I'm sick of the US Mail System but what can you do about it?

[BLACKHEART]

Yesterday I found it odd that we didn't get a single piece of mail. Today when I looked in the box there were four letters where someone had written in black ink "wrong address" and circled our address. I'm guessing a neighbor put them in the box. A few minutes later the mail man arrives and one of the letters appears to have been opened. Not to mention I get a box that I've been waiting for and it looks abused.

Thankfully the person who sent the box packed the items well.

A guy said he sent me payment for an item off ebay. I don't doubt it. With the holiday's the letter has probably been lossed.

Last week I got payment from someone who sent it a month ago. It's even post marked.

A package I sent to someone the first or second week of Dec. has yet to arrive to it's location.

Can someone explain why the rates keep going up as the service goes down?

[Jedigreedo]

Well for the opened mail, beat up box and the mail that was sent to your neighbors, you should complain to the post office.

As for the rest of the stuff, I dunno.

[BLACKHEART]

It doesn't do any good. I've had a letter come to me in a plastic bag because it was destroyed in processing. The only way to insure your package will get to where it's going is with insurance because they don't want to lose a cent.

[Pilmedium]

Rates always go up, regardless of what happens with the service. Companies decide they want more money, so they say "Screw the customer."

Originally posted by BLACKHEART
The only way to insure your package will get to where it's going is with insurance because they don't want to lose a cent.

Then, they must be greedy. Insurance is expensive enough for people not to pay it, even on important items.

[Daniel P]

It doesn't matter to them that it's bad service, because they are making more money anyway. They'd probably be stunned to find out that they would make even more money if the service were actually good. But we're talking about a giant United States company, so they probably won't figure it out. :rolleyes:

[Stardust]

Originally posted by BLACKHEART

Can someone explain why the rates keep going up as the service goes down?


Mail people's been pretty good with me and my family....so far. *knocks on wood...*

I'd like to say that the delay in recieving mail is probably from the stuff they're using to check for anthrax. If you wonder why you're receiving a piece of mail that looks like it's been aged, it was checked for anthrax. Same with packages. They've probably gone through damage in the anthrax check. But I don't know how legit the anthrax reasoning is anymore. And certainly not a reason for the rise in postal stamps?

To save myself grief, I haven't sent any packages or ordered anything online (photos or objects) and won't do so until there's definate proof that there's no more anthrax testing in mail. Maybe not so much with objects, but definately with photos. I'm not about to let some radiation thing destroy my photos.

I was surprised that postage costs rose because I thought all this time the Postal Services were complaining about how E-mails are going to take away jobs for them and all that crap. When I heard about that, I was all happy, thinking: Whoa. Postage might actually go down! Then postage went up....well so much for wishful thinking. :)

[Calhoun07]

Those are a lot of problems for one person to endure!! I would call your post office and COMPLAIN. Trouble with calling the post office these days, your local post office's phone number isn't listed in the phone book. They are all now listed as (or should all be listed as) an 800 number. Only after you go thru 20 menu options to FINALLY get to talk to a person, you will have to convince the person to let you talk to the post office in person, because more than likely they will log your question/complaint, and they will call the post office for you, and maybe the post office will call you back. I experienced this when my post office lost a package. I got the slip in my mail box that it was at my apartment complex office waiting for me, but it wasn't there, nor did the postman ever recall getting it or delivering it. And it was about $90.00 worth of merchandise from amazon.com. But it wasn't until dealing with the 800 number that I was able to get the phone number for the post office directly and wrote it down on my calendar for any future reference.

I can understand why they don't like people calling them all day long asking stupid questions like, "How much are 34¢ stamps?" but when I need to get hold of the post office, it is because I need to talk to somebody THERE, not in some I have no idea where customer service center.

That and they charge too much to send packages. What can you do??? Use Fed Ex or UPS. UPS is surprisingly cheaper and FASTER.

[CLStorm]

Well, think about this, the people that work there deal with people who have nothing better to do that hassle them. You would get annoyed every day too and you know it.

[Andy Mancini]

If it'll make you feel any better, I've heard rumors that the guys in charge are considering a bill that would, in essence, privatize the US Postal Service.

[TimTwoFace]

I've had a few run-ins with Canada Post, myself. I sent a package to someone and, three months later, it was returned to me because someone has spilled coffee across the delivery address. Lovely. Even worse, it was still legible, so they could have delivered it anyway! Argh.

Then there was the time a rather bullky letter someone had sent me from the states was obviously tampered with. Perhaps the disgruntled sort at the post office thought there was some type of smuggling going on. Fine. I can accept that. But they did a HORRIBLE job taping up the letter again; there were empty gaps everywhere. Thank God all of the contents - just letters and photos - were still there.

I'm all for privatizing government services and pitting two services against each other. Competition is the only way to ensure that the quality of a service or product is controlled. If you have a monopoly (as the government has), then they have no reason to listen to you, really; you can do all the complaining in the world, but as they are controlling the mail service 100%, they can go by their own agenda.

Privatization is the way to go. It'll take a while, but ultimately, I think it's worth it.

