Post office, what to do?

Rhino

I do a mail order business and have packages coming in/out all the time, mostly by USPS (but now switching over to UPS/FedEx when I can)

The post man (or woman) hates me or something, for the are using any excuse they can not to deliver packages up to my front door (which don't fit into the box).

About 4-5 times now they have used the old 'side walk not shoveled' excuse. Most of the time it has been cleared, but there has been a little ice I can't rid of or something stupid like less and 1/2 inch of snow. Other things they have used 'please fix screen door' (my screen door isn't broken, and besides they leave it on the front step, not inside the door; they never have once opened the screen door to put package in).

The last two excuses were "debris on sidewalk" and "dog spotted in yard". The day with the "debris on sidewalk", I didn't see anything when I checked, it was shovel and nothing on walk up to my house. I also don't have a dog, maybe a neighbor was walking theirs? It sure as hell wasn't my dog.

Anyways, today I missed some important packages because "side walk not shoveled" (there was less than 1/2 an inch last night, I work night shifts so didn't have a chance to shovel it.).

Is there any recourse I can take? Can I issue a formal complaint against them?

I also get more packages from UPS and Fedex now (I switched since USPS was being a pain) and neither those two carriers complain about anything... When I have to sign for something, they are very friendly about it. When USPS has to get a signature, they don't ring the door bell, they just put a note in my box saying to pick it up at the post office.

I think my carrier just doesn't want to get out of his truck.

Richard_Dastardly

Call the Post Office and ask to speak with the supervisor. That'd probably be a good first step.

Six

Definitely file a complaint at your local post office. While USPS has its problems, I've found that complaints have actually done a great deal of good, at least for a time (at which point you complain again).

bowen

Probably doesn't want to leave his truck, no. Would you if it was an everyday thing and there wasn't a better place to put it?

Aside from that, your best bet is to get a PO box and when you're checking your mail at the PO, you'll get a slip letting you know you have a package. According to the last thing I read from Jeep Guy, they don't have to get out of their car if there's a dog halfway down the road if they don't want.

Iceman.USAF

bowen wrote: »

Probably doesn't want to leave his truck, no. Would you if it was an everyday thing and there wasn't a better place to put it?

Aside from that, your best bet is to get a PO box and when you're checking your mail at the PO, you'll get a slip letting you know you have a package. According to the last thing I read from Jeep Guy, they don't have to get out of their car if there's a dog halfway down the road if they don't want.

Which is really quite reasonable, at times.

Post carriers have supervisors. I had an issue when I first moved into my apt (brand new complex, new road, etc) where I wouldn't receive stuff for days after it was "Delivered". Still occasionally have trouble, but just give them a call.

Deathwing

Definitely file a complaint at your local post office. While USPS has its problems, I've found that complaints have actually done a great deal of good, at least for a time (at which point you complain again).

This is really the best idea, especially the part about complaining again.

We had some issues during the summer with the moron carrier for our address leaving other people's mail in our box, leaving our mail in other people's boxes, lying about making failed delivery attempts when we were home, not leaving notices after said "attempts", etc.

I started with a phone call, then a second phone call, then an email, then another call, and finally ended up receiving a personal call from whoever their overall supervisor for the whole DC metro area is...After which the idiocy stopped.

Bad Karma

Being a letter carrier myself I can tell you that some carriers are just lazy fucks (on the road or in the office) and some make fairly big deals about small obstacles because well, they can. Like others said, call the supervisor and tell them your story, and keep hounding them if it doesn't stop, as some supervisors like to take the in one ear out the other approach to customer service.

meeker

Just thinking about this a bit, do you really want to get the guy who picks through your personal stuff yelled at at work?

This is on par with yelling at the waiter before you get your food. Maybe stop him and have a talk with him. Or get a PO box to do your business with. It would be tax deductible.