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What to do when Postal Clerks are intent on announcing the value of a package?
airplanenut
Posts: 22,733 ✭✭✭✭✭
My post office is usually very, very good. I go in with everything filled out, and while they're not the fastest, everything gets done. Today, a non-regular was filling in and got stumped by a package on multiple fronts. The package was Registered, going to China, and had a declared value of $1400. The first question was on the customs forms to use. After he didn't accept my explanation, he asked one of the regulars (who was not at the counter--she was sorting PO Box mail) and she confirmed what I said, and then mentioned that I know what I'm doing. I thought I was in the clear.
Then, the worst thing the Post Office can do: he got tripped up on the value. Registered international mail can only be insured up to $40-something, so the value must be declared in the computer, but the package not selected to be insured. Trying to insure the whole thing returns an error and the package won't be accepted by the computer (I have private insurance, so this isn't a worry to me). When he asked, I told him to put the value in the system, but not insure it. And then he got confused, asking me about the value, and saying what I tried so hard to keep him from saying... the value, really loudly. And then he asked the regular, from across the room.
There were already two people encroaching on what I'd call my personal space, and now $1400 is being said well within earshot. I tried to interrupt him when I thought he'd blurt out the value, but I failed (and was probably a bit rude in doing so). Now, is there anything I could have done in this situation that would have been better? I didn't want to start a little brouhaha mentioning that the package was high value (or saying loudly, "don't say the package value!"), and I didn't want the actual value to be said. This was all happening with another identical package worth $1600 on the counter ready to be processed next.
I plan to talk to the regular who was there when I go tomorrow explaining that I didn't mean to be rude, but for my personal security, I can't let high values be announced to everyone in the post office. But, should it happen in the future, I'd like to know if there's anything else that might be possible that would have better taken care of the situation.
Jeremy
Then, the worst thing the Post Office can do: he got tripped up on the value. Registered international mail can only be insured up to $40-something, so the value must be declared in the computer, but the package not selected to be insured. Trying to insure the whole thing returns an error and the package won't be accepted by the computer (I have private insurance, so this isn't a worry to me). When he asked, I told him to put the value in the system, but not insure it. And then he got confused, asking me about the value, and saying what I tried so hard to keep him from saying... the value, really loudly. And then he asked the regular, from across the room.
There were already two people encroaching on what I'd call my personal space, and now $1400 is being said well within earshot. I tried to interrupt him when I thought he'd blurt out the value, but I failed (and was probably a bit rude in doing so). Now, is there anything I could have done in this situation that would have been better? I didn't want to start a little brouhaha mentioning that the package was high value (or saying loudly, "don't say the package value!"), and I didn't want the actual value to be said. This was all happening with another identical package worth $1600 on the counter ready to be processed next.
I plan to talk to the regular who was there when I go tomorrow explaining that I didn't mean to be rude, but for my personal security, I can't let high values be announced to everyone in the post office. But, should it happen in the future, I'd like to know if there's anything else that might be possible that would have better taken care of the situation.
Jeremy
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Some clerks/cashiers just don't get it!!!
If you live in a well populated area, it usually is more efficient to go the the nearest GMF, rather than a branch. The best qualified clerks often land at GMF's by an internal job bid system.
"Everything is on its way to somewhere. Everything." - George Malley, Phenomenon
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merse
The regular guy at the local PO makes it look easy, the others don't get it right.
Now, if I'm shipping something valuable and they ask the dollar amount I write it down on a little piece of scrap paper and hand it to them. That seems to work as it implies intent of privacy.
<< <i>That happened to me at my local post office once. I was shipping about 9K worth of half dimes to PCGS years ago and the clerk wanted to know the value. I told him and then he proceeded to yell to the next clear over, "Hey, can I insure this package for nine thousand dollars?!".
Now, if I'm shipping something valuable and they ask the dollar amount I write it down on a little piece of scrap paper and hand it to them. That seems to work as it implies intent of privacy. >>
You should write "More than your life!" next time they ask. I doubt that you would have any more problems
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how she ever got the job. One day she was complaining about the nickle, and how it has all the new pictures, and it just
confused her, she didn't like it all.
