For years, Dave Lieber’s Watchdog Nation has studied and reported about the U.S. Postal Service.
But this post is not based on reporting. Rather, it’s based on anecdotal evidence. Watchdog Nation has had some terrible experiences with USPS in 2011. As the post office struggles with multi-billion dollar deficits, the threatened closure of more than a thousand postal stations and the possible shutdown of Saturday mail delivery, it’s safe to say that Ben Franklin’s pet project is going to hell.
Example #1
A friend mailed us an Olympus recording device. But when it arrived, there was a thumb drive inside instead. Watchdog Nation complained to the postal service but there was nothing that could be done.
Stolen by a postal employee? Most likely.
Our theory: a postal employee thought it was a lavish electronic device (by feeling the envelope) and opened it. The employee stuffed something else inside and the package went on its merry way. (By the way, we tracked the thumb drive’s owner down at an area church and sent it along — something USPS wasn’t able to do.)
Example #2
Watchdog Nation could kill ourselves for our own stupidity on this one. We know better. We mailed an important check via Priority Mail three days before it was due. But it didn’t arrive in time, and now we face a $53 late charge. Yes, we definitely know better. USPS promises that Priority Mail Delivery will be delivered “within 2 days in most cases.” WITHIN MOST CASES. The fine print. Jeez.
Example #3
Look at this Christmas card we received. Need we say more?
Example #4
Ditto for this envelope that was sent to us. It was perfectly addressed, but it was sent back with “Return to Sender/Not Deliverable As Addressed/Unable to Forward.”
Yet there wasn’t a single mistake on the address.
We complained to the postal service and received this answer:
“We apologize for not responding sooner.
“We were attempting to determine where the problem occurred which is why I asked for the original envelope. It was our thought that the mailpiece did not even get to Keller, but was returned from one of the plants that processed it.
“However, the part of the envelope that you provided didn’t have the barcode where we could check which machine it ran on. I thought I provided that information to you at that time, but evidently I did not.
“In the interim, we did speak to all the employees that distribute mail to the PO Boxes in Keller to reinforce proper processing of all PO Box mail in the event that the mishandling did occur in Keller.
“We do apologize for the mishandling of the mailpiece and any inconvenience that was caused as a result.
“Thanks. Manager, Consumer & Industry Contact”
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And thanks to you. 2012 is going to be a hellish year for the USPS.
And such a shame because in recent years, things seemed to be getting better, not worse.
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Dave Lieber shows Americans how to fight back against corporate deceptions in his wonderful national award-winning book, Dave Lieber’s Watchdog Nation: Bite Back When Businesses and Scammers Do You Wrong. Are you tired of losing time, money and aggravation to all the assaults on our wallets? Learn how to fight back with ease — and win. Get the book here.
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