Post Office counter staff to strike
Discussion
Good.
These are the ones that work at the "Crown" post offices, the ones in high streets who don't give a f
k
The sooner this sad bastion of high street bureaucracy is closed down, the better
I look forward to the day that all posting matters can be done online and I can drop off parcels at an out-of-town depot, as well as the day that every government form can be done and paid online without having to set foot in the godforsaken place known as the Post Office.
These are the ones that work at the "Crown" post offices, the ones in high streets who don't give a f
k The sooner this sad bastion of high street bureaucracy is closed down, the better
I look forward to the day that all posting matters can be done online and I can drop off parcels at an out-of-town depot, as well as the day that every government form can be done and paid online without having to set foot in the godforsaken place known as the Post Office.
john_p said:
Good.
These are the ones that work at the "Crown" post offices, the ones in high streets who don't give a fk
The sooner this sad bastion of high street bureaucracy is closed down, the better
I look forward to the day that all posting matters can be done online and I can drop off parcels at an out-of-town depot, as well as the day that every government form can be done and paid online without having to set foot in the godforsaken place known as the Post Office.
Maybe it is only my local Post Office but now you have to take a ticket and wait to go to a certain counter, so you are introducing inefficiency because not all counters will equally busy. I said at the time that it could only be Labour influenced.These are the ones that work at the "Crown" post offices, the ones in high streets who don't give a f
k The sooner this sad bastion of high street bureaucracy is closed down, the better
I look forward to the day that all posting matters can be done online and I can drop off parcels at an out-of-town depot, as well as the day that every government form can be done and paid online without having to set foot in the godforsaken place known as the Post Office.
Stu R said:
You mean they weren't already?
Feck 'em. It's hardly skilled labour, let someone else take their place.
Not quite - working on the counter requires security checks, training on Horizon (computer system), all the forms and financial products they offer these days. You could draft in former subpostmasters although it depends how up to date they're (and how different procedures in Crown Offices are).Feck 'em. It's hardly skilled labour, let someone else take their place.
ninja-lewis said:
Stu R said:
You mean they weren't already?
Feck 'em. It's hardly skilled labour, let someone else take their place.
Not quite - working on the counter requires security checks, training on Horizon (computer system), all the forms and financial products they offer these days. You could draft in former subpostmasters although it depends how up to date they're (and how different procedures in Crown Offices are).Feck 'em. It's hardly skilled labour, let someone else take their place.
I've found that Post Office staff have a false sense of self-importance, very similar to secretarial staff who think they own the business they work for.
ninja-lewis said:
Not quite - working on the counter requires security checks, training on Horizon (computer system), all the forms and financial products they offer these days. You could draft in former subpostmasters although it depends how up to date they're (and how different procedures in Crown Offices are).
How exactly does that differ from any other retail environment? B&Q staff are more specialist than post office staff, and trained to a far higher standard when it comes to product knowledge and customer service training.they might be highly trained but in my experience they do not use it in practice. we send out a lot of items in the post. my wife will take an item in to post. it is a total lottery as to how much they will charge. that is of course if the miserable b-tards can be bothered to serve you.
we use a courier now who collects most of our parcels and is good to work with, only using the po for very small items.
we use a courier now who collects most of our parcels and is good to work with, only using the po for very small items.
Stu R said:
How exactly does that differ from any other retail environment? B&Q staff are more specialist than post office staff, and trained to a far higher standard when it comes to product knowledge and customer service training.
There are a whole host of statutory regulations (FSA, money laundering, DVLA, passports, Romec, to name a few) that need to be met (usually requring certified courses to be completed) and Horizon is not the most user friendly system in the world.The point I am making is that the offices will almost certainly be distrupted by the strikes - it's not like the Royal Mail side where they can bring in casual staff to try to keep some things moving or BA using other staff as volunteer Cabin Crew. I doubt retail banks would attempt to bring strike cover in either - it's not practical in the short time frames involved, more so when the distruption to the overall network (Sub Post Offices being 97% of the network after all) is low anyway.
