Long queues set to remain

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.petersfieldpost.co.uk/news/L ... 5853131.jp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Customers fed up with queuing during peak hours at Petersfield Post Office will have to carry on waiting in line for the foreseeable future.

A total of 2,020 signatures from customers who use the office in The Square were collected on a petition, sent to Royal Mail bosses last month, which asked for more staff to be employed during busy periods to cut down on queuing times.

However, a meeting between Royal Mail management, East Hampshire MP Michael Mates and Petersfield campaigner Paula Wigley last Friday failed to resolve the problems. Mr Mates expressed his disappointment with the Royal Mail's response afterwards.

He said: "Frankly I was dismayed at the absence of any real progress at this meeting.

"The service project manager John Jones, who received us with great courtesy, had not visited Petersfield's Post Office before and was unable to offer any substantive improvement in the quality of service to customers.

"He felt that the main problem had been long term sick leave for staff in the past and that there had not been an increase in business since the offices in Cranford Road and Durford Road closed.

"Mr Jones did suggest that the layout of the Post Office might be changed to improve the situation for customers, particularly so people do not have to queue in the street, but that seemed to me to miss the point entirely.

"It would not be necessary for customers to queue in the street if the Post Office was staffed sufficiently to ensure that waiting times are reasonable."

Mr Mates added it was clear the problem stemmed from the top at Royal Mail, and he would once again take the matter up with its chief executive Adam Crozier.

Mrs Wigley (67), of Pulens Crescent, spent weeks earlier this year outside the branch on Wednesdays and Saturdays collecting the names of people upset at the length of the queues.

She said she forwarded a wish list to be considered by Royal Mail management at Friday's meeting, asking for cutbacks in customer queues above 10 minutes, seating for frail people during long waits and a system by which they would not lose their place in the queue, less pressure on staff due to understaffing, and for customers to feel less aggrieved over foreign currency customers being treated differently.

Mrs Wigley said: "The position of Royal Mail was that the waiting problem this summer was made worse by long-term staff sickness, but that since the closure of local branches business at Petersfield has not increased.

"I suggested that this could be because people are by-passing Petersfield and going to Rake and Rogate.

"With regard to people having to queue out on the pavement, Mr Jones felt the problem was with the queueing system itself.

"He thought 10 people waiting would result in them reaching the pavement.

[billyhayes]

To Admin, would it be possible to have this in the Post Office forum as my fellow counter colleagues may add to this further if it was there.

Thanks if you can.

[flaminmoses]

i sometimes go into my local post office and im dismayed at the level of customer service.
not by the counter staff but by the lack of them when there is a long queue.

i can see why some people prefer to have other service providers come and collect from their home.

might cost more but so much less hassle

[TrueBlueTerrier]

To Admin, would it be possible to have this in the Post Office forum as my fellow counter colleagues may add to this further if it was there.

Thanks if you can.

Done

[Big TImmy]

can any counter staff out there tell me what the longest waiting time is that they have experienced in their branch - just thought it would be interesting to see which branch holds the record.

[The BFO]

I think it is deliberate policy, set at the highest levels of Post Office Ltd, and possibly beyond, to create long queues and force customers transacting unprofitable business away.

[The BFO]

can any counter staff out there tell me what the longest waiting time is that they have experienced in their branch - just thought it would be interesting to see which branch holds the record.

I saw 32 minutes whilst working in a Ticket Machine office once - but I bet others can beat that by a mile!

[billyhayes]

can any counter staff out there tell me what the longest waiting time is that they have experienced in their branch - just thought it would be interesting to see which branch holds the record.

I saw 32 minutes whilst working in a Ticket Machine office once - but I bet others can beat that by a mile!

Amateurs! 50 people waiting, 60 minutes. Ticket machine office.

[BELIAL]

Have any of you considered what a wonderful sales opportunity this presents. The possibilities are huge with this captive market, shooting sticks;short term portable TV hire ;emergency rations ;support stockings;insulin shots...

[counter man]

I have heard there is an office in London that " clocked" its ticket machine.....Ie it had 200 customers waiting and the same ticket number was issued twice!..

Im happy to stick the the traditional long queue thanks!

[The BFO]

I have heard there is an office in London that " clocked" its ticket machine.....Ie it had 200 customers waiting and the same ticket number was issued twice!..

Im happy to stick the the traditional long queue thanks!

Yes, but they had a nice seat, and the atmosphere now is so professional, with ‘Meeter and Greeters’ to sooth them. And as I understand, it they will soon have Christmas Decorations to look at, and perhaps even a mince pie.

Wonderful.

[goggins69]

It would appear not to matter how long the queue is as long as one customer applies for a credit card