Pathetic SAPO attitude problem

[Cali Craft and Gems]

Today I finally lost my cool completely... This is the email I sent to my affected customers:

Hi everyone

Please do me a massive favour (if possible), and contact the manager at my branch - Hunters Retreat Post Office. Her name is Sherree and her number is 041 360 6071.

I literally let rip at the branch earlier this afternoon. The staff member to blame is Nondwe. (has been giving quite an attitude lately, but today was the worst!)

As per usual procedure, I get to the branch at around 15h45 which is 30 minutes before the close off time for speed services items - today was no exception. I was served by Nondwe from 15h55 to 16h40. She processed the speed services bags, then instead of then processing the remaining speed services document packs (your parcels), she insisted on doing the insured parcels first. I asked her to complete the speed services so that they could go out with today's batch and she refused. By the time she eventually got to them, the collections had already been done and your parcels were left out deliberately!

I took this up with the branch manager and she could not care less! She actually told me to rather go to another branch if I didn't like the way her staff operated.

This is beyond unacceptable!!!

I'll be informing the regional distribution manager (Tienie Williams) about this and if anyone wants to lay a complaint as well, please do so. He is contactable on 041 508 4158.

From my side, I apologise for the extra delay - your parcels will now only leave PE on Wednesday and get to your branch on Thursday. Only a day later, but the overall attitude problem encountered is not acceptable in my terms! My customers come first and to me this is very poor service (on the SAPO side).

Your tracking number emails will be sent to you shortly via the BoB system.

Hope you all have a lovely week further, and if you have any pent up frustrations, please phone Sherree - go for it! :)

Kind regards,
Janet - Cali Craft and Gems

[JPBon]

Can I phone and complain even if I didnt have a parcel.... I love giving people with bad service a bad time.

[Cali Craft and Gems]

Please go ahead and enjoy yourself!

The other staff member (Antoinette) is on a go-slow when she serves me... and I usually get the "Don't rrrrush me! I'm stressed" from her too.

If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!

PS. This branch is notorious of having only one teller open at peak times which results in the queue leading out of the door!

[eZethu Coins]

The Post Office is like banks - it is not the organization - it is the staff working for a specific branch. I only deal with Emerald Hill Post Office and only get excellent service. The times when there had been issues, the post master (Jacques) personally gets involved and resolves.

[lilythepink]

Gosh, am I glad I don't have to deal with Cali's post office staff! We also have a postmaster who gets personally involved, very pleasantly, and sorts out any problems and, I might add, problems at the Grahamstown Post Office are as rare as hens' teeth!

[Cali Craft and Gems]

Update:

I have spoken to Tienie Williams who informed me that he contacted the branch manager this morning who in turn told him that I handed in over 40 speed services items and that I was rude and expecting the impossible from her staff in a short space of time.

I gave Tienie a breakdown of all my parcels handed in yesterday and he said he will get back to me as soon as possible as the branch was now obviously lying!

Parcels handed in from 15h55 on Tues 3 May - in the sequence that the teller processed it:
Speed service bags x 7 (accepted no problem)
Insured parcels x 18
Speed services document packs x 5 (not accepted in time)
Speed service boxed parcel x 1 (not accepted in time)
Registered letter x 1
Econoparcels x 11

If the teller had done the 6 remaining speed service items before she tackled the insured parcels, they would have been in the system timeously but she was simply too arrogant and refused (blatantly knowing that it was going to be too late)!

I wish I had 40 speed services parcels to send as that could only mean business was doing exceptionally well! I'm sure there is something in the air at that branch that all the staff are otherwise!

[spyker64]

I`m not trying to cover up for the guys at the Post office.
But a person also got to be reasonable.
The person at the Post Office processed 42 of your parcels in 45 min.
A minute a parcel, not bad going.
I think in future allow yourself a bit more time,instead of dumping a patch of 40 odd parcels on a person desk before cut-off time of 16h15 for Speed Service and going home time.
I don`t think you will be to happy if the rolls were reversed and you were behind the counter and all these parcels get dumped on your counter this late in the afternoon and you are told to hurry up!!!
Just my opinion - I always say if the rolls were reversed???

[Cali Craft and Gems]

I understand where you are coming from Spyker, but the argument is that she could have easily done the 6 speed services BEFORE the insured parcels which would have resulted in them going out on time. I would not have cared less if I'd been in the branch for an additional hour or two for the remainder of the parcels based on the overall quantity, but I ensured that I was there in time for the speed services parcels and the teller deliberately refused to do them!

