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Callers Office Assistant

Postal workers discussion forum. Discuss the day to day life in a Blue Shirt.
Rudolph_Hucker
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Callers Office Assistant

Post by Rudolph_Hucker »

What does a Callers Office Assistant do please?

No silly answers, i.e. Nothing or make tea etc. :Very Happy
If you do a job too well, you’ll get stuck with it.
TrueBlueTerrier
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Re: Callers Office Assistant

Post by TrueBlueTerrier »

Rudolph_Hucker wrote:What does a Callers Office Assistant do please?

No silly answers, i.e. Nothing or make tea etc. :Very Happy
Its a customer facing role in a Delivery Office. You give people their parcels, sell stamps, businesses their box office mail, take payment for surcharges, book in form left packets/letters. Take complains from customers and give advice. Basically anything and everything that involves dealing with the public that want their letters and parcels.

Obviously a lot more involved than that but that's the general picture. Having done it, I would not recommend it to anyone unless they have broad shoulders, an approachable personality, can work under pressure, and are not prone to stress. I no longer do the callers office now.
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boo634
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Re: Callers Office Assistant

Post by boo634 »

sit on your arse behind a computer and eat chocolate!
dvbuk55
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Re: Callers Office Assistant

Post by dvbuk55 »

boo634 wrote:sit on your arse behind a computer and eat chocolate!
Just about sums up the role to a T :whistle The biggest ball ache is having a customer come in for a parcel/packet and you can't find it - meanwhile the queue just grows and grows.
Rudolph_Hucker
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Re: Callers Office Assistant

Post by Rudolph_Hucker »

TrueBlueTerrier wrote:
Rudolph_Hucker wrote:What does a Callers Office Assistant do please?

No silly answers, i.e. Nothing or make tea etc. :Very Happy
Its a customer facing role in a Delivery Office. You give people their parcels, sell stamps, businesses their box office mail, take payment for surcharges, book in form left packets/letters. Take complains from customers and give advice. Basically anything and everything that involves dealing with the public that want their letters and parcels.

Obviously a lot more involved than that but that's the general picture. Having done it, I would not recommend it to anyone unless they have broad shoulders, an approachable personality, can work under pressure, and are not prone to stress. I no longer do the callers office now.
Thank you T B, doesn't sound like something for me.

Okay the floor is open for silly answers! :dance
If you do a job too well, you’ll get stuck with it.
mandelsons_toenail
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Re: Callers Office Assistant

Post by mandelsons_toenail »

dvbuk55 wrote:
boo634 wrote:sit on your arse behind a computer and eat chocolate!
Just about sums up the role to a T :whistle The biggest ball ache is having a customer come in for a parcel/packet and you can't find it - meanwhile the queue just grows and grows.

I love that part :dance
UnhappyGremlin
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Re: Callers Office Assistant

Post by UnhappyGremlin »

The guy who used to do ours (was sacked a few years ago), took extreme delight in trying to make the queue as long as possible.
If he failed to get it out the door and round the corner, he wasn't happy.
Sometimes, I wish I wasn't a Rep.
dvbuk55
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Re: Callers Office Assistant

Post by dvbuk55 »

UnhappyGremlin wrote:The guy who used to do ours (was sacked a few years ago), took extreme delight in trying to make the queue as long as possible.
If he failed to get it out the door and round the corner, he wasn't happy.
A few years ago it would take a while - with the volumes now, you only need to go for a wee and they're round the corner :cuppa
UnhappyGremlin
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Re: Callers Office Assistant

Post by UnhappyGremlin »

dvbuk55 wrote:
UnhappyGremlin wrote:The guy who used to do ours (was sacked a few years ago), took extreme delight in trying to make the queue as long as possible.
If he failed to get it out the door and round the corner, he wasn't happy.
A few years ago it would take a while - with the volumes now, you only need to go for a wee and they're round the corner :cuppa
Not really. He was a proper twat.
Sometimes, I wish I wasn't a Rep.
crazyshrew
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Re: Callers Office Assistant

Post by crazyshrew »

Not a job I could do long term, I took this job because i hate people and the being on my own all day is heaven!

Had to do a few days in there on light duties it was horrible, had a Horrible lady screaming at me because i couldn't immediately find her mail (turns out she has to collect it due to a long history of verbal abuse towards posties)

People coming in with a grey card not having read it failing to understand why i'm asking for money, even when you've explained twice.

People coming in with a red card, you dig out the letter that needs signing for, then they get arsey as they fail to comprehend why the posty couldnt have just stuck it through the door.

