Almost went postal at the USPS!

[Kashmir104]

So I went to the post office today (in the late afternoon- not even prime time... past the lunch crowd) to mail out my Save-the-Dates for those who live on the East Coast. I waited in line for 25 minutes behind a line of 7 people. My Save-the-Dates need to be hand canceled because of the paper used and the decorations on the front and inside (Alpine Creative Group said NOT to have it be run through the automatic machine and to specifically have them hand canceled (they were the first who specifically told me it was a service the post office provides.))

When I got up to the front counter, I said to the frowning postal woman working there (with a huge smile on my face) "Hi there! I would like to get these letters hand canceled." She looked at me in disgust and told me "We do not hand cancel." To which I replied "Umm actually it's a free service that all post offices provide. I even called the customer service number on the website to confirm!" Then she then got all %&#*$ and told me that they don't and that she doesn't have time to hand cancel them, but that I could (GET THIS!) leave them with her and she'll try to get them done at some point, but that she wasn't sure if they would actually ever get sent. I DON'T THINK SO CRAZY LADY!!!!! Especially when she make it fairly obvious that they wouldn't ever be sent!

Eric and I are going to try another post office outside of San Francisco tomorrow, but has anyone run into this before??!?! Is it new practice??? I'm so scared because my Save-the-Dates turned out so nice and I'll be devistated if they get ruined!!!

I just don't get it. If everyone else who was in line was allowed 3.5 minutes each, would it have killed her to spend maybe 5 hand canceling my 15 Save-the-Dates I had brought that day!! Plus her job is to help people send mail.. I was just trying to send mail!!!! Sorry to complain, but it just ruined my day! I left almost in tears

 

[Swmhc]

That is freaking crazy. I could see if it was the busy lunch hour and you brought in a hundred or something. But come on....15 lousy envelopes to hand cancel. Our post office does it to anyting I take to the window (like odd -size envelope that I just needed weighed for correct postage, whatever). Maybe that is a benefit of small-town living, I don't know. I am sorry you have to deal with this. Good luck finding a more cooperative postal worker !

 

[boo2you]

That's terrible! Typically at that point, I just bat my eyes and ask kindly for her supervisor. Works every time!

 

[IndyBride]

What horrible customer service! I can't beleive anyone would be so rude. I'm sorry for you! I bet you were so excited to send some save the dates and then she ruined the experience for you!!!

 

[lastminutemom]

It is my experience that not every post office hand cancels. However, you can ask for the hand cancelling stamp and offer to do it yourself! Did you know that?

Then you know they are hand cancelled when you hand them back to them.

Also, even if you are going to do it yourself, it is essential that you go at a non-busy time or pick a post office that isn't so busy.

 

[Starr W.]

What horrible customer service! I can't beleive anyone would be so rude. I'm sorry for you! I bet you were so excited to send some save the dates and then she ruined the experience for you!!!

It's the Post Office, why do you expect customer service? We have had the same surly folks working the front desk at ours for 20+yrs.

I went yesterday morning to pick up our on hold mail, a line out the door and how many people working the front desk? 2, with one doing passport apps for a family who filled out the wrong forms, then couldn't quite understand they had to write a separate check(no credit cards) for each app. to the US Dept of State.

My mom swore our mail man (who uses a truck) backed over her mailbox because it was too small and mom got too much mail, he would have to get out and take it to the door.

 

[caryndisneydiva]

i'd file a complaint against that woman. i had more problems with the usps than i even care to think about with my wedding. they are HORRIBLE.

 

[RangerPooh]

Hi. Sorry to hear about your experience at the post office. I'm not sure which post office you went to, but I recall having a discussion with you once about the south bay area. If you happen to be in the Morgan Hill area try the San Martin PO off of Church Street (I think*, it's been years since we left the area). I actually sent my invites from there as both the Gilroy and Morgan Hill PO always ahd long lines. HTH.

 

[dakcp2001]

I just wanted to say I loved your title to this thread! lol! I shudder when I think how much time would be saved, if people just did their job! It would seriuously cut my work day in half!

 

[Kashmir104]

Thanks for your wishes everyone!!! At least today I can laugh about how stupid the whole thing was! I should've known better than to assume maybe things operate differently out here (it's Cali, everyone should be laid-back!) DF and I woke up too late this morning to actually get them mailed today (we're going hiking with some friends this afternoon), but we're going to use Keri's idea and get them mailed far far away from the city!

Although I think the USPS is like this nationwide. My cousin actually hand canceled hers herself off to the side at a PO in Connecticut and then the idiots ran it through the machine ANYWAY!!!! So hers had two cancels on there and she was so upset because it kind of looked funny when they arrived. Not that anyone probably noticed, but I would've been mad too!

Keri- Thanks for the great idea! We moved out of MH, but DF still works down there. I'm going to have him try the MH one during the day Monday and if they are too busy then I'll have him go to the one in San Martin. Hopefully they will be able to handle it!!

I think this just proves the fact that I'm definitely a small-town girl just getting lost in the big city!!!

 

[RangerPooh]

I hope that it works for you. I frequently bypassed the Gilroy PO and drove to San Martin just for the customer service. Small town PO are the way to go! When I lived in the gold country near Yosemite, I lived in a tiny town, and the people at the PO knew me by name! How awesome was that?