Customer Contempt? Audits Come Before Customers!

[reluctantuser]

Have just sent this email to customercare@postoffice.co.uk - anyone else had similar treatment?

Hello

I want to register a complaint.

Last week, not for the first time, I visited the PO to send an Airmail letter to Canada, only to find the access to the counters was blocked with display stands. I ran into frustrated and angry customers, asking what was going on, and they said it was closed for some technical issues. I noticed that all the kiosks were staffed with happy-looking females chatting among themselves, and had no choice but to join the other departing customers in condemnation of this obvious disregard for their customers. I visit town just once a week and this meant I would have to delay sending my letter until the next week.

When I returned today I asked the young woman at the counter what the problem was last week, and was told - in a ridiculing manner - they were being audited, surely I should know why they have to close - hadn't I heard of auditing? I politely proceeded to query why they have to bar customer services (mine was only for an airmail stamp) at 11.00am peak time for an internal administrative process. In my own area of work, I personally have been asked by auditors for information they need - but we don't shut down the business while this is done! Whatever I tried to find out about the reasons for closing down the counter, she refused to give me any justification, or offer an apology for the inconvenience - in fact she was unbelievably hostile to me.

I asked for her name - Ryimana or similar (couldn't read her writing) and she said I was being recorded by camera - clearly making me feel extremely uncomfortable about the whole episode. I can only say that the footage should be used at staff training sessions to illustrate how NOT to treat customers.

I am therefore registering a complaint about her, and also I would like an explanation as to why/whether this particular audit procedure is something that is binding on all post offices - and if so why, and do other similar retail organisations such as banks have to follow such a customer-unfriendly directive. Certainly I have not come across it anywhere else but this Post Office branch. I am a very infrequent user and within the space of 12 months I have twice had to suffer this complete lack of regard to your customers.

Finally, in the unlikely event that this branch has your full backing for this disgraceful service, then could I suggest that a friendly member of staff be situated at the front entrance apologising and explaining the necessity to incoming customers, and advising when service would be resumed - instead of enjoying a chat among themselves well away from the turmoil.

[POSTMAN]

Hi and welcome to the site, can I please point you towards our customer page here...
https://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/customers.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Although the quote below says Royal Mail I will edit it to say Post Office as well on our customers page...

If you are looking for information on your mail or have a complaint or general query, we 1st suggest you contact Royal Mail (or the Post Office) on Twitter, or our Customer Services, their links are at the end of this article.

We will not be able to help you here so I would suggest you use the Post Office links in the customers page.

Good luck.

EDIT: Just realised you sent an email out, also moved to customer forum as the PO one is very quiet lately although PO peeps will still be able to see it when they log on.

[reluctantuser]

Sorry Postman - your message doesn't make much sense to me I'm afraid!

[Snaggletooth]

There are several types of audit that can happen at Post Offices. Some would be familiar to people in other lines of work, some would not. All have to happen during normal opening hours, for practical reasons.

One type of audit involves closing down all the tills. There is, as far as I can see, no way around that.

[reluctantuser]

Thanks Snaggletooth. I must say that the PO's Customer Care Dept were excellent in responding to my official complaint - which was two-fold (closing down and staff disregard for the inconvenience to customers). I received a phone call on Saturday afternoon. They had contacted the branch manager in question and it seems only positives will emerge out of the incident. Where I do stand corrected, and this confirms your comments, is that this audit was a random visit and that it is PO policy to close down the kiosks while the audit is in progress. I was unable to ascertain whether closing is a legal requirement or whether banks and building societies suffer similar random audits necessitating closure. I've never been affected by any of these, only my local town centre PO branch on two successive occasions within 12 months!

[Snaggletooth]

Legal requirement I doubt. But the money, stamps etc in PO tills belongs to the Government, regardless of who owns / runs that particular branch, so that brings the PO under the Managing Public Money rules. That would not affect the banks and building societies.