What can I do? (Aggressive customer)

[ysbrydtawel]

Hi all,

I'm a reserve in my office and one of the rounds I often cover is a shared van round. There's one loop which consistently is problematic, and today was the last straw - here's what happened:

Number 45 has a gate you have to open to get into their garden, so you can walk to the door and deliver their mail. The gate is tall and you have to open it to see through. Now, they normally leave their front door open, so as soon as their dog hears me open the gate it rushes out into the garden and goes for me. This started happening a few months ago, and every time I took the mail back and endorsed it as 'Dog at Large'.

When this had happened for a few days, my manager went up there to speak to them, and it was arranged that if the dog was out, their mail could be delivered to Number 33 (a few doors along, within sight) as they are related.

So, a couple of weeks later (in July), the dog was out again - I can always hear the owner calling it from inside, but she never comes out and gets it no matter how long I wait - so I put the mail back in my trolley to deliver to 33 when I got to it - but before I got a chance, the man who lives at 33 came out and started having a go at me because I was being 'lazy' and according to him, I hadn't even checked to see if the dog had been out (which I had). His body language and tone of voice was quite aggressive, and he told me I was talking bullshit, so I reported this to my manager when I got back, who went up and had a word with them - he got there to find they had all written a letter of complaint in which they called my manager rude, and me a spineless wimp.

Now, cut to today:
I'm back on this duty for a while, and last week I opened the gate at 45 only to see that the front door was open, and to hear a load of barking. So I closed the gate, and delivered their mail to 33, as instructed (this is what they'd kicked such a fuss up about before, so I made sure to get it right.)

Today, the same happened - but just as I arrived at 33, the man (same as before) came out and asked if he could have a word. He told me that I shouldn't have delivered it there last week as they were all away, so there was no way the dog could have been there (but it was, I'd swear on my life). I told him there must have been some mistake, but I definitely heard a dog.
'Shut it and listen to me!' he cut me short, so I just put the mail on his doormat and started to walk away, telling him he could talk to my DOM if there was a problem, as I wasn't going to be spoken to in that manner. I got out my mobile and called my manager, and the man chased after me demanding to know my name (also getting a bit close for comfort). I told him I was on the phone, so I'd answer in a minute. He said 'Just f**k off back to your manager then, you think you're so well-spoken now, don't you?' (a personal attack on my accent). At this point, another postman was walking past on his way to work and he went to talk to him and ask him my name. I went away, and my manager went to see him immediately - he told me we'd have a chat about it on Wednesday.

Question: what can I do? I feel unsafe delivering to these people, as they are aggressive and behave in a threatening way, and try to intimidate me by swearing at me, shouting at me and making personal comments. I don't want to deliver there any more. If I can choose not to deliver somewhere because of a dog, or because the path is overgrown, can't I do the same because of this?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[bigal383]

for one if you feel your saftety is at any risk at all DO NOT GO IN THEIR. your manager should tell them to get a different delivery point eg buy a postbos to put on the gate,
do not worry about this just keep doing what you are doing forget the aggressive neighbours, if the dog is out from now on put dog at large on and dont even delivery to number 33 .

its up to them to sort this not you its your safety and if this dog has you you could be basically fcuked so dont worry about them pal

u have more than done your job

[DiamondSmiles]

Well if you ask me its about time your manager went to both these lovely customers and told them they can collect their mail from their local office in future. Frankly I am amazed your manager hasn't done this yet. Might be an idea to speak to your union rep as well about this. Also if Mr Gobby lays a hand on you then its on the phone to the police at once. Don't stand for all this mate, we are not paid enough to put up with all this. Time for your manager to grow a pair...

[IcanthelpthewayIam]

from what your saying, i think your DOM might be an ok sort, so just tell him as it is that you feel unsafe delivering to these two addresses and tell him why, he is probably pissed off already with them if they have written a letter of complain that described him as rude, also the fact they call you spineless in it helps you as it backs up that they are aggressive, your dom has a few options,

Option one: Can go round and have aword

Option two: He can deliver a warning letter

Option three: Suspend delivery and make them collect it from delivery office

And the Nuclear Option he can to police as your being threatened though at this stage that might not yet(but only just) be called for

i think so as he is following correct procedure he should be sending the warning letter and if it happens once more then suspend delivery

[slave]

For a start off stop delivering mail to another address - you shouldn't be doing this. Mail should be delivered to where it's addressed, if you can't get access then it gets endorsed appropriately, in this case DAL.

Quite clearly delivering to another address has failed miserably so it's up to the dog owners to lock the dog away, put up a box or collect it.

You do your job as you should, no favours or anything, let the DOM do his job and deal with it by letter, paying a visit or whatever, just make sure he understands you are not, under any circumstances, delivering mail elsewhere - deliver as addressed - end of.

