Spill the beans... on cutting Post Office queues (revisited)

JTO

chja wrote: »

Almost all bills can be paid on line, or even better use Direct Debit then now work at all needed (ignore tha paranoia about people taking money out your account, it's the safest way to pay someone - guaranteed by the Banks - and you may even get a discount from the utility).

NO NO NO NO NO
or to put it another way
NO

About two years back BT took £345 out of my bank one month instead of £30. Ever since I have used Standing Orders - I simply wrote to bank to change it, copied to BT, and they don't especially like it but they won't refuse the money! YOU have the control on SO's - yes, if they want more YOU have to make the effort to change it - but compared to coping with a 'loss' of £345 without notice it's not a problem.

Oh, and no, the bank would not get involved.

Jim

KxMx

I always have my parcels stickered as appropriate (RD, Airmail, customs label etc) and have a proof of posting form filled out in readiness. Saves me being there so long! Any PO will give free supplies such as the stickers mentioned, POP aren't given out anymore but I bought a couple of pads on eBay. Some do prefer the new method of the assistant writing the address on the receipt but I just ask for a cash receipt at the end, only takes a hit of the screen and I think my method is quicker overall.

soolin

KxMx wrote: »

I always have my parcels stickered as appropriate (RD, Airmail, customs label etc) and have a proof of posting form filled out in readiness. Saves me being there so long! Any PO will give free supplies such as the stickers mentioned, POP aren't given out anymore but I bought a couple of pads on eBay. Some do prefer the new method of the assistant writing the address on the receipt but I just ask for a cash receipt at the end, only takes a hit of the screen and I think my method is quicker overall.

Don't buy the POP pads, phone Royal mail and they will send them to you. You may have to blag a bit if you don't have a business account, but they will send them.

If you have a business account then it is even easier as they are on the order phone and they will send six at a time free of charge,

moneypooh

I hate December, it's a nightmare for businesses! We have to go to the post office at 4.30pm everyday for work and December is ridiculous. I'd like a business only queue, after all from Jan-Nov we are the core business for Post Offices but get a very poor service in December! Last year we had to send everything via TNT in December, because we could miss posting times if we went to the Sub or Crown offices. Let alone adding the cost in working hours due to staff standing in queues. It did cost more (or did it?) but making sure our customers had next day deliveries was very important, as we are in a market where people often order last minute and rely on next day.

soolin

moneypooh wrote: »

I hate December, it's a nightmare for businesses! We have to go to the post office at 4.30pm everyday for work and December is ridiculous. I'd like a business only queue, after all from Jan-Nov we are the core business for Post Offices but get a very poor service in December! Last year we had to send everything via TNT in December, because we could miss posting times if we went to the Sub or Crown offices. Let alone adding the cost in working hours due to staff standing in queues. It did cost more (or did it?) but making sure our customers had next day deliveries was very important, as we are in a market where people often order last minute and rely on next day.

Are you not a big enough business for a collect from service or a bag drop service?

moneypooh

soolin wrote: »

Are you not a big enough business for a collect from service or a bag drop service?

The problem is the weight, the parcels that are under 2kg are sent special delivery or airsure. To have an account you need to have a certain requirement. Our business needs mean we'd don't usually meet certain requirements as we use a carrier for 90% of our deliveries. Besides I don't see why I should pay annual account fees for a service I'd only really want for one month.

julie777

Perhaps it is my imagination but I'm sure when I was a Bank cashier in the 80s we worked at twice the pace of any cashiers or PO staff today!
(And still balanced the tills at the end of the day.)

k66yla

MadMom wrote: »

Why anyone still goes to the post office these days escapes me.

What a stupid thing to say. I'm sure you will be the first one to moan when the PO shuts down.

Becc4

I've got know the local post mistress, and she's told me when the queues are less etc. I've used it loads recently between e bay and BFPO i'd say I'm there about 2/3 a month. I think there are times when you can get postage at supermarkets but some services you can only do at post office.

yeslek

pixwix wrote: »

Other than just the usual crush to post letters at the end of a working day - easily avoided - I find two things seem to cause queues.


First, the geographical pricing lottery mentioned by another poster. I have a choice between my local PO a mile away and the next nearest, about 7 miles away. The local one is usually fairly quiet, which is hardly surprising as it's run by a miserable Basil Fawlty character who seems to regard every task and enquiry as an unconscionable affront. Plus it's quite noticeable that parcels will cost more to post there than at the other PO. The other PO is usually much busier - so perhaps the smaller branch is partially to blame!


Another cause of queues, at both POs, is of course people queuing for their pensions. These days courtesy of the PO Card Account we were all encouraged to use for our pensions and benefits. An account supposedly designed for the elderly and/or disabled, but accessible only by queuing inside a PO!!! No cash machine or online access - and no access at all outside opening hours.

Cash machine access to PO Card Accounts might knock those queues down just a little, not to mention being a damn sight more convenient.


OT a little - but do spare a thought for those elderly people in the queue. We all seem to spend our lives wishing the old fart ahead of us would get their act together. Then one day, we turn around to see why the queue behind us is so restless - and realise we've become the old fart in question!:D

this also works in your favour as I've often got there after work so 4.20pm on wards, and found it rather dead more of than not.

MadMom wrote: »

Why anyone still goes to the post office these days escapes me. You can print your postage online (or by stamps while doing the grocery shop), do your road tax online, and apply for passport renewals, drivers licence renewals, and international driving permits all online. Perhaps if people didn't leave everything to the last minute there wouldn't need to be a mad dash to the PO and the resultant long queues!

proof of postage is anything goes missing is my main reason.

Obviously_the_best wrote: »

Maybe because you need tracking number, recorded/special delivery labels, proof of postage, the parcel wont fit in a post box, maybe people, especially the elderly, just like getting out and into town and post the letters at the post office because they've done it for 60 years, maybe people don't trust computers to handle their personal info... etc etc etc. The list is endless, and maybe just to support it, it's been a part of the community for over 100 years and people don't like letting things like that go.

or this

soolin wrote: »

Don't buy the POP pads, phone Royal mail and they will send them to you. You may have to blag a bit if you don't have a business account, but they will send them.

If you have a business account then it is even easier as they are on the order phone and they will send six at a time free of charge,

I remember getting a bunch of SD packages and other useful stuff for free VIA the RM website but cant see how to re-order now I've ran out