Are post office staff the new doctor’s receptionists?

[CakeInAJar]

As in the bad attitude!

Last few times I’ve been in they’ve been really snarky with me over simple enquiries over sending parcels. Such as snapping because I don’t know the ins and outs of all the special delivery terms. This is the experience in different POs BTW.

Im going away at the weekend and always use the KeepSafe service - which means your mail while you’re away isn’t delivered until you’re back home. The online form in normally use wasn’t working so I called Royal Mail and they said I could just get it sorted at the PO if I couldn’t do it online. I asked if any PO could process this and they said yes

So I went today and asked if I could apply for a Keepsafe. The woman looked at me like I’d just asked if I could drown her puppies and said “You what?”. When I repeated it she said “Keep? safe? What’s that?“. I explained what it was and she said “We can do redirection”. I said no it’s not the same thing. She was looking at colleagues and other customers saying “I’ve no idea what she’s on about never heard of this before” when I explained Royal Mail said I could apply for KeepSafe at any PO she said “No idea. You’ll have will have to go back to the Royal Mail. keep? Safe? Not a clue!”

I told her she was being really rude and there as no need to speak to me like that I was only doing what Royal Mail advised. She bellowed “We aren’t the Royal Mail!” - which I know is true but they provide Royal Mail services such as redirection.

Im really annoyed by this shitty attitude - have others experienced or is ir just my face that seems to rile people up 😂

I'd be thinking if I had a problem with staff in more than one PO and more than one surgery, it might just be my attitude towards people tbf.

I assure you im nice and polite, and I only get this in the PO.

It is perfectly possible that sometimes staff are the rude ones, not customers

And actually my GP surgery is lovely but I know they get a bad reputation for rude receptionists in general

In our local coop they are training up all the staff to do the post office. So the ones new to it don't have a clue about unusual requests! The experienced staff who know everything are being put on the regular tills. It's crazy! And I agree that they are often grumpy!

The receptionists at my GP are really helpful. I'd love to get the same level of service elsewhere.

I recently sent a wedding card to Ireland, nearly 2 weeks early. Asked the post office lady how long on average it should take, she just shrugged and said she hadn’t got a clue!

I googled when I got home - the post office website (not Royal Mail!) states the aim is 3-5 working days, so why couldn’t she quote that. I wouldn’t have held her to it, but to shrug and be so non commital was rude.

It actually arrived within 4 working days, so bang in what the PO website said.

I worked in the Co-op as a student @Tryingtogetitright i wish they had a PO back then. That way I could recreate my childhood games of when I had a Royal Mail branded toy post office and played with it for longer than was age appropriate 🤣

Last time I was in the UK a few years ago, the man in the post office was so rude I thought he was putting in a skit, seriously, it was like an episode of Little Britain. I watched him whilst in the 40 minute queue to the point I let people go before me so I could see how it panned out 😀

I've long thought that post office staff (and pharmacists) are the last bastions of Stalinism. Neither are happy unless you are queuing for ages and neither have any concept of customer service.

There are exceptions - my local post office staff are quite nice, But they still have long queues and take ages to process anything.

If something can take 2 minutes, they'll find a way to make it take 2 days.

We're unfortunate enough to have the PO & GP sharing a counter, so one person does both jobs! It's a really awful combination, i can't believe anyone ever thought those two things were compatible.

You can get there 10 minutes early for your appointment, stand at the reception to book in, yet the receptionist is up to her elbows in 20 ebay parcels so you're officially late for your appointment by the time she takes your name and tells you to sit down. It's shambolic.

They've always been polite in my experience if not always completely clued up. Had to argue with one once who said I couldn't send something recorded delivery to Belfast as it could only be done "within the UK".

I get annoyed when they close the self-service machines because nobody is available to supervise them. I don't want to be supervised, I want to self-serve. Like it says on the tin.

I had dealings with a very unhelpful PO counter woman. I wanted to send a parcel that included a half bottle of liqueur. She asked me the standard question - “What’s in the parcel”, and I gave her a summary. She asked me for the % proof of the liqueur, I said I had no idea but guessed 70% proof. She refused to accept the parcel and told me it is illegal to post 70% proof alcohol!!!

I looked it up on the internet there and then, read out the information stating it was not illegal but she absolutely refused to accept the package.

Judging by the look on her face and her tone of voice she enjoyed refusing as well.

Yes, PO staff are horrendous and have been for years. I do think they get worn down a bit by some very rude (and stressed) customers but that is no excuse.

I started to make a proper complaint every time a staff member was rude to me or (more often) someone else in the queue (they seemed to really pick on particular groups of people) and it did improve a little. I suggest everyone does the same.

Personally I always get the best service from Post Offices in Co-Ops etc rather than main branches.

Thé main Post Office ( run by PO) was always renowned for deeply unhelpful, grumpy jobsworths IME. The little local PO was ( and is) a bit of a bastion of the community, especially the well used notice board. They were great for helping you get your passport photo right via their coin in the slot machine.

The ones in supermarkets etc seem to lean more to the local, but without the personalised chat.

Blimey yes, I couldn't agree more about post office staff and pharmacists! Our PO is in the pharmacy so its a double attack if you happen to need both.

Firstly ours still insist that you queue outside even in the p*ssing rain and there is ALWAYS a queue whatever the time of day. When it's finally your turn to do the walk of shame and approach the counter you are greeted with a deadpan stare and silence.

No matter what your request is, it's always met with a look as though you've asked them to provide the moon on a stick. I get that it isn't fun to work in a customer facing role but you shouldn't be made to feel like a massive inconvenience just for wanting a book of stamps or collecting a prescription!