Tuesday, November 15, 2005

The Delivery Room

I've been spending the last few months really confused about how long it is taking mail to get to me. I recently got a box from eBay that was sent out a month ago (really) which went out Media Mail meaning it'll take 8 to 9 business days. That is pretty nuts. This is after I started receiving some of my ads from Best Buy and Suncoast for big sales savings on (insert date here) weeks after.

I went to the post office two months ago to confront them about the late mail. I talked to the manager who said that this was happening often and it was a problem at the processing hub that she was assured would be fixed soon. That didn't happen. So, I caught my mailwoman dropping off a box for me yesterday and asked her about it. She reiterated to me the issue with the hub but added more info. The mail carriers have been overwhelmed and have been logging 10-hour days meaning 2 hours of overtime. The manager, trying to save their own butt, started hiding some of the mail that didn't need to go out right away to lighten the load and save on overtime. This backlog was happening more and more. Mail was being misplaced and wound up going out later than was acceptable and the complaints grew. She also told me that this person has been fired and the problem will be resolved. Today, I got my Best Buy coupons (10% off DVDs, home appliances, etc...) over a week early. Someone is finally earning their pay.

7 comments:

LoraLoo said...

Wow, that's crazy. Thankfully the problem seems to be resolving itself... I know when I'm waiting for something to be shipped, I'm rather impatient and would get so frustrated! Now if we could just get them to hold back or lose altogether some of that junk mail...

Lily said...

Wow, I hope it was mostly bulk mail that was held up. That person was justly fired for their actions.

Misti said...

I hear ya and feel your pain. My parents live in Arlington about a 20 minute drive from where I live, Downtown Dallas. Sometimes it takes a WEEK for a letter with first class postage to reach me. If someone doesn't steal something out of the envelope. Mom tried to send me a check for $50. Someone ripped the corner of the envelope and stole it. She dropped this letter at the post office so it was an "inside" job.

David Amulet said...

I read recently that "media mail," while usually delivered in less than 10 days, can take 30 days ... and up to 120 days if international.

Perhaps this is why the Unabomber avoided media mail--his special packages would have lost some of their impact if the recipient died of natural causes waiting for the "gift" to arrive ...

-- david

Bar L. said...

UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I HATE THE POST OFFICE !!! I was there today and they had two people working and a long, long line.

Teri said...

I guess in this town, I do not find it hard to believe that the mail service would do something like that.

Fred said...

Isn't "hiding" mail a federal offense?