DavesFlaps said:
Our local post office is manned by a couple of unpleasant, unhelpful, wasp-faced old hags for whom good customer service means accidental eye contact. It deserves to be closed down simply for employing them.
Checks profile to see if he lives in telford. He does not hmm perhaps they moved.
Post of the day IMO! 
Used local main office the other day. Queue not too bad even though stationary for several minutes at one point as all 4 counter staff involved in long discussions with punters. Finally served by very pleasant gentleman with a turban who, once I had got my stamp tried to sell me Over 50's life assurance. Hadn't the heart or the time to tell him that after thirty plus years of administering it I had a pretty good idea of what it was all about.
Did explain the slow queue though if they are cross-selling to everyone. And why don't they have a self-service machine which grabs an envelope, weighs and measures it (EU rules!) then tells you how much it will cost to send it and stamps it accordingly? Even 'UK only' would be a start.
Did explain the slow queue though if they are cross-selling to everyone. And why don't they have a self-service machine which grabs an envelope, weighs and measures it (EU rules!) then tells you how much it will cost to send it and stamps it accordingly? Even 'UK only' would be a start.
jas xjr said:
they might be highly trained but in my experience they do not use it in practice. we send out a lot of items in the post. my wife will take an item in to post. it is a total lottery as to how much they will charge. that is of course if the miserable b-tards can be bothered to serve you.
we use a courier now who collects most of our parcels and is good to work with, only using the po for very small items.
Total lottery to how much they charge? we use a courier now who collects most of our parcels and is good to work with, only using the po for very small items.
Get a price list and some scales, it's not hard! - perhaps it is for some.
It's also all online. Work it out in seconds.
I use the post office and couriers and have done with my business for last 24 years. Surprisingly I get no problems from either.
Counter staff problems are usually understaffing, but given nice new uniforms and scarves by dopey overpaid management.
Courier is good as you say (well mine is!) because as you say, it's collected from you, but they can't compete with Royal Mail on small items. 2 parcels yesterday picked up at 3pm for overnight. Rang wholesaler this morning to say he'd get them today. He said 'Got them yesterday'!
But conversely I sent several pkts by Royal Mail, all first class, (properly and correctly marked and addressed 'clearly') - every one received today. That's normal for me.
Perhaps those that have problems should learn to address clearly, know the correct postage and rules.
Like Xmas, the poor sods who complain their cards and pressies didn't arrive. The truth is they probably addressed them 'Auntie Nina, Liverpool'.
Pathetic.
Dogwatch said:
Used local main office the other day. Queue not too bad even though stationary for several minutes at one point as all 4 counter staff involved in long discussions with punters. Finally served by very pleasant gentleman with a turban who, once I had got my stamp tried to sell me Over 50's life assurance. Hadn't the heart or the time to tell him that after thirty plus years of administering it I had a pretty good idea of what it was all about.
Did explain the slow queue though if they are cross-selling to everyone. And why don't they have a self-service machine which grabs an envelope, weighs and measures it (EU rules!) then tells you how much it will cost to send it and stamps it accordingly? Even 'UK only' would be a start.
Do you think the idea of 'selling' comes from the counter staff? Do you think they 'like' doing it?Did explain the slow queue though if they are cross-selling to everyone. And why don't they have a self-service machine which grabs an envelope, weighs and measures it (EU rules!) then tells you how much it will cost to send it and stamps it accordingly? Even 'UK only' would be a start.
They have no choice. The 'clever' top overpaid gits at Royal Mail ...it's their idea! Management? Couldn't manage a w...
I went to the local crown post office last year to renew the tax on one of my cars. Unfortunately, when I got there, it turned out to be 1974, which meant I was not old enough to drive or have a bank account. I therefore went home and bought the tax over the internet with the hope that I wouldn't get pulled over in the couple of days it took to arrive.
I have no doubt that the next time I go into a main post office, it will still be 1974 in there. I don't intend this to happen much before 2060, so by then the chances are that 1974 will just feel like normal again!
I have no doubt that the next time I go into a main post office, it will still be 1974 in there. I don't intend this to happen much before 2060, so by then the chances are that 1974 will just feel like normal again!
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