Post office rant...

[Dave_Obsession]

I just need to vent, and then I'll feel better

I hate going to the vast majority of post offices here in Melbourne. Not that the staff aren't friendly and helpful. It's not because they don't know what they are doing. IT'S THE QUEUES!

It drives me up the wall having to wait 20 minutes (usually more) in a queue so I can pick up a package, while seemingly every pensioner in the suburb wants help paying their water bill.....and then spends another 3-4 minutes chatting to the staff member about how their grandson works in the mines blah blah blah.....

Why can't they have separate lines for mail collection / postage AND for bill payments? That way all the oldies who don't know what BPAY is can still go and do their thing, without holding up everybody else who have got better things to do than stand in queues!

Most of us simply can't afford to waste that amount of time in a queue!
Waiting in a bank queue is bliss compared to a post office!!

I wonder if other AFF members share my viewpoint?

[Kryton]

Maybe go at a different time instead.

[cthomp]

Im with ya! especially when having things delivered from online whilst working full time its hard enough to get to a post office after work let alone wait in a queue!

Your idea about separate lines would certainly speed things up that's for sure.

[Dave_Obsession]

Originally Posted by davway

Maybe go at a different time instead.

Doesn't seem to matter - unless you're there right on 9:00am, by 9:05 there's a queue!

[Racecraft]

no different than the 12 items or less turbo isles @ Coles etc...... FFS have a cash line, I don't care for waiting if you have 2 items but want to r00t around paying $7 bucks with your damn card!!!!!

signed
tanty tim

[prydey]

Originally Posted by Racecraft

no different than the 12 items or less turbo isles @ Coles etc...... FFS have a cash line, I don't care for waiting if you have 2 items but want to r00t around paying $7 bucks with your damn card!!!!!

signed
tanty tim

i'm one of these people that rarely carry cash. i'd be surprised if i ever hold you up though. these days at my local woolies (not sure if its the same elsewhere), i can swipe my card, enter pin, and select 'sale amount' while the operator is scanning the items. when he/she is finished scanning, its all done ready to go. if there's not much of a queue at the self serve bit then i'll use that. you can save a few dollars on those if you don't have a conscience. instead of paying over $20/kg for postachio's(sp) you put in brown onions which are less than $1/kg.

[sleek7]

Originally Posted by Racecraft

no different than the 12 items or less turbo isles @ Coles etc...... FFS have a cash line, I don't care for waiting if you have 2 items but want to r00t around paying $7 bucks with your damn card!!!!!

signed
tanty tim

+1!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The GF does this, buys 1 or 2 items and whips out the bloody bank/credit card!!!! Fortunately shes getting better since I have been drilling her about carrying around more that $10 cash all the time!

[Bundy]

Ha same here, I refuse to use the self checkout option, not only are they slow and painful and if you don't follow the prompts to the letter of go to quick, it chucks a wobbley and missy has to scan here super card to get it back online.

I've stood and in 12 or less line, 4 back and still got though quicker then the "I'm using the modern technology" self serve plebs. (woolies definately on a winner there, here's a thought, more STAFF everone's happy)

Stuff 'em I don't get a discount for doing it myself and packing my own bags!!!

[nstg8a]

Originally Posted by bundy

Stuff 'em I don't get a discount for doing it myself and packing my own bags!!!

thats why i dont use them lol... they save money by not having to pay as many checkout chicks...

[P6LTD351]

Originally Posted by Racecraft

no different than the 12 items or less turbo isles @ Coles etc...... FFS have a cash line, I don't care for waiting if you have 2 items but want to r00t around paying $7 bucks with your damn card!!!!!

signed
tanty tim

I always pay with my credit card as I get reward points. Sorry about that, but it all adds up!

[FGII-XR6]

at woolies you can't pre swipe at express checkouts I too get ticked off when in the express lane and wait for eftpos transactions express should be cash only

Originally Posted by prydey

i'm one of these people that rarely carry cash. i'd be surprised if i ever hold you up though. these days at my local woolies (not sure if its the same elsewhere), i can swipe my card, enter pin, and select 'sale amount' while the operator is scanning the items. when he/she is finished scanning, its all done ready to go. if there's not much of a queue at the self serve bit then i'll use that. you can save a few dollars on those if you don't have a conscience. instead of paying over $20/kg for postachio's(sp) you put in brown onions which are less than $1/kg.

[TheInterceptor]

funny cos around here theres morons with a lot more than 12 items in the 12 items or less line and people in self serve at their slow pace with the machine complaining that the item isnt in the bagging area and the people go wtf yeh it is and muck around till the machine craps itself needing a member of staff to get it going again with their magical card...

