Midpoints: Going postal

It’s March and people are focused on getting their tax returns in the mail—especially now that the IRS is reminding us that we must file our returns to get that “economic stimulus” check in May.

Twice in the last week, I’ve had the unfortunate experience of standing in line at the Norwood Post Office waiting for one of the few clerks behind the counter to say those magic words: “Next person in line, please.”

Whether you go to the Norwood Post Office at 8:45 a.m., or 11:00 a.m., or 2:00 p.m., invariably there will be a line, a long line. On a recent Monday morning before work, I happened on a line at least a dozen people long. Behind the counter—without the lights fully turned on, although the Post Office opened at 8:30—was a lone clerk. This brave soul, polite despite the sea of scowling faces queued up and anxious to get to work, kept what is the epitome of cool under fire.

“Get the Postmaster out here,” one customer, a town official who shall remain nameless, growled. Everyone in line hoped that the Postmaster would emerge and instantly relieve the bottleneck, or at least face the music, but the only relief was another hapless clerk, who had been rudely told to “Get out there.”

Even during non-peak hours, lines form. There is a complete disregard for customer service. This is not the fault of the clerks behind the counter, who cheerfully and calmly greet each customer and ask if there is anything potentially hazardous in what they are mailing - a nonsensical question, since it is doubtful that anyone with nefarious intentions would readily admit to it.

This customer asked the name of the current Postmaster, thinking that perhaps concerns could be addressed directly, but it was learned that in a relatively short time, there have been a number of postmasters in Norwood. Apparently, there is a revolving door in the Norwood Postmaster’s office. And that can’t do a whole lot of good for either the quality of customer service or for the morale of postal employees who work under difficult conditions in the best of circumstances.

When a problem is addressed to the USPS district office, the response in the past has been a glowing report of the district’s customer satisfaction awards. The statistics show that everything is just fine at the Norwood Post Office.

There is no “junk mail” piled in a corner to be delivered after the coupons expire. Customers receive award-winning service. Everything is delivered in a timely fashion. And all mail is getting to the correct addresses (even if neighbors have to redeliver misdirected envelopes themselves).

Like my fellow Norwood residents, I have nothing personal against the Post Office. They are counted upon to provide consistent, reliable service. I’m sure that, compared to other countries, the United States Postal Service is doing a stellar job. But it’s hard for people to feel fortunate at 8:45 in the morning when they have to get to work and they are cooling their heels in a line at the Post Office.

In May of this year, the postal rates are going up again. A first class stamp will cost 42 cents and other rates will also rise. If you have had the experience of mailing anything recently, you know that large envelopes and packages now cost quite a bit to send. That will worsen in May. And yet, despite the increased rates, customer service continues to deteriorate, at least in Norwood.

Perhaps the days of prompt, reliable, cost-effective postal service are over. Obviously, the last stand is at the counter where the postal clerks continue to do their jobs calmly and efficiently despite the lack of support from management and the growing hostility from customers who have had just about enough.

Please, Norwood Postmaster, whoever you may be at the current time, give your customers and your employees a break. You are needed, relied upon, trusted. Please let us know that that trust is well placed.

Norwood resident Candace Leary’s Midpoints column appears Mondays in the Transcript.