Has anyone noticed a recent drain in the service at the post office? Not to mention the constant price spike...

I recently had surgery and have had my assistant doing my postal errands. It seems like one problem after another.

1. Pre-paid packages can be dropped off at any postal location. I can't count the number of times the clerks (and even the post master at one location!) have told me or my assistant that we really need to drop those off at the location it is addressed from (even though that is the complete opposite direction from my home/office).

2. One specific day my assistant was told that she could not pick up a box to use with a pre-paid label. Also that it could not be assembled at the post office. The clerk told her that she was receiving a discount so that he didn't have to mess with her box. (I understand the theory behind this, though I can't ever imagine flat out telling this to a paying customer!)

3. My assistant was told she used an incorrect tape and that post office tape (with the little priority emblem) must be used. She apologized and returned later that day with an un-taped package and was told that she could not and would not be provided tape and that the post office was going broke because of people like her. The only reason she did not have her own tape was because she was told earlier that day not to use her own tape.

I could type all day about the problems with the post office. I have tried to make two formal complaints with them (only after trying to contact the post office directly). This past time when I contacted USPS (via their 800 number) the representative directed to me a state office that was suppose to handle the complaints. I kindly asked that he still process my complaint and we were everso conveniently disconnected while waiting on the confirmation number he didn't want to give me.

When I called the state office (can't remember the name off hand) the lady was nice enough at first, but she claimed her co-worker contacted me regarding my previous complaint. When I told her that never happened she actually had the nerve to tell me that since I had recently had surgery, I was probably on pain medication and did not remember talking to her co-worked. I should have asked for her supervisor at that moment for the lack of professionalism (not to mention I had major surgery and metal screwed completely through my bones and recovered without the aid of any pain medicine!) Nevertheless, I did not and simply asked when to expect her follow up phone call regarding my new claim. That was Monday, and well, today is Saturday and guess what? No call.

I am at my wits end with the post office and to the point of paying more for a less convenient service just for the principle of the matter.

Suppose this is just a place to vent. Maybe I will find someone having similar problems, or possibly even a way to resolve the issue.

woah, i would be extremely pissed off. Ive heard of post offices trying this random BS.. this is why I rarely go to the counter. All the post offices around here have a collection bin in the lobby.. so I use it. They have free pickup, you can call the 800 number and have them come pick up your packages too. Ive done that and its useful when I have a bunch to go out.

I can feel your pain. My p.o. is AWFUL. I buy a LOT of jewelry from online; often, it needs a signature for delivery. I'm never home for the first try, so I get the postcard in the door thing for redelivery. Almost every time, they fail to have it on the truck for the new redelivery day. In fact, it's now that I expect this to happen, which it did 3 weeks ago. And happened a week before that. This has been going on about once a month since 2 years ago. I've called their manager to complain; nothing gets done about it. And there are many other mistakes they keep making, as well.

They've also crushed open a large envelope that had shoes in it, and delivered the empty envelope; with the peach postcards, they sometimes give me a 1st notice, then skip to the 3rd (and final) one, and almost sent back an emerald and diamond necklace to India before I could stop them; when I go to the post office to pick up the redelivery packages that were supposed to be on the truck, they "can't find them" without a LOT of panic and time.

In the 3 weeks ago incident, I called them, and told them in no uncertain terms that I was tired of their problems. They had someone at my house, with the parcel, in 45 minutes.

It's so bad that I'm considering renting a p.o. box just for eBay jewelry, in another town. I work in that complex anyway, so stopping to sign for a parcel would be on my way home, etc. The other p.o. actually is not easy to get to, despite being in my town of residence.