What would you do?

happyhippo · Post by **happyhippo** » 20 Dec 2011, 11:30

yesterday i had a resident angrily complain that i broke her letterbox, i said i didnt and besides it was faulty and dangerous anyway. It is an external box, with a flap that falls into the box as soon as you lift it. Also the flap has a broken edge that cuts me from time to time. So after she accused me of braking it i said "i dont appeciate your tone and i will withdraw your service until i get a written apology" she huffed and went indoors no doubt to write a complaint to management she is that kind of person and lie about what i said. I have yet to inform management about this incident none about when i returned to office monday and day off today.

My question was i right to withdraw service until i get an apology and will management back me up?

cheers guys

Post by **mazza111** » 20 Dec 2011, 12:06

Probably not, do management ever back posties up? If it was me I would have given her customer services number and let them deal with it.

Post by **dvbuk55** » 20 Dec 2011, 12:43

Two things really, you should have reported the letterbox previously and you don't withdraw delivery, the manager does if he finds sufficient cause.

2old4this · Post by **2old4this** » 20 Dec 2011, 13:14

Had the same thing happen to me some years ago. as I put the letters through the letter box the flap came away so I posted it through with the letters. out comes the lady.. oh you you've broken my letter box... yep thats right I did, the flap bkoke as I was putting your letters through.... so what you are you going to do about it..... I ain't going to do nothing about it miss you don't like it ring up the office and complan..... far as I know it ended there.

happyhippo · Post by **happyhippo** » 20 Dec 2011, 13:37

dvbuk55 wrote:Two things really, you should have reported the letterbox previously and you don't withdraw delivery, the manager does if he finds sufficient cause.

so your suggesting i have to put up with bad attitude towards me for something i have not done, as for the dangerous state of the letterbox do you seriously think management would take me seriously about its poor condition and be concerned for the occasional nicked finger tip. I know its a trivial matter in the grand scheme of things but the little things we can sort out ourselves. Even if management do not back me up on this the resident will know i will tolerate this sort of accusation without a fight and when my round is covered she will think about the consequences if she try's it with any other postie.

chuzzwuzzer · Post by **chuzzwuzzer** » 20 Dec 2011, 14:00

You dont have the authority to withdraw her service.You will probably get done for willful delay.

happyhippo · Post by **happyhippo** » 20 Dec 2011, 14:21

chuzzwuzzer wrote:You dont have the authority to withdraw her service.You will probably get done for willful delay.

have not withdrawn as yet, but it might scare her into apologising and eat humble pie, wait and see what management says tomorrow. i was just wondering what are OUR rights regarding angry interactions with the public. What can we say apart from "call customer services" surely we should have more pride for ourselves and the service we provide.

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 20 Dec 2011, 14:34

happyhippo wrote:
dvbuk55 wrote:Two things really, you should have reported the letterbox previously and you don't withdraw delivery, the manager does if he finds sufficient cause.

so your suggesting i have to put up with bad attitude towards me for something i have not done,

No what you do is don't respond and walk away - then report the customer and the "incident" to management. On delivery I have had my parentage, sexuality and nocturnal activities questioned in quite robust fashion. Best to ignore and move on, it seems to defuse the situation.

happyhippo wrote:as for the dangerous state of the letterbox do you seriously think management would take me seriously about its poor condition and be concerned for the occasional nicked finger tip.

No, but thats not for you to be concerned about - if you had reported each incident before this one, then a pattern would have been recorded and it would have made your case stronger when management looked into it.

happyhippo wrote: I know its a trivial matter in the grand scheme of things but the little things we can sort out ourselves. Even if management do not back me up on this the resident will know i will tolerate this sort of accusation without a fight and when my round is covered she will think about the consequences if she try's it with any other postie.

