Why does my Post Office always try to upsell postage?

Lou67

HeadAboveWater wrote: »

Yup. POs drive me up the wall too. Can't remember the exact date, but it was a Friday. Monday and Tuesday were bank holidays. Wanted to post a pressie to my friend in Glasgow (I'm NI). They said they could guarantee it to be there for Wednesday (after the bank holiday days), signed for and all that jazz, for some ridiculous amount - nearly £10.

I went for bog standard 2nd class for a couple of £.

My friend got her parcel the next morning (Saturday).

Similar thing happened to me HAW... I posted 4 small-ish packages... 2 first and 2 second class. 3 got there the next day! And the one that took 2 days: you guessed it: it was one of the ones that went FIRST CLASS :mad:

techspec

Same here and i dont even answer half the time now - i just shake AND nod my head at the same time lol.

I can undersand if someone just walks in and says "can i post this please" - they have to tell them the options.

But when you go in with the recorded sticker already on and say "1st class recorded please" - you clearly know what you want.

Mine then says "would you like it there tomorrow?". I say "yes please - if you can manage it" - "oh, that will be £5 more for special delivery then". "No, i say - i want 1st class, as i said - but it would be just nice if it gets there next day".

"Is it worth more than £46" - "no". "Is it on this list of prohibited items" - "no". Then mine goes to far in my opinion - "can you tell me what it is your posting?"

Rediculous and annoying - especially when there are massive queues's.

Fuzzy_Duck

I've had this at my old branch. I was posting a small parcel of inexpensive Christmas presents to a friend and the woman kept insisting I send it special delivery. I kept telling her that it wasn't urgent and nothing in there was worth much. She kept badgering me, saying how I would regret it if the parcel got lost and didn't I want my Christmas presents to arrive safely, and as a queue formed behind me I stupidly gave in to shut her up and get out of there. I paid practically the same amount as the presents, and my friend, having received it the next day, texted me to say "thanks, but I hope you don't mind me sending your presents second class as I can't afford to pay that!"

pmduk

I find it easier to print my own postage at home. Saves dealing with the lazy staff at my branch.

Mindless_Clone

KxMx wrote: »

I usually get this, but have never considered it upselling but them checking I am sending via an appropriate service, ie value not over £46.

I would go with that theory if he hadn't asked me after every single bloomin' parcel even though I'd told him again (and again and again) that I wanted it all to go cheap as possible with no frills or extras.

Lou67 wrote: »

Similar thing happened to me HAW... I posted 4 small-ish packages... 2 first and 2 second class. 3 got there the next day! And the one that took 2 days: you guessed it: it was one of the ones that went FIRST CLASS :mad:

Yes I've done the same; a few months back, sent 3 things recorded - one 1st class (only because they didn't offer 2nd at that weight, so the said) the other two 2nd. One of the 2nd class got there the next day, the 1st got there the day later and the last one took 4 days. Incidentally, the last one only went 15 miles across London where the others were both at least 100 miles.

pmduk wrote: »

I find it easier to print my own postage at home. Saves dealing with the lazy staff at my branch.

I was thinking about doing that but didn't know how it worked? Do you input the dimensions/weight, pay and then print and just drop off? Do they need to check it in at all? Just wondering because, if it means not having to also queue up, that's a definite bonus! There's always at least 5 people in the queue at mine, it's always on a go slow (probably because the counter staff are trying to sell stuff to people who don't want it ) and there's always at least one counter that's closed but with someone annoyingly sitting at it counting stamps or something inane. Annoys the heck out of me; why can't they sit out in the back office I know they have instead of teasing us with their 3-counters-but-you're-lucky-if-we-ever-open-more-than-one. :mad:


Ohmygoodness... I've just realised I've turned into a grumpy old woman. :rotfl:

patman99

Basically a non-main branch Post Office gets a % of each sale of postage, Car Tax and other such stuff. This % is deducted from the running costs of that branch (Postmaster's salary, staff wages, electricity etc).
If this % fails to meet 40% for 2 years, then the Post Office is placed on a closure list. If the Post Office reaches 55%, it remains on an 'at risk' list and anything over this keeps it open.

The above was explained to me by a local Postmaster.

The problem however, is that they receive 0% on pre-paid stuff that theyt have to handle such as eBay/eBid parcels paid for online. Where a Post Office handles large amounts of pre-paid postage, despite having a large turn-over of mail, they may still end-up being shut-down due to the % earnings thing.

One reason why I always pay over the counter now as it could make the difference between my local P/O remaining open or closing down.

pmduk

Mindless_Clone wrote: »

I was thinking about doing that but didn't know how it worked? Do you input the dimensions/weight, pay and then print and just drop off? Do they need to check it in at all? Just wondering because, if it means not having to also queue up, that's a definite bonus! There's always at least 5 people in the queue at mine, it's always on a go slow (probably because the counter staff are trying to sell stuff to people who don't want it ) and there's always at least one counter that's closed but with someone annoyingly sitting at it counting stamps or something inane. Annoys the heck out of me; why can't they sit out in the back office I know they have instead of teasing us with their 3-counters-but-you're-lucky-if-we-ever-open-more-than-one. :mad:

Yes that's how it works, or you can just put letters into a postbox. To be fair to them, counting stamps may be part of the cashing up routine. My irritation is when they sit for 4-5 minutes between each customer chatting to the colleague next to them, with a queue of 20 + people snaking out the door.

Mindless_Clone

Ah thank you patman, that's a good explanation.

Still doesn't make me want to pay extra for postage though.

Abbafan1972

I always get asked "is it urgent/valuable?". The one time the woman asked me if I would like to sent my parcel guaranteed next day for 5 or 6 pound (can't remember), she shut up when I told her it was a book worth about a quid.

arcon5

techspec wrote: »

Mine then says "would you like it there tomorrow?". I say "yes please - if you can manage it" - "oh, that will be £5 more for special delivery then". "No, i say - i want 1st class, as i said - but it would be just nice if it gets there next day".

Sorry but you kinda brought this one on yourself when you said yes you'd like it to be there next day. The cashier didn't know you was saying yes merely being an awkward !!!!!!