Tell Us When it Happens

The inefficiencies of the United States Postal Service (USPS) are legendary. All things considered, you couldn't get a private company to take your card or letter across country for less than a dollar. But we still like to gripe about it when it goes wrong. And sometimes, all you can do is shake your head.

For instance, last month I had a party invitation go astray. I already knew about the party so it was pretty much a formality, but I was hoping to get it because I needed the address. It finally turned up the day of the party with a note written on the envelope informing the USPS that the name and address on the envelope were both incorrect. No. The name and address were NOT incorrect. The delivery was just wrong.

I also had a credit card bill go astray. I was very surprised when they called me to tell me the payment was past due. I checked my bank's bill pay site and my file drawer. They were correct. I hadn't made a payment, but I also had no outstanding bills on my desk. Fortunately since I always pay on time and in full, they credited me for the interest and late fees.

Then Mark ordered some software through Amazon. When it didn't arrive on time, Mark contacted Amazon to track the shipment. Oh my! They showed it had been delivered. Someone at the USPS had signed for it. Mark went to the post office and filled out the form to track the shipment. They too showed that it had been signed for but they would have to find out where it had been delivered. They would have to ask the mail carrier what happened to it. His answer? "I delivered it somewhere. I can't remember where." Well, that's useful. Amazon, in the interests of customer service, shipped another one. This one arrived via United Parcel Service with no problems.

Then last week I found out that another bill hadn't been paid in December. Fortunately, it wasn't the same bill that hadn't been delivered in November. And again, because my account history shows that I pay on time and in full, they agreed to waive the interest charges and late fees. I thought I would probably have to have a word with the folks at the post office. I can't have them screwing up my credit rating.

As I was getting ready to go out shopping, I heard the doorbell. I opened the door and a man handed me an open package. From Amazon. With Mark's software in it. He explained that it had been delivered with a number of other parcels and he'd just got around to opening them, and didn't realize that this one wasn't his until he'd already opened it. But because I didn't fancy standing around in my bathrobe letting cold air into the house, I thanked him for bringing it by but failed to find out who he was or where he lives.

At least now I can let the folks at the USPS know that they can stop racking their brains over the missing package. But I also wanted them to know that my mail wasn't being delivered properly and that the carrier needed to take a bit more care.

The young lady listened to me and then she said the most amazing thing - "Unless you tell us on the day it happens, there's nothing we can do about it."

That sounds reasonable. But it isn't. It's like the question they used to ask you at the airport - "Has anyone given you something you don't know about?" How on earth can I tell them that my mail was not delivered to the right address on the day they delivered it to someone else? How am I to know when they deliver it to someone else? I just left. I can't explain this to her.