People getting pissy when you ask for ID "But the usual guy knows me", clearly i'm not the usual guy show me some ID or clear out the effin queue!!

and of course badly filled out 739's, no idea what your looking for, usually the person collecting wasn't expecting anything so they cant help, no waiting time written on so they've come in hours before the item has come back


On the plus side you can go for a smoke, pee, or cuppa whenever you want. you don't get soaked or heatstroke. And you learn the importance of filling in a 739 properly - Seriousley just writing "blue" or "poster tube" on the card makes life soooo much easier!!
Rudolph_Hucker
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Re: Callers Office Assistant

Post by Rudolph_Hucker »

crazyshrew wrote:Not a job I could do long term, I took this job because i hate people and the being on my own all day is heaven!

Had to do a few days in there on light duties it was horrible, had a Horrible lady screaming at me because i couldn't immediately find her mail (turns out she has to collect it due to a long history of verbal abuse towards posties)

People coming in with a grey card not having read it failing to understand why i'm asking for money, even when you've explained twice.

People coming in with a red card, you dig out the letter that needs signing for, then they get arsey as they fail to comprehend why the posty couldnt have just stuck it through the door.

People getting pissy when you ask for ID "But the usual guy knows me", clearly i'm not the usual guy show me some ID or clear out the effin queue!!

and of course badly filled out 739's, no idea what your looking for, usually the person collecting wasn't expecting anything so they cant help, no waiting time written on so they've come in hours before the item has come back


On the plus side you can go for a smoke, pee, or cuppa whenever you want. you don't get soaked or heatstroke. And you learn the importance of filling in a 739 properly - Seriousley just writing "blue" or "poster tube" on the card makes life soooo much easier!!


Now that's interesting, your office has a system of helping the office by putting a description on the card, how simple but good.

We simply put the basic info on it i.e. 2.53, 10.08, A Smith, 23 High St, type of parcel/letter/amount, why, duty number and initial it, plus how many hours before they can pick it up.

Henceforth, I shall give the boys some help by adding a description.

Many thanks for that. :thumbup
If you do a job too well, you’ll get stuck with it.
fb1969
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Re: Callers Office Assistant

Post by fb1969 »

One of the few worthwhile things that my workplace coach taught me was to put a brief description of the item on the 739, he covers in the caller's office so saw things from both sides.

As crazyshrew says, even something as basic as "grey bag", "A5 white jiffy" or even just "A4 Do Not Bend" can save someone time when locating an item in the office. We keep all the Amazon boxes in one section, so just putting "amazon box" can direct someone to the right area.
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Rudolph_Hucker
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Re: Callers Office Assistant

Post by Rudolph_Hucker »

fb1969 wrote:One of the few worthwhile things that my workplace coach taught me was to put a brief description of the item on the 739, he covers in the caller's office so saw things from both sides.

As crazyshrew says, even something as basic as "grey bag", "A5 white jiffy" or even just "A4 Do Not Bend" can save someone time when locating an item in the office. We keep all the Amazon boxes in one section, so just putting "amazon box" can direct someone to the right area.
Brill thanks.

Has anybody else got any little tips on how to help the office they would like to share? :Very Happy
If you do a job too well, you’ll get stuck with it.
marshallmercury
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Re: Callers Office Assistant

Post by marshallmercury »

Rudolph_Hucker wrote:
fb1969 wrote:One of the few worthwhile things that my workplace coach taught me was to put a brief description of the item on the 739, he covers in the caller's office so saw things from both sides.

As crazyshrew says, even something as basic as "grey bag", "A5 white jiffy" or even just "A4 Do Not Bend" can save someone time when locating an item in the office. We keep all the Amazon boxes in one section, so just putting "amazon box" can direct someone to the right area.
Brill thanks.

Has anybody else got any little tips on how to help the office they would like to share? :Very Happy
Using the 'Enquiry Office Retrieval System' properly is the best help for the callers office. As long as everything is put on the system correctly then its no problems.
dvbuk55
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Re: Callers Office Assistant

Post by dvbuk55 »

marshallmercury wrote:
Rudolph_Hucker wrote:
fb1969 wrote:One of the few worthwhile things that my workplace coach taught me was to put a brief description of the item on the 739, he covers in the caller's office so saw things from both sides.

As crazyshrew says, even something as basic as "grey bag", "A5 white jiffy" or even just "A4 Do Not Bend" can save someone time when locating an item in the office. We keep all the Amazon boxes in one section, so just putting "amazon box" can direct someone to the right area.
Brill thanks.

Has anybody else got any little tips on how to help the office they would like to share? :Very Happy
Using the 'Enquiry Office Retrieval System' properly is the best help for the callers office. As long as everything is put on the system correctly then its no problems.
What's the EORS?