I rarely leave reviews, but today's experience at USPS left me speechless--and not in a good way.
I walked into the post office fully prepared, as someone who spends nearly $1,000 a month on USPS services through EDDM and Priority Mail. I had one simple question about measuring and weighing an item, and instead of getting even a baseline level of customer service, I was met with pure indifference.
Ben, the employee who helped me, could not stop glancing at his watch like it was a countdown to his escape. His body language screamed, "I don't care." He looked so uncomfortable and distracted, I honestly thought he either had to use the bathroom or had mentally clocked out 30 minutes before his shift was over.
I had a package I was trying to ship back via ground, and I asked what it would cost. Before I could even finish my sentence, he cut me off and said, "Well, you have to put a label on it first or write on it." I told him I had a marker ready and just wanted to know what it would cost.
Instead of helping, he started making grunts behind his mask, lifting his hand to check his watch every five seconds, and clearly acting like I was keeping him from something more important.
He finally put it on the scale and said it would start at $28 and change and go up. I said, "Okay, great. So what's next?" and he replied, "Well, then I have to measure it."
I looked at him and said, "I can see you're clearly disturbed. Is something going on?" He answered, "The guy's going to close the door," and I told him that was fine. But it was obvious he wanted me gone more than he wanted to help.
So I left. I decided people like him are not worth my time. I'll take my business to UPS.
This is exactly why USPS continues to lose ground. In the private sector, someone like Ben wouldn't last a week. But because USPS is a protected government-run operation, accountability is nonexistent, and customer experience is treated like an afterthought--if it's even considered at all.
USPS, you are on life support for a reason. Encounters like this are exactly why people cheer on your eventual downfall. Shape up or step aside for those who understand that serving the public is a responsibility, not an inconvenience. read more