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Hi there,
Rather than go on and on about myself (don't really want to make this feel like a job interview, and forget about a résumé from me :P), I just wanted to introduce myself a little bit. I'm new, so still learning about the dos and don'ts of this forum. I'm stuck in rut career-wise. I've been working at a postal outlet (not a post office; those are run by actual Canada Post employees, whereas we're employees of the "convenience" store) for too long now. But anyway, sorry for being so vague. Want to stay somewhat anonymous here.
OK, some pet peeves of mine...
1) "What, there's no lineup? I can't believe it!" Yeah, I know it's up there along with the miracle of birth, but after the first 500 times I've heard that, it starts to get irritating.
2) People who cut in line and interrupt you serving your customer to ask a "quick question." 99 times out of 100, it's going to require a "long answer" plus possibly supplemental questions. But for the lucky 1% in all these instances, I'm happy to provide a "quick answer."
3) People who phone us and ask about our hours, *and* they want to know the hours of other locations plus their phone numbers, etc. Sorry, I have "real" customers in the store that need to be served, and I don't have time to play 411 with you.
4) Another type of call is for a postal code. There used to be a 900-number people can call to get a postal code. It was like 75 cents or $1.50, something like that, per call. If I'm not serving any customers or busy entering parcels (i.e., scanning incoming parcels into our system, entering name & address, etc., and shelving them), I can spare a minute to look up a postal code. If I can tell it's an elderly person on the other end, I almost always make an exception. I'm really not an android with no soul. Otherwise, people, make one up or use the internet.
5) Whenever someone complains about the postage (usually for a parcel) and says, "What's inside doesn't even cost that much." Well, I don't think Canada Post cares that you send cheap gifts to your friends/family. Postage is based on the destination, weight, and dimensions of the item. I plug in all this information to the computer and out pop the options and the rates. If I'm clever, I may suggest using a prepaid Xpresspost mailer, which sometimes works out cheaper (although since they've raised the rates this year, this isn't as often the case). So I've found that the best response is to say, "Well, postage covers the cost of labour and gas." That seems to do the trick more often than not. But of course, as you all know, you can't please all the people all the time.
OK, I think I'll leave it at 5 pet peeves for now. Would totally appreciate comments, esp. from other postal workers (Canada Post or otherwise).
Cheers,
friggle
Rather than go on and on about myself (don't really want to make this feel like a job interview, and forget about a résumé from me :P), I just wanted to introduce myself a little bit. I'm new, so still learning about the dos and don'ts of this forum. I'm stuck in rut career-wise. I've been working at a postal outlet (not a post office; those are run by actual Canada Post employees, whereas we're employees of the "convenience" store) for too long now. But anyway, sorry for being so vague. Want to stay somewhat anonymous here.
OK, some pet peeves of mine...
1) "What, there's no lineup? I can't believe it!" Yeah, I know it's up there along with the miracle of birth, but after the first 500 times I've heard that, it starts to get irritating.
2) People who cut in line and interrupt you serving your customer to ask a "quick question." 99 times out of 100, it's going to require a "long answer" plus possibly supplemental questions. But for the lucky 1% in all these instances, I'm happy to provide a "quick answer."
3) People who phone us and ask about our hours, *and* they want to know the hours of other locations plus their phone numbers, etc. Sorry, I have "real" customers in the store that need to be served, and I don't have time to play 411 with you.
4) Another type of call is for a postal code. There used to be a 900-number people can call to get a postal code. It was like 75 cents or $1.50, something like that, per call. If I'm not serving any customers or busy entering parcels (i.e., scanning incoming parcels into our system, entering name & address, etc., and shelving them), I can spare a minute to look up a postal code. If I can tell it's an elderly person on the other end, I almost always make an exception. I'm really not an android with no soul. Otherwise, people, make one up or use the internet.
5) Whenever someone complains about the postage (usually for a parcel) and says, "What's inside doesn't even cost that much." Well, I don't think Canada Post cares that you send cheap gifts to your friends/family. Postage is based on the destination, weight, and dimensions of the item. I plug in all this information to the computer and out pop the options and the rates. If I'm clever, I may suggest using a prepaid Xpresspost mailer, which sometimes works out cheaper (although since they've raised the rates this year, this isn't as often the case). So I've found that the best response is to say, "Well, postage covers the cost of labour and gas." That seems to do the trick more often than not. But of course, as you all know, you can't please all the people all the time.
OK, I think I'll leave it at 5 pet peeves for now. Would totally appreciate comments, esp. from other postal workers (Canada Post or otherwise).
Cheers,
friggle
(am I showing my age here??)
)
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