[[Tonko]]

After reading that, It gives me more respect for our local Post office. I'm in the boondocks but 5 second service, a yarn and a smile is worth it.

[Revolver]

I have virually the same problem working as a console operator at a servo. Not to put myself above the skills of the my colleagues, but I'm the fastest on the till that just comes with using it a average of 300+ times a shift for 5 years. I can & have operated the console without looking I know it so well.

However, Its that bloody eftpos machine. it takes forever. Espescialy with those new cards with a chip! Everyone remarks on it & is the only thing that ever creates a line up. & Whenever Im waitng for a card to approve, I ask for anyone who has cash to come forward, to pull the waiting time down, out of a line of 10+ people only 2 or 3 have cash. WTF? Seriously......

Carry cash on you, its quick, easy, you dont have the problem of your card not swiping & you cant find out the hard way that you dont have enough money in your account. You just look in your wallet, & "oh I dont have enough money, I cant get that" - this saves everyone troubles, you, me & the people behind you. What alot of people also dont realise is that every bank takes its eftpos lines down for scheduled maintaince, of which its customers (merchant & general account holders) are never notified. Of which the merchant (coles, a servo, etc) cannot conduct business on eftpos. Whether it be your bank or the merchants. When this happens, (& we always have signs up, but people never read) & it does decline, they say, "oh what do I do now?" & look at me to solve the problem, because they dont have cash! Its not like I can drain the fuel back into the servos tanks.

[You Yangs]

I have asked Aus Post to have a separate line for parcel pick up for about 15 years so don't hold your breath.
It might change once the GOV sell the last big public service that we have left, but I fear if they move towards private ownership and show some mild form of EFFICIENCY then it will put half of all the Filipino's who call OZ home out of a job!

[Iggypoppin']

I recall a time I went shopping for some stuff for a camping trip. Grabbed tomato sauce, snags, onions, BBQ sauce, tongs, oil, foil tray, plastic knives, plastic forks, a red bull and asked the attendant for smokes. Now, I was in the 10-items-or-less isle and she refused to give me my cigarettes! "that's 11 items sir, I'm sorry".
I was a bit rude, slipped out a "are you effin serious?" because I was so shocked she was actually enforcing the rule. I then pointed out that as she had not given me my smokes, she could break the sale into two parts, two transactions, if she had to be pedantic.
She got a bit snippy. "don't talk to me like that mate!" etc. The steadily growing queue is getting a bit fed up so the bloke nearest me leaned over and politely told her to hurry the F up, we all got stuff to
do. She sighed like I had just inconvenienced her beyond belief and put the sale through. I left laughing; she really was a
nit picky idiot.
Post office is always full;it's one of those "Murphy's law" things. Post offices where built to be full of scatterbrained pensioners.

[photn]

Wow, its funny to see so many people hate on self checkouts......

i helped roll out the self serve for wollies and i must admit that the software now is alot better than what it used to be. i must admit though though that i find some posts to be over reacting regarding them. its a very BASIC operation to be honest, you scan your item, then place it in the bagging area. i could go on to explain how to USE the device properly but im not gonna waste my breath. Becasue realisticly, i know it aint gonna change any of your minds.

Regarding the Topic, how often do you go into the Post office to collect parcels? some may only go once a month, i know i havent been in 3months and the last time i was there i was in line for 45min. Big Deal i say, they are not staffed to serve every customer within a few minutes and get them out the door. what this boils down to is patience and the lack of it in modern society. every one wants things done now and is not willing to wait their turn to get it. int he long run the way i see it is "when your 80 and in your rocking chair is it really gonna matter"?

anywho. thats my OPINION and my say.

[FGII-XR6]

the few times I have encountered self serve I found them to be faster and a welcome option

Originally Posted by photn

Wow, its funny to see so many people hate on self checkouts......

i helped roll out the self serve for wollies and i must admit that the software now is alot better than what it used to be. i must admit though though that i find some posts to be over reacting regarding them. its a very BASIC operation to be honest, you scan your item, then place it in the bagging area. i could go on to explain how to USE the device properly but im not gonna waste my breath. Becasue realisticly, i know it aint gonna change any of your minds.

Regarding the Topic, how often do you go into the Post office to collect parcels? some may only go once a month, i know i havent been in 3months and the last time i was there i was in line for 45min. Big Deal i say, they are not staffed to serve every customer within a few minutes and get them out the door. what this boils down to is patience and the lack of it in modern society. every one wants things done now and is not willing to wait their turn to get it. int he long run the way i see it is "when your 80 and in your rocking chair is it really gonna matter"?

anywho. thats my OPINION and my say.