<< <i>
<< <i>That happened to me at my local post office once. I was shipping about 9K worth of half dimes to PCGS years ago and the clerk wanted to know the value. I told him and then he proceeded to yell to the next clear over, "Hey, can I insure this package for nine thousand dollars?!".
Now, if I'm shipping something valuable and they ask the dollar amount I write it down on a little piece of scrap paper and hand it to them. That seems to work as it implies intent of privacy. >>
You should write "More than your life!" next time they ask. I doubt that you would have any more problems
Can avatars get poofed??
<< <i>Now, if I'm shipping something valuable and they ask the dollar amount I write it down on a little piece of scrap paper and hand it to them. That seems to work as it implies intent of privacy. >>
That works... sometimes. He picked up the value since it was written right on the Registered slip. Other times, I've had clerks confirm at 120dB the number that is clearly before them.
The solution is simple.
Think in terms of a bank. You go in and ask your teller your bank balance. They always are well trained to write the amount down on a piece of paper or a computerized response.
Do the opposite. Write it all down. Write down:
"declared value $1400.00 but only insure for $700" as an example.
When handing the piece of paper to the postal employee, just remind them if they have a question regarding valuation amount to please write it down on another piece of paper and a pen which you have in front of you for them to use, just in case. It works everytime.
Very professional indeed!!
Is there anything liquid, perishable , fragile or potentially hazardous just one more time...........................................................
TO THE MOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
<< <i>If I hear:
Is there anything liquid, perishable , fragile or potentially hazardous just one more time...........................................................
TO THE MOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! >>
She got the job because she knows how to spell nickel.
Sorry, couldn't resist...
<< <i>Reminds me of, "I need a price check on Super Tampons, the 100 pack in aisle 7."
Some clerks/cashiers just don't get it!!!
What are saying Bully they have a huge hole in their heads?
We have a clean up on aisle 7 need more than Super Tammies, we need the BUllydozer.
<< <i>And they had to go through testing to get into the post office job. There is one local lady at the post office, I'm not sure
how she ever got the job. One day she was complaining about the nickle, and how it has all the new pictures, and it just
confused her, she didn't like it all. >>
Hey, I know where your post office is!
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<< <i>Thankfully I live in a small tohwn(20,000). The clerks all know me and know what I'm shipping or what I'm getting in the mail when I have to pick it up. >>
Thankful? Really? IT ain't the postal employees you need to be concerned about. It's who they may possibly blab to.
"Everything is on its way to somewhere. Everything." - George Malley, Phenomenon
http://www.american-legacy-coins.com
<< <i>I don't worry about this in the least. $20,000 in CA won't make some folks monthly house payments. They often ask me "Is that $20,000?". I just say yep and move on. I think they want to make sure it is not $200.00 so if you don't like it being announced you might write $20,000.oo to make it clear to them and they might not ask. Bottom line is, they are not worried about security, a few thousand dollars is no big deal to them as they move a lot of important mail every day, and they are constantly pushed by their management to get it accurate, thus they verify numbers. --Jerry >>
yeah but the pos in line behind you might just decide to follow you home.
Just last night I had a lady call me from the D.O.T. She wanted to take a survey. The first question she asked was if my telephone was used for personal use, business use, or a combination of the two and how much time for each . I asked her why she needed that information . She said it was part of the interview. I told her because of the Privacy Act of 1973 I refused to answer such a question. Then I asked her what the next question was and she said the program shows if I refuse to answer that question I cannot take the interview. I bid her adieu and thought
Good riddance to bad rubbish !
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<< <i>
<< <i>I don't worry about this in the least. $20,000 in CA won't make some folks monthly house payments. They often ask me "Is that $20,000?". I just say yep and move on. I think they want to make sure it is not $200.00 so if you don't like it being announced you might write $20,000.oo to make it clear to them and they might not ask. Bottom line is, they are not worried about security, a few thousand dollars is no big deal to them as they move a lot of important mail every day, and they are constantly pushed by their management to get it accurate, thus they verify numbers. --Jerry >>
yeah but the pos in line behind you might just decide to follow you home. >>
I think coindeuce's paranoid response would garner much more attention than the clerks question. Don't get me wrong, I'm very security conscious and in other threads I've posted that I'm a good customer of Sig Sauer. But I don't think this is where you're at risk. --Jerry
I think coindeuce's paranoid response would garner much more attention than the clerks question. Don't get me wrong, I'm very security conscious and in other threads I've posted that I'm a good customer of Sig Sauer. But I don't think this is where you're at risk. --Jerry >>
I don't consider knowing the boundaries of a postal employees actions to be paranoid at all. On the occassion which I challenged the clerk's authority, the clerk politely rephrased the inquiry to conform with Postal regulations. And I politely answered.
