bought a box or bag for each gift, one at a time.
I've heard that the Brooklyn Bridge is for sale too... but that doesn't mean it's true! Until someone shows me this policy in writing, then I'm not convinced that it exists.
Sorry, I hate to tell you... but it's the POST OFFICE's responsibility to make sure that THEY charge me the right amount for their services. That means that THEY need to provide weights for the items I'm shipping. If others choose to do that for them... then that's great, and they're saving the post office time and money. BUT, it is indeed part of the service that I'm paying for. As for metering, again it is in the Post offices best interest to meter the postage. It is CHEAPER for them to print a metered postage, than to put on individual stamps. Hence, metering (or stamp printing cost) and weighing is actually INCLUDED in the postage price they are charging (whether you as a consumer choose to use it or not).
Taking business elsewhere is not an option either. In case you haven't noticed, the USPS has a monopoly on the public mail system. Many of my customers only have a PO box for their address.
By the way, I AM friendly with the clerks (and they are with me). It's this postmaster that's causing the problem (I think she might be new...)
*****
Irked,
Thank you for your posts. You've been helpful and supportive. And I love your sig line!!
posted on July 24, 2006 06:08:41 PM
<<I spend approximately $4,000 to $6,000 a year on postage alone.>>
That's not the type of customer you send to the back of the line. I can think of very few businesspeople that would be stupid enough to. But then again, when you don't have a competitor across the street, it's possible to adapt your business plan to suit your convenience instead of that of the customer. That's the reason 95% of what I ship goes FedEx Ground. Since they no longer have wanted posters on the walls with pictures of some of my relatives to admire, I don't have much reason to go to the P.O. anymore.
If Murphy's law is correct, everything East of the San Andreas Fault will slide into the Atlantic
I agree with most of what you say, EXCEPT for: "... but it's the POST OFFICE's responsibility to make sure that THEY charge me the right amount for their services"
While TECHNICALLY correct, in the long run, I feel you LOSE both TIME & MOOLA if you stick to this opinion...HERE'S MY THINKING:
I used to use the USPS extensively up until 2.5 yrs ago when I stopped selling first UNABRIDGED AUDIOBOOKS, and the VINTAGE LADIES SHOES...
I used both a LARGE PO in QUINCY MA, and smaller PO's and SUB-STATIONS here in JAX & this is what I discovered:
Virtually ALL of the WINDOW CLERKS (regardless of LOCATION or PO SIZE) were CLUELESS about the CORRECT postage amounts due for each package...
Many, many problems cropped up until I decided to become a postal "expert" and use postage that I printed myself...
THE SAVINGS IN MOOLA + AGGRAVATION + INCREASED CS for my BUYERS was ENORMOUS!
If I had to once again use the USPS, I would 100% AGAIN do it ALL myself and utilize that WUNDERFUL FREE PICK-UP service...
YES, yer RIGHT, but if ya do it MY WAY, more importantly, you'll be...HAPPY!
posted on July 24, 2006 07:10:08 PM
I do love my small town post office, even though they roll their eyes when they see me (it's usually something I can't do at home, like international air letter post). IF there is a line forming, and if the clerk is alone, she/he yells to the back and voila -- someone magically appears.
But I'm curious about the timing here. Say the OP has 20 packages, and gets done in 10 minutes (she/he says she/he may have 30 which takes 5 to 10 minutes so I'm giving a bit of leeway). That's one package every 30 seconds, if my math is correct. Don't know about you, but I've never seen a postal worker -- or myself! -- move that quickly. Especially not if there's delivery confirmations involved, scanning and stamping insurance, weighing everything, and then running a credit card through on top of it all.
Besides, if there's never a very long line at the post office in question, the OP shouldn't have to wait very long then even if sent to the back of the line. Or?
The clerks at this PO are extremely efficient. I have absolutely no complaints about them (just the postmaster). I've shipped stuff out at about 7-8 different post offices in two different states since I started on eBay... and I've never seen any of them work as quickly as the two clerks I usually deal with here. While the label machine is printing, they've got the next package on the scale and entering in the information. I don't use DC, or Insurance on most items... and the process really is pretty quick. Trust me... I keep close track to the time while I'm on break, and my estimate is accurrate.
The problem with being sent to the back of the line isn't that the CLERKS are too slow... it's that the other CUSTOMERS are slow, because they come without their items boxed... no addresses... can't decide what method to ship by... or other issues.
Besides, again this whole problem wouldn't even be an issue if the Postmaster would just open up the second window during the lunch hour. Why do they even have it if they don't use it?!?!
posted on July 24, 2006 07:26:28 PM
Have to agree with Birgittaw here. Each post office is different. In your case Eauction...it seems like you have a one person office with an uber fast clerk. 20-30 seconds per package is great. Doesn't seem like anything to stress over here. No long lines as you say. It seems fairest to all here to do 10 packages, then go the back of the line for the next 10. As the average person only has 1 or 2 packages, and you have a super fast clerk, you won't have to wait more than 2-3 minutes. Let's be fair and courteous to all. How would you feel if the person in front of you showed up with 1000 packages? If you only have your lunch hour you'd be screwed. If you have the 10 item limit then in your case there'd be time for you. Mr. 1000 packages can spend his day there, as he should instead of making EVERYBODY else spend their whole day there.
[ edited by longtime1 on Jul 24, 2006 07:36 PM ]
Again... my stuff doesn't take nearly as long as the other customers with one or two items. My average WAIT time is about 5-10 minutes as well. So... instead of having a total post office trip of 10-20 minutes... going to the back of the line 3-4 times could increase my total time to upwards of about 50 minutes!! No Thank You!!
You and Fluffy have both asked me how I would feel if someone came with 250, or 1000 packages in front of me. I'll tell you... I would not be at ALL upset with the person mailing them. However, I might be a little upset with the Post Office if they didn't open the second window!!!
posted on July 24, 2006 09:44:35 PM
It has been at the discretion of the postmaster of each branch whether to invoke the 10 parcel limit policy. Generally, it is not used, but in cases where there are many people waiting in line, it can be used to keep the line moving.
Many here have stated it. Do postage online or buy stamps.
Personally, I never go to the PO anymore unless I have an international parcel. Otherwise I do as I say. Online or stamps. Frankly, wouldn't do it any other way. Saves tons of time and these days with gas prices the way the are, money too.
posted on July 25, 2006 07:36:37 AM
Alright... I just got a call back from the USPS. Although the representative made the same suggestions as most of the rest of you (online postage, come in at another time, set up a check balance (which I don't want to do since I pay by credit-card and get points back), etc...) she was understanding and agreed that those solutions did not work for my circumstances. Apparently it is okay (and I guess even procedural policy) for the USPS employees to SUGGEST (but not require) that you bring your packages at another time. However, the only documentation that they could find (which came from the area manager) to support this procedure specifically states something to the extent of "Customers with large volumes of mailing are not to be turned away or denied service". Basically, the representative I spoke to agreed that the Postmaster had no right telling me what she did.
So... I'm getting a copy of that sent to me, as well as a copy going out to the Postmaster at my PO. Now all I have to do is hope that the postmaster doesn't take a hammer to my packages once they're in the back!
edited for clarity...
[ edited by eauctionmgnt on Jul 25, 2006 07:37 AM ]
posted on July 25, 2006 07:42:19 AM
Congratulations. Now you have someone in a position of authority with a grudge against you. But what the heck, you still think you're right, so it's a victory.
Most of us adults have learned how to work with other people.