[FGII-XR6]

the few times I have encountered self serve checkouts they have been a speedy and welcome option

Originally Posted by photn

Wow, its funny to see so many people hate on self checkouts......

i helped roll out the self serve for wollies and i must admit that the software now is alot better than what it used to be. i must admit though though that i find some posts to be over reacting regarding them. its a very BASIC operation to be honest, you scan your item, then place it in the bagging area. i could go on to explain how to USE the device properly but im not gonna waste my breath. Becasue realisticly, i know it aint gonna change any of your minds.

Regarding the Topic, how often do you go into the Post office to collect parcels? some may only go once a month, i know i havent been in 3months and the last time i was there i was in line for 45min. Big Deal i say, they are not staffed to serve every customer within a few minutes and get them out the door. what this boils down to is patience and the lack of it in modern society. every one wants things done now and is not willing to wait their turn to get it. int he long run the way i see it is "when your 80 and in your rocking chair is it really gonna matter"?

anywho. thats my OPINION and my say.

[gcg2503]

I hear you Dave

I had two parcels of Landaus parts on eBay I had to pick up as they were registered post and delivered when I was at work

Forseeing the problem I rang my dad and got him to pick them up on my behalf! ;)

[pottery beige]

lets bash the pensioners... one day your brain will be fried from drinking beer out of aluminium cans.. the highlight of your fortnight will be a trip to the post office before your electricity is cut off and a friendly chat to the nice person behind the counter as your deaf and blind fluffy old cat is bored to tears with you and no longer wants to be a part of what is left of your life......

[DBourne]

Originally Posted by davway

Maybe go at a different time instead.

Doesn't matter what time you go where I live it's the same as the OP described.

It always amazes me how slow a line can move in a post office

[Jason[98.EL]]

Originally Posted by pottery beige

lets bash the pensioners... one day your brain will be fried from drinking beer out of aluminium cans.. the highlight of your fortnight will be a trip to the post office before your electricity is cut off and a friendly chat to the nice person behind the counter as your deaf and blind fluffy old cat is bored to tears with you and no longer wants to be a part of what is left of your life......

well posted pottery

the post office near here is so bloody bad its not funny

they have to get security in there to guide the people out the door and not block the flow of patrons trying to get into the centre ( they are the first shop in one of the entrances )

Oh and for the peole complaining about people not having cash here is the answer to that one

the gov wants us to be a cashless socioty so they can keep tabs on what we spend and where

Jason

[Fled74]

Originally Posted by You Yangs

...I fear if they move towards private ownership and show some mild form of EFFICIENCY then it will put half of all the Filipino's who call OZ home out of a job!

Dude, not cool.

[LTDHO]

I've been to a couple in Melb CBD, it's timing. I know when there are no queues and that's around lunch time too.
Same with my local one on a Saturday, I know when it's quiet and when it's busy.

It's all about timing!

[RG]

I don't care if I hold you up. I'll keep on paying with my card, I waited in the same line as you and have every right to do it.

Get over it, waiting is part of life and patience is a virtue. Everyone is in such a bloody rush lately.

[drew`SEVNT5]

I like the self-service checkouts at Woolies & Coles.

My only complaint is the bagging area isnt quite big enough for doing a basket-fulls worth of bagging.

[Jim Goose]

Originally Posted by You Yangs

I have asked Aus Post to have a separate line for parcel pick up for about 15 years so don't hold your breath.
It might change once the GOV sell the last big public service that we have left, but I fear if they move towards private ownership and show some mild form of EFFICIENCY then it will put half of all the Filipino's who call OZ home out of a job!

You do realise most "Post Offices" are just agencies and not owned by Australia Post and are already in private hands under contract?

[zdcol71]

Suggestion, instead of getting pi$$ed in the line, angry at the world because it is all passing you by whilst you wait to grab your plastic wrapped , disposable "neccessities"; engage the person next to you in one of those old fashioned conversation thinggies. You may be surprised what you find out.

[GavL]

Originally Posted by Blue Beast II

I have virually the same problem working as a console operator at a servo. [...] However, Its that bloody eftpos machine. it takes forever. Espescialy with those new cards with a chip! Everyone remarks on it & is the only thing that ever creates a line up. & Whenever Im waitng for a card to approve, I ask for anyone who has cash to come forward, to pull the waiting time down, out of a line of 10+ people only 2 or 3 have cash. WTF? Seriously......

Why carry around $80 of cash to just pay for petrol when you can just pay on your card with all the money you have?

More servos should get card readers on the bowsers like at Mobil. No waiting in queues then