"Everything is on its way to somewhere. Everything." - George Malley, Phenomenon
http://www.american-legacy-coins.com
<< <i> >>
I think coindeuce's paranoid response would garner much more attention than the clerks question. Don't get me wrong, I'm very security conscious and in other threads I've posted that I'm a good customer of Sig Sauer. But I don't think this is where you're at risk. --Jerry >>
I don't consider knowing the boundaries of a postal employees actions to be paranoid at all. On the occassion which I challenged the clerk's authority, the clerk politely rephrased the inquiry to conform with Postal regulations. And I politely answered.
I understand your point and agree with you but if you can pull that off at the clerks desk without raising the eyebrows of those in line behind you then you're very, very smooth. --Jerry
"...SURE !!! I CAN SELL YOU $5200.00 DOLLARS WORTH OF POSTAL MONEY ORDERS...BUT YOU'LL HAVE TO FILL OUT A FORM!"
so I asked him....were you born stupid...or did you work your way up to stupid from moron?"
he had a dumbfounded look on his face when i asked him that....he still didn't get what i was pissed about.
<< <i>
<< <i>Thankfully I live in a small tohwn(20,000). The clerks all know me and know what I'm shipping or what I'm getting in the mail when I have to pick it up. >>
Thankful? Really? IT ain't the postal employees you need to be concerned about. It's who they may possibly blab to.
They know me so they don't blab
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#1 1951 Bowman Los Angeles Rams Team Set
#2 1980 Topps Los Angeles Rams Team Set
#8 (and climbing) 1972 Topps Los Angeles Rams Team Set
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BTW, what post office do you go to that only has 2 people in your personal space at any time? I'm lucky if it's not double digits
Edited to fix bold problem
That's probably not possible in some cities.
I seem to have more problems with bank tellers that talk to loud.
<< <i>Next time, ask if they have any Grey Poupon™. >>
... Oh , and make sure you are tapping your forehead with your index finger while you ask this question.
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i then drag them across the counter and stick the prod in their pie hole.
Pretty much solves the problem
(not to anyone in particular)
They might not be but the customer is.
How about this scenario? Postal employee blabs amount in public and hoodlum online over hears.
Hoodlum follows customer home and robs him. Hoodlum now has 100k coin collection, customer has banged head.
Steve
so I asked him....were you born stupid...or did you work your way up to stupid from moron?"
lol
Steve
I have a PO box and always go to the same PO. When I first went there I would loudly announce that my tiny package should be insured for $100 or 2 or 3. I would register anything over 6 or 7. They were curious. I would tell them it was rare coins. I showed them a gold coin. They showed me an ad for some rip off unopened rolls of whatever. When values got into the thousands they would ask: "is it a valuable coin?" I would say no, it was diamonds and a deed to a gold mine. They assumed I was joking and thought it was more coins, which it was. Anyway they now speak in low tones when discussing values. The joke about values of packages posted by others. I guess it makes life more interesting for them.
I can't really see the problem. But then I am a trusting guy and haven't lost anything valuable. The things lost were of such low value I believe they were really lost rather than stolen...
<< <i>My post office is usually very, very good. I go in with everything filled out, and while they're not the fastest, everything gets done. Today, a non-regular was filling in and got stumped by a package on multiple fronts. The package was Registered, going to China, and had a declared value of $1400. The first question was on the customs forms to use. After he didn't accept my explanation, he asked one of the regulars (who was not at the counter--she was sorting PO Box mail) and she confirmed what I said, and then mentioned that I know what I'm doing. I thought I was in the clear.