[steven100]

from what your saying, i think your DOM might be an ok sort, so just tell him as it is that you feel unsafe delivering to these two addresses and tell him why, he is probably pissed off already with them if they have written a letter of complain that described him as rude, also the fact they call you spineless in it helps you as it backs up that they are aggressive, your dom has a few options,

Option one: Can go round and have aword

Option two: He can deliver a warning letter

Option three: Suspend delivery and make them collect it from delivery office

And the Nuclear Option he can to police as your being threatened though at this stage that might not yet(but only just) be called for

i think so as he is following correct procedure he should be sending the warning letter and if it happens once more then suspend delivery

I'd make the whole street collect their mail

[creggan14]

First of all, you dont get paid enough to take crap from ANYONE - a manager, a colleague, or a 'customer'.

Personally, I'd endorse the mail as inaccessible and send them back. If they cant control their dog, then they dont get post, SIMPLES. If your Line Manager cant come to an arrangement for the mail to be delivered (mail box outside the gate perhaps?, or call and collect?) then you have to look after your own health and safety and bring the mail back. I have had incidents where a customer laughed when they see you standing outside their gate refusing to enter their property because of their dog - but the smile soon disappears when they see you walking away with their mail. It's just not worth the risk of getting bitten and all the bullsh1t that comes after it.

One alternative could be to swap loops with the other person in your van share, if it's possible. This sort of thing has worked in my office in the past with problematic addresses.

Good luck and hope this helps!

[mandelsons_toenail]

Well if you ask me its about time your manager went to both these lovely customers and told them they can collect their mail from their local office in future. Frankly I am amazed your manager hasn't done this yet. Might be an idea to speak to your union rep as well about this. Also if Mr Gobby lays a hand on you then its on the phone to the police at once. Don't stand for all this mate, we are not paid enough to put up with all this. Time for your manager to grow a pair...

I'd refuse to deliver to both houses, and call the cops.

No way would I be spoken to like that. What a c***.

Pm me his address and ill send him a s**t in a box

[rjack]

I had this on my round my dom sent them a letter if they did not keep their dog under control we would stop deliveries in 14 days time, he also offered them a post box free of charge as long as they put it up.

[UnhappyGremlin]

Well if you ask me its about time your manager went to both these lovely customers and told them they can collect their mail from their local office in future. Frankly I am amazed your manager hasn't done this yet. Might be an idea to speak to your union rep as well about this. Also if Mr Gobby lays a hand on you then its on the phone to the police at once. Don't stand for all this mate, we are not paid enough to put up with all this. Time for your manager to grow a pair...

I'd refuse to deliver to both houses, and call the cops.

No way would I be spoken to like that. What a c***.

Pm me his address and ill send him a s**t in a box

I agree.
Get the Rep/Area Rep involved too.
I'd refuse on grounds of personnel safety. Threatening behaviour is totally unacceptable.

Your manager and/or DOM should have taken action already (though it would appear they have at least tried on some level, to no avail).
They maybe should also have gone to their own manager (DSM?) for advice etc.
And police involvement, I think, is now a must.

[beanmuncha]

Well if you ask me its about time your manager went to both these lovely customers and told them they can collect their mail from their local office in future. Frankly I am amazed your manager hasn't done this yet. Might be an idea to speak to your union rep as well about this. Also if Mr Gobby lays a hand on you then its on the phone to the police at once. Don't stand for all this mate, we are not paid enough to put up with all this. Time for your manager to grow a pair...

I totally agree, they should be made to collect their mail, till the house with a dog gets a box and the other apologises. You're not paid to take this from anyone!!
I would refuse point blank to deliver to either till this is sorted, i would actually refuse to deliver to 33 till i seemed fit not them.
Good luck

[RTP]

For a start off stop delivering mail to another address - you shouldn't be doing this. Mail should be delivered to where it's addressed, if you can't get access then it gets endorsed appropriately, in this case DAL.

Quite clearly delivering to another address has failed miserably so it's up to the dog owners to lock the dog away, put up a box or collect it.

You do your job as you should, no favours or anything, let the DOM do his job and deal with it by letter, paying a visit or whatever, just make sure he understands you are not, under any circumstances, delivering mail elsewhere - deliver as addressed - end of.

This^

[thevardinator]

He's clearly scum who doesn't deserve the time of day, make it as hard as possible for him.

[korky]

id guess that you walk up evens and down odds, reverse it next time, then you can't redirect without back-tracking.

are you allowed, even with the managers say so to deliver it to another address? that's a free redirection and should be stickered up in the d/o
also what if you had a SD? would you risk taking that to the other house? you would be leaving yourself wide open to dismissal.
just attempt at the proper addressed house and endorse it if inaccessible.
even with the managers blessing you don't have to redirect it.

[stokes11eg]

Report again to Manager, and then report his threatening behaviour to the Police----no ne should put up with this!Good luck!