GregHowley.com

Going Postal

April 9, 2008 -

Ever since we moved into our house, we've had issues with the mail. From time to time, we end up missing a piece of mail, whether it's a bill, a magazine, or a movie from Netflix. And from time to time, we get a piece of the neighbor's mail, which really just indicates to me where our lost mail is going.

It turns out that the post office actually has customer service. So last week, I sent an email complaint to the postal service. This has been going on for about two years, and I'm sick of paying bills late because I never got them. I know I really should get better organized, but the post office isn't helping.

Yesterday, I noticed that the little piece of paper inside the big multi-mailbox thing where I pick up our mail had added handwritten text that said "check name". It seems that that's their solution. So I expect to stop getting neighbors' mail, but I'm sure our mail will still go into our neighbors' mailboxes from time to time. And that's really the main problem. Stupid postal service.

Comments on Going Postal
 
Comment Wed, April 9 - 4:31 PM by Rusty B
If the situation is really bad, you should be able to contact the postmaster or postal inspector for your area. If it's an ongoing thing, it will generally get resolved if you get through to the right person.

It's kind of funny, because I'd been doing some eBay lately, and I was actually thinking how remarkable it was that stuff didn't get lost in the mail all the time. I've sent stuff cross country, to the UK, Chile, Hong Kong, and it all arrived. And I've also received stuff from all over the world. Maybe I'm just lucky.

Sorry, didn't mean to be insensitive to you plight. The squeaky wheel gets the grease, and from people I know who work/have worked for the post office, that holds true for them. Good luck!
 
Comment Wed, April 9 - 6:34 PM by pmd
I agree with Rusty B... Try your postmaster.

I know one of my local postmasters. The guy is insanely dedicated. When he has nothing to do, he goes to work... Late at night, Sundays, whatever. It's one thing to say it, but it's something entirely else to see it.

 
Comment Thu, April 10 - 10:15 AM by tagger
My tuppence . . . I had a similar problem years back, in Danielson (a cesspool of a town up in Connecticut's "Catatonic Corner").

The _only_ thing that fixed it was physically going to the Postal "Service" office and complaining to the Postmaster face-to-face. Since he was always "out," I simply got a book and camped out in front of his door until he went to get some lunch.

Remember Major Major Major (Catch 22)--when he's in, he's out.