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#2 is the #1 reason why I don't like dealing with the USPS for packages. It's easier for me to run to the post office and have them walk me through the process

by toxican 12y ago

#2 is the #1 reason why I don't like dealing with the USPS for packages. It's easier for me to run to the post office and have them walk me through the process of the more complicated shipping (non-domestic primarily), but the people there are ass holes. Between the post office where I live and the office where I work (in two different states), I've never had a good experience. There's always some pissed off, rude middle aged woman who acts like I'm an idiot for not being familiar with all of their complicated protocols and rules for shipping. So yeah, branding isn't their problem. It's the service itself that blows.

VLM 12y ago
The most polite way to put it is people who willfully refuse to learn any market, are only given the alternatives of being frustrated or ripped off, often without understanding which is about to happen to them. So in this individual concrete example, basically you're saying that for a willfully uninformed customer, the USPS has made a policy decision at a high level to frustrate you instead of ripping you off, and you'd like to do business with someone who will rip you off instead of frustrating you. I donno if that's a huge win or if most people would really prefer that, especially if the alternative were explained to you. I've shipped exotic electronics prototypes to Canada, all by myself, gettin it right the first time, about as exotic as you can get without involving ITAR, with only minimal and brief research. If you get ITAR involved, then I do feel your pain, but ITAR isn't the USPS's fault, even if they're the easiest people to lash out at.
- alarius 12y ago
  There shouldn't need to be any learning of markets or navigating of postal office policies. This is a business like any other meant to serve their customers. Shipping a package should and needs to be as easy as checking out at Wal-Mart.
  - VLM 12y ago
    "Shipping a package should and needs to be as easy as checking out at Wal-Mart." .gov politicians disagree emphatically. Those regulations weren't made for fun. They may result in a dysfunctional system. Monopolies do not serve their customers other than incidentally.
- toxican 12y ago
  I wasn't really complaining that it's too difficult to ship stuff so much as I was that the employees I've interacted with have all been dicks. I guess not setting aside a weekend to memorize the poorly-designed info database on the USPS site is technically willful ignorance. But then again so is not taking a weekend to learn all of the inner workings of my car, or how plumbing works, or how to build a house, etc. and choosing to have a professional take care of it. And I really don't think the only two options the USPS has are "be a dick" or "go figure it out yourself, you lazy shit"

by toxican 12y ago

VLM 12y ago

The most polite way to put it is people who willfully refuse to learn any market, are only given the alternatives of being frustrated or ripped off, often without understanding which is about to happen to them. So in this individual concrete example, basically you're saying that for a willfully uninformed customer, the USPS has made a policy decision at a high level to frustrate you instead of ripping you off, and you'd like to do business with someone who will rip you off instead of frustrating you. I donno if that's a huge win or if most people would really prefer that, especially if the alternative were explained to you. I've shipped exotic electronics prototypes to Canada, all by myself, gettin it right the first time, about as exotic as you can get without involving ITAR, with only minimal and brief research. If you get ITAR involved, then I do feel your pain, but ITAR isn't the USPS's fault, even if they're the easiest people to lash out at.

alarius 12y ago
There shouldn't need to be any learning of markets or navigating of postal office policies. This is a business like any other meant to serve their customers. Shipping a package should and needs to be as easy as checking out at Wal-Mart.
- VLM 12y ago
  "Shipping a package should and needs to be as easy as checking out at Wal-Mart." .gov politicians disagree emphatically. Those regulations weren't made for fun. They may result in a dysfunctional system. Monopolies do not serve their customers other than incidentally.
toxican 12y ago
I wasn't really complaining that it's too difficult to ship stuff so much as I was that the employees I've interacted with have all been dicks. I guess not setting aside a weekend to memorize the poorly-designed info database on the USPS site is technically willful ignorance. But then again so is not taking a weekend to learn all of the inner workings of my car, or how plumbing works, or how to build a house, etc. and choosing to have a professional take care of it. And I really don't think the only two options the USPS has are "be a dick" or "go figure it out yourself, you lazy shit"