The 6 speed services parcels would have been done in about 6 or 8 minutes, whereas the 18 insured parcels took her 25 minutes! Simple logic... besides the procedure that they are supposed to follow!

SAPO sequence for processing parcels:
Speed services bags
Speed services document packs
Speed services boxes
Fastmail
Insured mail
Econoparcel
Registered letter
Other services (stamps, accounts, manifests, etc)

[kyle2]

Today I finally lost my cool completely... This is the email I sent to my affected customers:

Hi everyone

Please do me a massive favour (if possible), and contact the manager at my branch - Hunters Retreat Post Office. Her name is Sherree and her number is 041 360 6071.

She processed the speed services bags, then instead of then processing the remaining speed services document packs (your parcels), she insisted on doing the insured parcels first. I asked her to complete the speed services so that they could go out with today's batch and she refused. By the time she eventually got to them, the collections had already been done and your parcels were left out deliberately!

Kind regards,
Janet - Cali Craft and Gems

I'm sure that the employement requirement at some post offices is that you need a below average IQ status. I had a parcel sent to me from Vereeniging, it arrived timeously, they sent the notice to me at 2:00pm and the parcel was returned to sender at 4:00pm. I now state my preferred Post Office on my postal info in order to avoid the idiots at the other office.
I truely simpathise with you Janet.

[Miss Jewels]

I believe I have the best Post Office and staff in the Western Cape. I got to the PO at 15.10 today - cut off is 15.15 for Economail. I was about 10th from the counter and knew my parcels will only go off the following day, but I wanted my speed services to off, with cut off being 16.15 My mail was all scanned (9 econo parcels) and the bag kept open so my parcels could go off today! Speed Service Bags also scanned in (4) and I walked out at 15.35 - all parcels in bag off to Cape Mail for dispatch. This is exellent service! Well done Cape Gate Post Office!

[daisyjewel]

Our Speed Services cut off is 12:30pm and normal parcels is 12pm ... so we have to leave here by 11am to get things out in time. Wish we had the benefit of those extra few hours in the afternoon.

[TS Ron]

NO Better this side of town either I went in with some parcels yesterday to mail at 15:30 the last of the mail is accepted at four thirty to go for the day. The queue was not to long but the officials felt like having a chat so the parcel did not go off in yesterdays mail. No use getting hot under the collar they only have a good laugh once you turn your back.

[Seeds for Africa]

I have always been quick to say how good my post office is. Today I experienced what so many others on the forum do.
I used the chempet post office in montague gardens as i was that side of town and had a meeting there. I had 15 parcels which as usual were listed clearly.
The guy refused to insure each one for the amount requested.... said he was only prepared to insure them all for the same value so i must take the highest value and he will insure them all for that.
I said no problem but i am not paying for any more than what i want them insured for
Ended up with the manager sorting it out.
Thoroughly disgusting service and another example of how each staff member makes up their own rules.

[RAG Auctioneers]

I have always been quick to say how good my post office is. Today I experienced what so many others on the forum do.
I used the chempet post office in montague gardens as i was that side of town and had a meeting there. I had 15 parcels which as usual were listed clearly.
The guy refused to insure each one for the amount requested.... said he was only prepared to insure them all for the same value so i must take the highest value and he will insure them all for that.
I said no problem but i am not paying for any more than what i want them insured for
Ended up with the manager sorting it out.
Thoroughly disgusting service and another example of how each staff member makes up their own rules.

That is strange......

Funny you mention montague gardens. We just sent a parcel there to one of our buyers :-)

[brands online]

I believe I have the best Post Office and staff in the Western Cape. I got to the PO at 15.10 today - cut off is 15.15 for Economail. I was about 10th from the counter and knew my parcels will only go off the following day, but I wanted my speed services to off, with cut off being 16.15 My mail was all scanned (9 econo parcels) and the bag kept open so my parcels could go off today! Speed Service Bags also scanned in (4) and I walked out at 15.35 - all parcels in bag off to Cape Mail for dispatch. This is exellent service! Well done Cape Gate Post Office!

I have to take exception. I think the Waterfront post office are best in W.C. They even keep our parcels when they're striking and send it at the first opportunity. The manager is so helpful, he even attends to my buyer's queries about postal related issues. I just give them his name and number and he politely takes their calls. Totally stoked with their service!