Post office error in my favour

JacksterD

Who was it that served you? If it was the manager/owner then I'd be inclined to keep it, but if it was a lowly counter clerk I'd pay it back because, having worked in the PO, I know they could end up in a lot of bother for a mistake which is unfortunately very easy to make.

EDIT: And I appreciate the comment made earlier about the Post Office's foreign exchange rates being morally questionable, but the important thing to realise is that it's not the people responsible for those rates or profiting from those rates that will be paying for this mistake, it will be the underpaid counter clerk.

McKneff

JacksterD wrote: »

Who was it that served you? If it was the manager/owner then I'd be inclined to keep it, but if it was a lowly counter clerk I'd pay it back because, having worked in the PO, I know they could end up in a lot of bother for a mistake which is unfortunately very easy to make.

EDIT: And I appreciate the comment made earlier about the Post Office's foreign exchange rates being morally questionable, but the important thing to realise is that it's not the people responsible for those rates or profiting from those rates that will be paying for this mistake, it will be the underpaid counter clerk.[/QUOTE]

Exactly, and anyone who condones this should be ashamed of themselves.

Daedalus

JacksterD wrote: »

but the important thing to realise is that it's not the people responsible for those rates or profiting from those rates that will be paying for this mistake, it will be the underpaid counter clerk.

McKneff wrote: »

JacksterD wrote: »

it will be the underpaid counter clerk.[/QUOTE]

Exactly, and anyone who condones this should be ashamed of themselves.

So? People need to take responsibility for their own mistakes.What if this employee is wholly incompetent? Incompetent workers cost the economy billions and shouldn't remain in their job because it would be mean to sack them.

maggy50

By the way there is a legal side to this and you can take that from someone who knows at least the manager has knowledge of you some customers are harder to track :mad:

Daedalus

maggy50 wrote: »

By the way there is a legal side to this and you can take that from someone who knows at least the manager has knowledge of you some customers are harder to track :mad:

The legal side is that unless you can prove the OP knew that the exchange rate was a mistake you have no recourse. The law isn't there to protect a companies incompetence, well, unless you are a bank.

Hominu

Daedalus wrote: »

So? People need to take responsibility for their own mistakes.

Exactly.

If I make a mistake, it'll cost me.

If they make a mistake, it should cost them.

If you just go "Ah well, it was a mistake" then they won't care if it happens again. If they are forced to pay for their mistake, they'll think twice next time to ensure they don't repeat it!

We have enough incompetent people in the world as it is, we need to thin the herd, aka, allow natural selection to work its magic.

matthew57

I've also worked as a PO Clerk. As annoying as it might be, in this instance I would have had to write the loss off. The customer has not tried to deceive anyone and has only accepted the transaction offered to them. There is no way I would have contacted the cutomer to try and recoup the loss.

RuthnJasper

How did the PO Manager know the OP's name and address?

In any case, I'd pay it back. I'd tell the manager that he and/or his staff ought to exercise more caution in future, but I WOULD repay it. You never know when something like this is going to rear up in future and bite you on the behind - and I wouldn't want to profit from someone else's mistake; maybe they were just having a bad day.

Gels

RuthnJasper wrote: »

How did the PO Manager know the OP's name and address?

Although it's been a few years since I last bought euros this way, I had to show ID and iirc the cashier noted down almost all details from my driving licence (old type without photo). I don't remember it always being this way though.

PhenoM

I'd keep it rather than getting ripped off on exchange rate anyway.

It's not like it's coming out of his pocket. It's a business.

Next time he comes around to your house, in case he does, just tell him tough luck.

The law is on your side on this one.