-Tim

[zmanjz]

When the postal service screws up, just think "WWMSD" What would Mad Stan do?

And if you follow that advice, the postal problem will be solved...


forever... BWA HA HA HA

But really there's nothing you can do. I mean if a truck carying mail is in an accident and the mail is burned, there was no way to prevent it.

Or if the mail sorter turns into a document shredder... I mean it's not intentional... Or is it...

[The Landstander]

you can't fight the postal system. they will destroy your life and the lives of everyone you care about. be afraid of the postal system, and if your mail arrives opened, bent, or partly eaten, smile and say thanks.

[jeffrey 228]

Well look at my brother he has problems wit hthe mail system, because he can't get his check on time, and like we need the money for food and stuff.

[BLACKHEART]

I wouldn't even call from my own house. You know they would track you and give you even more sloppy service.

[Mitsuko]

Mail quality has gone down and even complaining won't help. I haven't had many problems with my mail, except for a few letters that have been marked "Wrong Address" when they were clearly written out. There's not much you can do except hope that it changes.

As for mail service competition, it does sound like a good idea. You can ensure that mail quality will rise and that they will take more interest in what you have to say about their service.

-Mitsuko

[FavreFactor]

Posted by Mitsuko
Mail quality has gone down and even complaining won't help. I haven't had many problems with my mail, except for a few letters that have been marked "Wrong Address" when they were clearly written out. There's not much you can do except hope that it changes.

Its happened to me too. Also the U.S. mail just takes too long!! They have to fix these things up!! :(

[Calhoun07]

Originally posted by CLStorm
Well, think about this, the people that work there deal with people who have nothing better to do that hassle them. You would get annoyed every day too and you know it.

Since this follows my post, I will assume it is in response to me.

I don't think calling them with a concern about a package they obviously lost with $90.00 worth of merchandise is "hassling" them. I know you didn't say that I was, but if the post office has to get to the point where it's virtually impossible to difficult to talk to the post office location you need to to get help with a serious matter like this, then that is bad customer service to me. I just assumed there were people calling in with stupid questions.

HOWEVER, I work for a bank, and I know what it is like to have to take phone calls from customers with routine questions, and ever since we started our 24 hour banking phone line, that cut back on the number of phone calls we get with routine questions exponetially. On the other hand, we didn't take our main phone number out of the phone book so people couldn't call us at all and was required to go thru the 24 hour line first and have to hit 20 buttons on their touch tone phone just to talk to a human being. Nope, both the auto line phone number and our regular phone numbers are listed, so people have an option.

My beef with this new 800 "customer service" number is that it just automatically assumes people are too stupid to know when it is appropriate when and when to not call the post office location. A lost/stolen package is an appropriate thing to call them for, but they don't give me the option. But I wrote down their phone number in the event it it required for me to call them in the future, but people who don't do that will have to spend 20 minutes on an automated line trying to get thru to them. That is not "customer service" by any stetch of the imagination.

And as to getting annoyed??? I didn't get annoyed when I had to field all those routine phone calls at the bank. If they get "annoyed" then they need to get a new job.

[Bakasama]

Originally posted by dacp3
It doesn't matter to them that it's bad service, because they are making more money anyway. They'd probably be stunned to find out that they would make even more money if the service were actually good. But we're talking about a giant United States company, so they probably won't figure it out. :rolleyes:

Okay, I'm diggin' up this old topic.

I used to work for USPS and it's actually LOSING money. The system was designed by Ben Franklin and it was designed to keep itself running with with the sell of stamps and other services. It was never meant make money, well alot of it... But now the system needs a major overhaul to fix it. As far as I know, the management (ie the head office in DC) doesn't know how to fix the system.

Now you might ask why I don't work of the USPS anymore, well, the USPS wasn't doing that great before 9/11 and when that happened, business really went downhill. At first it was cool and all because there was less mail to process (thus, I could go home early) but as the weeks passed it started to dawn on me that the USPS was doing bad and it was very BAD and my job was going to be cut.

I really don't think USPS really recovered from 9/11 and I think the quality of mail delivery shows. That and the upping of the price of stamps.

[Jade_GL]

My boyfriend bought a huge box of comics off ebay and they were lost through the mail. Funny thing was, they gave him another box of comics (Sometimes you can fill out a form and get what they find, I forget how this works) but the box of comics that they thought were his were someone elses. So, not only did my bf get comics that were supposed to go to someone else, but he also didn't get the comics he orginally bought.

I guess the label was ripped of or something in transit.

Makes you wonder how many boxes of comics they have lying around in some lost mail room..... too sad. :(

[James]

Well both parcels I sent over to the US (one from a company based in the US too) recently missed their delivery schedule by a mile... *grumble* and I have a shirt winging it's way which is running a little late according to the guy who sent it... but then our post in the UK suffers similar problems so we all sit in the same murky waters (whatever I mean by that.... :confused: )

[cross blues]

email, paypal, billpoint, and FedEx. who needs the postal service any more?

[BLACKHEART]

It makes you wonder how much stuff the post office workers are taking home for their own use.

[Bakasama]

Originally posted by prozzak
email, paypal, billpoint, and FedEx. who needs the postal service any more?