So putting it bluntly - your credibility is important to you - fair enough I suppose but in your situation I would have said "Sorry love, can't comment you'll need to contact my manager" - in fact this is exactly what has happened on 2 occasions - 1 similar to yours, 1 where I did damage a letter box which I confessed to manager. Never heard anything more about either case.

happyhippo · Post by **happyhippo** » 20 Dec 2011, 15:08

TrueBlueTerrier wrote:
happyhippo wrote:
dvbuk55 wrote:Two things really, you should have reported the letterbox previously and you don't withdraw delivery, the manager does if he finds sufficient cause.

so your suggesting i have to put up with bad attitude towards me for something i have not done,

No what you do is don't respond and walk away - then report the customer and the "incident" to management. On delivery I have had my parentage, sexuality and nocturnal activities questioned in quite robust fashion. Best to ignore and move on, it seems to defuse the situation.

happyhippo wrote:as for the dangerous state of the letterbox do you seriously think management would take me seriously about its poor condition and be concerned for the occasional nicked finger tip.
No, but thats not for you to be concerned about - if you had reported each incident before this one, then a pattern would have been recorded and it would have made your case stronger when management looked into it.

happyhippo wrote: I know its a trivial matter in the grand scheme of things but the little things we can sort out ourselves. Even if management do not back me up on this the resident will know i will tolerate this sort of accusation without a fight and when my round is covered she will think about the consequences if she try's it with any other postie.
So putting it bluntly - your credibility is important to you - fair enough I suppose but in your situation I would have said "Sorry love, can't comment you'll need to contact my manager" - in fact this is exactly what has happened on 2 occasions - 1 similar to yours, 1 where I did damage a letter box which I confessed to manager. Never heard anything more about either case.

Thank you for evaluating the case True blue have you ever considered being a judge you would be a fantastic magistrate. Upon reflection of the answers given i guess i have blown it out to be a bigger deal than it is. I will drop my case against her your honor. I do let my pride get in the way of my perspective sometimes a problem i need to get over, especially working for RM. in this case it most certainly would have been best to jog on and not let it get to me. I wont even mention it to management tomorrow and deliver her post as normal and if a complaint comes my way then i will tell the truth and nothing but the truth and let the jury decide. Thank you all for your wise advice.

brothermagrew · Post by **brothermagrew** » 20 Dec 2011, 15:16

Doglaw.jpg

Only hope she hasn't got a dog that's a trained legal beagle

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 20 Dec 2011, 15:22

smelly_cat_lady · Post by **smelly_cat_lady** » 20 Dec 2011, 15:48

You got managers sitting in the back office on their backsides drinking tea and getting paid £30k a year to do that sort of thing! Don't start doing their job for them!

So, you're not really a happy hippo then?

happyhippo · Post by **happyhippo** » 20 Dec 2011, 15:57

smelly_cat_lady wrote:You got managers sitting in the back office on their backsides drinking tea and getting paid £30k a year to do that sort of thing! Don't start doing their job for them!

So, you're not really a happy hippo then?

no i just really like the kinder egg sweets with the same name alot.

bandit650 · Post by **bandit650** » 20 Dec 2011, 16:04

Have you not got those new cards that you can jot down a problem like a broken letter box so it puts it onto your walk log via WRAP then the managers would be aware of the problem they would only have to withdraw her service and you would not have to speak to her,they would have sent a letter requesting her to repair her box.

Nobodyshero · Post by **Nobodyshero** » 20 Dec 2011, 18:52

I broke one the other week customer came out was quite pleasent but still a tad pissed off i admitted it was my fault gave her the number of customer care told my lino on return to office it was all sorted out in a couple of days with a brand new letterbox installed paid for by royal mail and guess who got a fiver christmas tip off the same customer yesterday yep thats right yours truly

ROYALMAILCHAT

What would you do?

What would you do?

Re: What would you do?

Re: What would you do?

Re: What would you do?

Re: What would you do?

Re: What would you do?

Re: What would you do?

Re: What would you do?

Re: What would you do?

Re: What would you do?

Re: What would you do?

Re: What would you do?

Re: What would you do?

Re: What would you do?

Re: What would you do?