Sorry Post Office experience

av8torcrj

Songster
7 Years
Jun 25, 2013
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So let me tell you about my classic Holly Springs "Mississippi" postal service experience this morning.

I was awaiting an order of 27 birds from Ideal in Cameron Texas. Having ordered from them many times, I know just what to expect as far as delivery to the local PO, 48 hours and arriving on the 4am truck. As we all here appreciate and respect, the birds are perishable and NEED attention as soon as possible. This order had 5 tiny bantams riding along with 22 other full sized poultry so I was especially concerned for their welfare. Further, this PO plops the birds down in a drafty "garage" area awaiting delivery. Anyway, a few weeks ago I was told not to show up before 6am to pick them up because the postal worker is alone and didn't want to open the back door (where historically I'm told to come) for security reasons. Fully respecting this request, I pulled in right at 6am this morning just as the second delivery truck of the day was backing onto the dock. I thought, this is great, with the additional driver here any security issues associated with my familiar face, shorts, t-shirt, flip flops and bed head will be further alleviated. After having a brief and cordial discussion with the driver as he began to unload the trolley carts, the woman who handed me my last order and told me not to show up until 6am opened the door, looked at me without saying a word and went back inside. I assumed she recognized me (6'7" and not very pretty) and had gone to get my birds. The delivery driver followed her in and I waited for about 10 minutes. Finally the driver came back out and while looking both sheepish and suspicious said, " no birds here yet, maybe they will come later today". He got in his truck and drove away. Something just didn't seem right. As I was about to leave a second employee arrived to work. As she passed me I said, "good morning, I'm here to pick up some poultry, I was told they aren't here but could you please double check". She politely agreed and went inside. I could see her in discussion with the other worker through a window that was near where I'd been patiently waiting. Several minute later, with a disgusted look on her face and a scanner in hand the woman who originally unlocked the door came out and told me I was "scaring her and the driver" by standing around and looking in windows. Utterly ridiculous indeed. She then proceeds over to a shelf where my birds are sitting and begrudgingly hands them to me telling me I can't come pick up the poultry in the future until the Postmaster is consulted. I reminded her that I had in fact arrived at the time I was told and further that I resented being lied to, almost being sent 20 miles home while the poultry suffered in their neglect. Simple fact: she's too lazy to put a scanner on my box and hand it to me if it's not convenient and has a total disregard for the welfare of the birds. All this being said,despite my frustration, I've come to expect NOTHING less from folks around here.

Side note, everyone arrived safely. There is one toe puller amerucauna in the bunch that needs to be separated until her attitude changes but the d'anver bantams are adorable and all others look great despite the PO's best effort to ruin the day.
 
Ugh. I have never ordered chicks online, but have had many negative experiences with the USPS. When we moved, I filled out the change of address online, and confirmed the address in person at the PO. We never got our mail forwarded. I call, and they tell me they have it, but don't have a forwarding address. I give them my confirmation number showing the order I put in. The lady gets snarky with me and tells me there must be an error, and they will forward it, and it will take a month (3 months after original request). Month later, no mail. We have packages, bills, and paychecks missing. I call back and get told our mail is missing, and that some of it probably got delivered to our old address. I filed a complaint with the USPS, and a month later got two paychecks, but nothing else.
 
Have you tries talking with the postmaster? So glad all the babies were ok. I'd be "going postal" with an experience like that.
I intend to approach the postmaster but defending the indefensible is SOP around here so I don't expect much traction.
 
I am sorry to hear about your experience but am glad your chicks were okay. We got extremely lucky to have a post office that cares when we ordered baby chicks online. When our chicks didn't arrive at the post office on the day they were supposed too our post office made some calls and an employee drove two hours to pick them up because they had been left behind. I have never been so grateful for the extra effort they put in that day.
 
You are indeed fortunate to live in a west coast community where such a fine level of customer service is demonstrated. At the risk of sounding cynical (which I am), unfortunately a ubiquitous vein of indifference courses through this area, it's not just the post office.

But, as you said, the positive aspect is that the birds look great, even the bantams which are so tiny. I may try and work directly with the primary distribution center in Memphis, a 50 mile drive, rather than deal with the locals on the next shipment.
 
I just received an order of chicks from TSC today. As soon as we received notification from TSC that the chicks were at our post office my daughter went to pick them up. They were snarky at first and asked her how she knew they were there and asked where the form was to pick them up, usually they send a notification by email but we did nit want to wait since this was the first time we got them by mail and wanted to get them home safely ASAP. When they got the package and saw they were chicks the attitude did a 180 and went oh they are so cute etc. they were all alive and super cute.
 

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