Would you believe it's a Constitutional right? It's written in the American Constitution. To get to get rid of USPS would require a change in the Constitution. Amendments tend to be hard to pass. Getting a Christmas card from a beloved relative, for me, has more charm than getting an email. Still, I have to say paying is much easier.

Most people have no idea what a parcel goes through. It often gets beat around and thrown. I've thrown ALOT of 25 ibs boxes in my time. I remember the times when someone would send wine and the bottles would break. Remember, oversized boxes and foam peanuts are you friends!

[Bakasama]

Originally posted by BLACKHEART
It makes you wonder how much stuff the post office workers are taking home for their own use.

Actually it's very hard to steal. There are postal inspectors that watch every move you make. Roughly, they're the postal police. If you try to rip off somebody's check and you get caught, you get fined $10,000 and three years of jail time.

[BLACKHEART]

Jade was talking about a box of comics. They had to open the box to see that it was comic books right? So whose to say all those comics were in the box?

[Jade_GL]

That's a good point Blackheart. I never thought about that.

It also makes you wonder what happened to some of my bf's Maxim, Stuff and FHM magazines that never made it to his house..... hmmm.

I just hate how they keep raising the postal rates and stamp prices and all that, but I never seem to see service at my local post office improve. In fact, going to the post office is like going to the dentist.... :D

[BLACKHEART]

Actually in most cases you get out of the dentist quicker than you do the post office. ;)

What about the magazine that makes it to your house but it appears as if a dog has played with it for hours?

Ever get wet mail? or magazines?

I could go on more about this more than Best Buy.

I have terrible mail service plain and simple. The mail can come at any time between 10 AM and 6 PM. What's up with that?

[The Old Maid]

While the USPS did lose a package of mine, I'm usually satisfied with the service. My mailcarrier says I am practically the only person who remembers to put a treat in the mailbox for the holidays. (The more the packages, the less the customers seem to appreciate it.) I'd much rather fix the mail service than privatize it. A breakup would only lower prices for those living in "desirable" service locations, whereas those living in less profitable locations (like desolate country roads) or other "undesirable" locales (like dangerous inner-city neighborhoods) would be dropped. The last thing we need is another mess like the one from the breakup of Ma Bell. (Does anyone really know which calling plan saves you the most money?) For the most part, the only people who are better off under that plan are callers who can't shut up anyway, so they got a discount on volume, whereas the fixed-income folks who only need the phone to call 911 saw their bill double.

Besides, privatizing the mail removes some of our legal protections against the employees who might want to read it. Most people don't realize it because they have no personal basis for comparison, but the truth is we have the best mail system in the world.

[BLACKHEART]

What kind of treat do you put in the mailbox?

[The Old Maid]

This year it was those chocolate-covered cherries in a bag. Nothing too fancy. Just something good for munching on the route that won't leave crumbs in the car. :)

I wouldn't get rid of FedEx or the competition, but I think the reason the private services turn a profit is precisely because they have the option to refuse and/or overcharge unprofitable routes or customers. So yes, I'd rather fix the USPS than lose it.

[BLACKHEART]

Those are nasty, I'd give you bad service for sure. :)

[Bakasama]

Originally posted by The Old Maid
While the USPS did lose a package of mine, I'm usually satisfied with the service. My mailcarrier says I am practically the only person who remembers to put a treat in the mailbox for the holidays. (The more the packages, the less the customers seem to appreciate it.) I'd much rather fix the mail service than privatize it. A breakup would only lower prices for those living in "desirable" service locations, whereas those living in less profitable locations (like desolate country roads) or other "undesirable" locales (like dangerous inner-city neighborhoods) would be dropped. The last thing we need is another mess like the one from the breakup of Ma Bell. (Does anyone really know which calling plan saves you the most money?) For the most part, the only people who are better off under that plan are callers who can't shut up anyway, so they got a discount on volume, whereas the fixed-income folks who only need the phone to call 911 saw their bill double.

Besides, privatizing the mail removes some of our legal protections against the employees who might want to read it. Most people don't realize it because they have no personal basis for comparison, but the truth is we have the best mail system in the world.

Being an EX-postal worker, it's not an easy job. It's not as stressful as the certain incidents that were printed in the media. Still, it's often a 12 hour workday of constantly processing and hauling parcels. I think I lost 20 Ibs in the time I worked there.

The quality I think really depends on where you live. BLACKHEART's USPS must be pretty bad where she lives. The postal service where I live usually delivers the mail to my house usually by 2pm. There are other ways that the system slows down. The system as I remember it has at least a dozen steps to go through and many places where it could go wrong. Packages break spilling potentially dangerous chemicals. Addresses on packages are sometimes hard to read and we don't have time figure out what is when we got trucks waiting at the dock full of packages waiting to be processed. Another thing is that working at USPS IS a dangerous job. The policy is safety first over processing mail fast. When I worked at the USPS, somebody got her foot trapped under a machine and she lost a toe.

Yeah, USPS may have a lot of problems but it may be the best postal service in the world. Compared with other countries, it's still cheaper to use the USPS than any other postal service.