posted on September 11, 2007 06:01:31 PM
Today I went to the post office to mail 2 envelopes, each containing a trading card. The cards were well protected in card holders and thin cardboard, but the envelopes were not thick.
To my surprise, the post clerk charged me $0.80 each for the postage. I knew about the new 17 cents rigid sucharge, but I knew very well that I shouldn't be charged 80 per envelope.
I inquired why I was being charge 80 cents for each envelope. The answer I received was that the envelopes were "heavy". I could see on the monitor they only weighed .7 ounces. I replied "no they aren't - they should both weigh under an ounce. The clerk didn't do anything and just stood there.
After an awkward pause, the postal clerk next to him, asked him bluntly "how much do the enveopes weigh?". After fumbling a bit, he quietly said .7 ounces.
"So why is my charge 80 cents?" I asked.
He said "well, it is because I have to charge you for extra large envelopes". The envelopes were standard size, and actually pretty thin! (rigid, yes).
I said, "The envelopes are standard size! I know there is a surcharge for rigid envelopes, but I don't understand why you are charging me 80 cents each."
At this point, he grabs the envelopes and puts the 80 cent stamps on them. (as if that would prove him right)
I take my money off the counter and say, "Would you please explain why you are charging me 80 cents for each envelope?"
He stands silent looking at me waiting for me to pay. I say again "would you please explain why you are charging me 80 cents for each envelope?".
He says, "Well it is because the enveopes are really thick".
I say "No, they aren't thick. They are rigid. Why don't you charge me the correct price". I point to the pricing mat thing in front of him on the counter. I say "please check the thickness, and charge me the correct price"
The clerk at the next counter turns towards us and says in his defense "Hey, we don't even know the new rules. We could ask a clerk who took the 'class', but she isn't here right now."
I ask, "Well can't you look up the new postage rules?". No answer.
OK, now he finally gives in and weighs the envelopes again to charge the correct amount. Oh yeah, he spends about 5 minutes slowly carefully removing the stamps he already put on the envelopes.
My question is: Are some postal clerks simply poorly trained, encouraged to over-charge customers, or just plain stupid?
posted on September 11, 2007 06:26:28 PM
Sheesh. Poor guy--either dumb, untrained, or stubborn. I always think to myself, "I'm glad I don't share a house with this person."
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There is more to life than increasing its speed. --Mahatma Gandhi
posted on September 11, 2007 07:10:52 PM
Sthoemke,
From what my Post office contact told me is that each office should have had one person take a class to understand all the stupid new pricing and sizing that the USPS decided to create( I wonder if Ebay was behind this new move ). They in turn are suppose to train everyone else.
Mama
posted on September 11, 2007 07:54:19 PM
My postal clerk, a lady, took the class & told me it was far too much to take in at one time, not to mention confusing.
When a question came up on what I was mailing she had to make a phone call to be sure she was right.
She couldn't have been nicer or more helpfull.
sthoemke, I'm glad you stood your ground with the idiots you came across.
Whatever happened to giving the customer the benefit of doubt when you don't know the answer.
posted on September 11, 2007 08:41:37 PM
Remember, it's a government agency. You've probably heard about people who get one answer from the IRS and then get caught in an audit nightmare because they followed that advice. It's all about interpretation of the regulations.
I remember years ago when I was in the publishing business (local newspapers) and the publisher had to educate the local Post Master on the DMM (Domestic Mail Manual) regs for Second Class mail. They have no incentive to learn volumes of regs that come out regularly. There apparently isn't any penalty for them to no know them ... and if our local P.O. is any indication of the state others are in - there's probably one counter person who is up on everything and loves to be the source of information. All but one of the others are content to ask her when they have a question.
And, there's one who is absolutely as dumb as a stump and almost proud of it. And, as sthoemke found out, they just look at you like a deer caught in the headlights when confronted.
Wayne
Never explain -- Your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway.
~ Elbert Hubbard
posted on September 11, 2007 10:18:40 PM
One more reason why I avoid postal counters like the plague! The only thing I take to the counter any more is international packages and even then I drag my feet. I place nice and let people in line for first so I can get the "nice" counter guy.
posted on September 12, 2007 12:27:37 PM
I know where your coming from. I use a small Post Office most of the time,but I can say if I went to the one in a much larger town that I would be charge more for 50% of what I ship because they have their scale set to make everything weigh more. The other Post Office does not use an electronic scale. I know what my DVDs should weigh and their scale shows them weighing more than a manual scale.
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posted on September 12, 2007 12:40:51 PM
Good for you! One of these days I am going to have a meeting with our local postmaster. I really don't think I should have to pay "rigid" rates on my postcards (pixia doesn't have to pay the surcharge in Oregon). I have placed a junk postcard inside one of my plastic mailers and bent in half lengthwise and crosswise and there is no damage. It is thin enough to go through the machines (I know they send them through machines anyway because I have gotten them back with address problems and they were machine processed). Even the clerks told me I should meet with him!
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posted on September 12, 2007 03:03:20 PM
About keeping up with thr new, as Wayne mentioned, it happens in the medical profession too & that's really scary.
Know all you can about your condition, treatments & medication, believe me it can save your life. Never put all your trust in your doctor or a nurse. Keep copies of all tests & records, question everything & stay out of the hospital...if you can.
Close to 100.000 people die each year in hospitals from medical mistakes.
posted on September 12, 2007 03:13:37 PM
familybiz - this kind of reminds me back when I took my income tax thingy to the IRS and they computed my tax & filled out all the papers for me and told me I needed to redo them in my handwriting instead of theirs. Big surprise when my tax return said I owed more tax. I explained that I only did what the examiner said to do. I kind of think somebody lost a job on that one.
Yeah I did feel kind of bad but what was he doing there when he couldn't compute my 1040 form? It wasn't that complicated in those days......
posted on September 17, 2007 07:02:49 PM
I went to the post office again to mail some items. As it turns out, the clerk was the person who taught a "class" on the new postal regulations. She admitted that she taught the class twice, because the first time she taught it "wrong", and still has trouble understanding some of the new regulations.
As it turns out, you can no longer insure the contents of an envelope if it is under 3/4" thick - she had go to the back room for several minutes to check on that. (no tracking or delivery conformation either if under 3/4", even if envelope is thick or rigid).
I suspect many sellers will now be mailing items in packages that are greatly larger than needed.
She said that if an item isn't mailed correctly, it will be returned, and they have been having a lot of envelopes returned to sender. She also said that they have been having a lot of envelopes being sent back to the sender that have been mailed absolute correctly (tends to emply that mail carriers haven't been taught the new rules).