Then, the worst thing the Post Office can do: he got tripped up on the value. Registered international mail can only be insured up to $40-something, so the value must be declared in the computer, but the package not selected to be insured. Trying to insure the whole thing returns an error and the package won't be accepted by the computer (I have private insurance, so this isn't a worry to me). When he asked, I told him to put the value in the system, but not insure it. And then he got confused, asking me about the value, and saying what I tried so hard to keep him from saying... the value, really loudly. And then he asked the regular, from across the room.
There were already two people encroaching on what I'd call my personal space, and now $1400 is being said well within earshot. I tried to interrupt him when I thought he'd blurt out the value, but I failed (and was probably a bit rude in doing so). Now, is there anything I could have done in this situation that would have been better? I didn't want to start a little brouhaha mentioning that the package was high value (or saying loudly, "don't say the package value!"), and I didn't want the actual value to be said. This was all happening with another identical package worth $1600 on the counter ready to be processed next.
I plan to talk to the regular who was there when I go tomorrow explaining that I didn't mean to be rude, but for my personal security, I can't let high values be announced to everyone in the post office. But, should it happen in the future, I'd like to know if there's anything else that might be possible that would have better taken care of the situation.
Jeremy >>
I'd be having a serious talk with the Postmaster.
<< <i>My biggest worry when sending registered mail is someone at the post office ripping the package off. I could careless about the customers, but I've seen someone postal employees that I don't think I would trust. IT is so easy for a postal employee to walk off with a package. >>
At least with Registered there's a known paper trail and serious consequences.
<< <i>Do not offer on the job training to people at a business in which you do not work. People tend to want to fail very quietly in front of someone they are supposed to be servicing. Let them. If you start attempting to "help" them then they think of you as someone they can feel comfortable failing around. That was where you slipped up. >>
If he does it incorrectly and my package gets returned, it hurts my business. I want to make sure everything is done properly. Plus, as he was trying to peel off a label, I was afraid he'd rip the envelope and start a different annoying fiasco of having to fix it.
<< <i> I sometimes let folks in line pass before me to deal with someone I know. >>
I do that, but in this case, he was the only one available. My regular was sorting mail, not taking packages.
<<< i would worry more about your preference to self insure, how does that work anyway ? >>>
Good question, being that eBay says you can't do that unless it's a licensed 3rd party insurance company.
It's virtually impossible, not to mention impractical to get 3rd party insurance on coins that are safely sitting in the safe at my home.
<< <i>seatedcollector asks:
<<< i would worry more about your preference to self insure, how does that work anyway ? >>>
Good question, being that eBay says you can't do that unless it's a licensed 3rd party insurance company.
It's virtually impossible, not to mention impractical to get 3rd party insurance on coins that are safely sitting in the safe at my home. >>
It is only against the policy if you charge a separate fee for it.
Similarly in my banks, I know there are some doofus tellers that I will refuse to deal with, and will pass them onto the next person in line. You have every right to be discriminatory to idiots when it comes to postal or banking matters.
<< <i>seatedcollector asks: <<< i would worry more about your preference to self insure, how does that work anyway ? >>> Good question, being that eBay says you can't do that unless it's a licensed 3rd party insurance company. It's virtually impossible, not to mention impractical to get 3rd party insurance on coins that are safely sitting in the safe at my home. >>
Insurance protects the seller. Any time you ship a coin without insurance you are defacto self-insuring unless you are a scumbag seller who won't make right on a non-delivery. If you think you should buy insurance on every little package sent by the USPS then you have no business sense. I'm not going to post the details of my sales on ebay here in public but trust me, not buying insurance is the way to go unless you're an inept shipper. And the best shipping insurance you can buy is a barcode label printer. If you ship 1 coin a month it dosn't matter but if you ship 20/day you need to do the math. --jerry
Edit to add: If you can't get insurance from Hugh Wood there is something wrong. They provide prompt an reasonable quotes.
<<< i would worry more about your preference to self insure, how does that work anyway ? >>>
Good question, being that eBay says you can't do that unless it's a licensed 3rd party insurance company.
It's virtually impossible, not to mention impractical to get 3rd party insurance on coins that are safely sitting in the safe at my home. >>
It is only against the policy if you charge a separate fee for it. >>>
Right. What I'm asking is where do I find legit insurance that's affordable enough for me to pass it on to my buyers for free?