I used to think all post offices were bad, but now that I work in NYC and deal regularly with the one on Varick & Houston (which is busy but shockingly efficient, btw) I realized that maybe my local branches (Weehawken & main location @ Union City) are just so bad that I thought it was the entire system. I've had many problems with this location over the years, from long lines that move slowly because someone just decides it's break time even though there are 15 people waiting, to "missing" packages that eventually turned up in back right where they were supposed to be, to missing pink slips thus no notice that I missed a package which finally went back to sender after the 10 day period because nobody even told me I missed it!
I'm reviewing them right now however because I'm so frustrated about my current situation, trying to retrieve a package which was supposed to arrive on Thurs 02/18. It apparently couldn't fit thru the mail slot (though this is debatable because it's a DVD in a small padded envelope) so I was left a pink slip on 02/18. I called on Friday to schedule redelivery for Saturday. Actually spoke to a person and was "assured" it would come Saturday. I sat around waiting for the mail Saturday and almost missed it because no one rang in any attempt to deliver a package, but i saw the mail carrier and ran down the street to her with my fresh new pink slip in hand. She was very nice and explained that the post office just gave her that slip this morning but no actual package, so apparently I'm getting a notice saying I missed the delivery, when there was no actual delivery. She promised to personally look for it Monday and bring it again. Fast forward to Monday. I'm not home but my neighbor made an effort to watch for it. Again... no package but another pink slip saying you missed your delivery! NO, I didn't miss my delivery, the post office FAILED to even attempt to deliver my package. Now it says it's going back to sender in 3 days and no one answers the phone (I've called at least 10x today so far) so I can speak to a supervisor about the situation. The whole thing is ridiculous! How can the post office pre-write a missed delivery slip and hand it to the carrier, when they don't know that morning if you'll actually miss your delivery or not?!
I now understand the meaning of the phrase "go postal," which is clearly derived from the fact that dealing with the post office makes one lose their mind!
** Update: Spent another 40 min on the phone with USPS customer service (since Weehawken branch does not answer the phone) to get a redelivery set up for Tuesday 02/23. My neighbor stayed home all day with a sick child, and was watching for the package for me, but again no delivery. So on my Wednesday my neighbor (can I write her a review for being awesome?!) offered to take my ID and pink slips and brave the nasty weather to go stand in line in that hellacious place to pick up my package for me. She's about to walk out the door when the mail carrier shows up with... my package! Finally, except this was NOT the day they were supposed to redeliver. Not any of the 3 delivery dates we'd confirmed. So in the end, I'm happy we finally got it, but imagine if she'd left 5 min earlier and wasted an hour in line only to find out it was randomly out for delivery and would've been missed because she was at the post office trying to pick it up! Arrrgggh, this place could drive a person bonkers! read more