West Oly Postal Ineptitude
I recently ordered a couple of CDs from Amazon for $30. I wasn't expecting them in the mail until after the 11th. On 9/11 I looked up my tracking number on the USPS website and was informed that
We attempted to deliver your item at 5:19 pm on September 06, 2006 in OLYMPIA, WA 98502 and a notice was left. It can be redelivered or picked up at the Post Office. If the item is unclaimed, it will be returned to the sender. Information, if available, is updated every evening. Please check again later.
I found this odd since
I went to the post office but neglected to bring my tracking number. They failed to find the package but let me know that a substitute was handling the route. They promised to notify him that I was wanting my package and took my phone number.
On 9/12, armed with the tracking number, I revisited the post office. Again no satisfaction was had. They wouldn't even tell me whether the package had been sent back or not. Again I was promised the substitute deliverer would be made aware of my anxiousness and my phone number was once again taken.
When Wednesday came and went without my missing CDs I no longer wished to remain nice.
On Thursday, 9/14, armed now with a printout from the United States Postal Services' own website depicting the status of my package based on the tracking number (which contained no new information after the alleged attempt at delivery) I was treated to an "Aw Shucks" song and dance. I was helpfully told that substitutes rarely know what they're doing, but beyond that was told that, sorry, they don't know what to do. No attempt to track this sub down while I'm there and inquire about my package; No attempt to confirm or deny if it had been sent back where I could at least have it resent (and, oh so conveniently, pay for shipping); No blown-smoke attempt to assure me that eventually I'll get my M. Ward and Low CDs.
I was supposed to take it in stride that a post office employee who was too retarded to understand the concept of putting mail in a mailbox has either lost or stolen $30 worth of property from me.
I filled out a missing package form (where I was told that it probably wouldn't help me) and I filled out an online complaint on the USPS website. But I'm not satiated. I either want my music right now or I want heads to roll.
I might have been convinced to pass this off as a one time annoyance not characteristic of the West Olympia Post Office except for another incident I suffered from them in June 2002.
I was in a desperate 11th hour attempt to find a place to live and had found what seemed to be the perfect spot for me. I could have rented a room in a home with a couple like-minded roommates, near Evergreen, and at an unbelievably affordable price.
All I needed to do was put down a simple $100 deposit, I should have been able to do that no problem but for three weeks I hadn't been receiving any mail including my UI checks.
I had been using my Aunt and Uncle's address, numerous other relatives with various surnames had used their address over the past 25 years without incident.
When I asked ESD about my missing checks they showed me proof of their having mailed them. I checked in with the West Oly Post Office and was informed that the, you guessed it, SUBSTITUTE mailman took it upon himself to decide that I didn't really live there and that all the people from all over the country sending me mail were unknowingly sending it to a "wrong" address.
By the time I was able to get my checks the room had been given to someone else. I eventually found a place but it was nearly 20 miles further out and over a $100 more in rent.
Was I really merely coincidentally unfortunate enough to have had mishaps from substitutes, or does the West Olympia Post Office use "substitute" as an excuse to cover their inept asses?
We attempted to deliver your item at 5:19 pm on September 06, 2006 in OLYMPIA, WA 98502 and a notice was left. It can be redelivered or picked up at the Post Office. If the item is unclaimed, it will be returned to the sender. Information, if available, is updated every evening. Please check again later.
I found this odd since
- Packages that size have always fit in our mailbox before.
- There's a compartment under the mailboxes for larger parcels.
- Even larger parcels have always been left in the manager's office without incident.
- The mail is usually delivered hours before 5:19 pm, and
- The mailman most definitely did NOT leave notification of his attempt.
I went to the post office but neglected to bring my tracking number. They failed to find the package but let me know that a substitute was handling the route. They promised to notify him that I was wanting my package and took my phone number.
On 9/12, armed with the tracking number, I revisited the post office. Again no satisfaction was had. They wouldn't even tell me whether the package had been sent back or not. Again I was promised the substitute deliverer would be made aware of my anxiousness and my phone number was once again taken.
When Wednesday came and went without my missing CDs I no longer wished to remain nice.
On Thursday, 9/14, armed now with a printout from the United States Postal Services' own website depicting the status of my package based on the tracking number (which contained no new information after the alleged attempt at delivery) I was treated to an "Aw Shucks" song and dance. I was helpfully told that substitutes rarely know what they're doing, but beyond that was told that, sorry, they don't know what to do. No attempt to track this sub down while I'm there and inquire about my package; No attempt to confirm or deny if it had been sent back where I could at least have it resent (and, oh so conveniently, pay for shipping); No blown-smoke attempt to assure me that eventually I'll get my M. Ward and Low CDs.
I was supposed to take it in stride that a post office employee who was too retarded to understand the concept of putting mail in a mailbox has either lost or stolen $30 worth of property from me.
I filled out a missing package form (where I was told that it probably wouldn't help me) and I filled out an online complaint on the USPS website. But I'm not satiated. I either want my music right now or I want heads to roll.
I might have been convinced to pass this off as a one time annoyance not characteristic of the West Olympia Post Office except for another incident I suffered from them in June 2002.
I was in a desperate 11th hour attempt to find a place to live and had found what seemed to be the perfect spot for me. I could have rented a room in a home with a couple like-minded roommates, near Evergreen, and at an unbelievably affordable price.
All I needed to do was put down a simple $100 deposit, I should have been able to do that no problem but for three weeks I hadn't been receiving any mail including my UI checks.
I had been using my Aunt and Uncle's address, numerous other relatives with various surnames had used their address over the past 25 years without incident.
When I asked ESD about my missing checks they showed me proof of their having mailed them. I checked in with the West Oly Post Office and was informed that the, you guessed it, SUBSTITUTE mailman took it upon himself to decide that I didn't really live there and that all the people from all over the country sending me mail were unknowingly sending it to a "wrong" address.
By the time I was able to get my checks the room had been given to someone else. I eventually found a place but it was nearly 20 miles further out and over a $100 more in rent.
Was I really merely coincidentally unfortunate enough to have had mishaps from substitutes, or does the West Olympia Post Office use "substitute" as an excuse to cover their inept asses?