Dealing with irate customers.

30+YEARMAN · Post by **30+YEARMAN** » 20 Oct 2016, 17:15

Even if they did opt out it would not stop all the junk they get from other people pushing stuff through the letter box.

jetblack · Post by **jetblack** » 20 Oct 2016, 17:57

Jpro747 wrote:I was in the same situation a few years ago, tried explaining that you can request to opt out of receiving door to door items but he wasn't having any of it and said "No, there should be an opt in!"

Hate to be a stick in the mud - but the customer was right IMHO.
Its their property - its their letterbox.
You shouldn't have to fill out forms not to receive this s**t when its your own property - the onus should be on RM/the advertiser/charity to seek consent from the household to have their personal space invaded by this junk.
Why wouldn't they want to do this I wonder

But yeah - from our point of view if they haven't opted out , they haven't opted out.

With regards irate customers - closest I've got is a customer coming to my home - yes my home- to complain about a parcel he'd received that was damaged (the packaging was damaged at least). To be fair he'd had a few in such a state in the previous few months. I apologised on behalf of Royal Mail and assured the man I'd take it up with my manager.
I also have had one (fairly) irate that I'd been attacked by his dog. It was my fault etc.
You couldn't make it up

Chewster · Post by **Chewster** » 20 Oct 2016, 18:30

jetblack wrote:
Jpro747 wrote:I was in the same situation a few years ago, tried explaining that you can request to opt out of receiving door to door items but he wasn't having any of it and said "No, there should be an opt in!"
Hate to be a stick in the mud - but the customer was right IMHO.
Its their property - its their letterbox.
You shouldn't have to fill out forms not to receive this s**t when its your own property - the onus should be on RM/the advertiser/charity to seek consent from the household to have their personal space invaded by this junk.
Why wouldn't they want to do this I wonder

I think that opens up a whole other can of worms. You could then argue that every single person who sends stuff in the post has to get the recipient's permission before doing so. At the end of the day, our job, our USO, is to deliver items for which the postage has been paid - which unfortunately includes d2ds. And even if we were to scrap d2ds, half of the actual addressed mail we deliver is junk anyway

Post by **woopesh** » 20 Oct 2016, 18:42

Don't even get me started on the dog owners. I've had countless run ins with owners holding back dogs that are frothing at the mouth, growling, barking their heads off, to be told... he / she isnt a problem, he / she is friendly, he / she wouldnt harm a fly. However, as annoying as it is, I can understand why they defend their pets like their children. They are attached to these animals and can't evaluate them objectively.

But real anger over a D2D that you can just chuck in the bin? That I find surreal.

I used to wonder why in callers offices / ticket offices / customer services counters they put up signs saying we will not tolerate abuse. Now I know. To some freaks out there, a person in a uniform, performing a public service automatically means they are undeserving of common courtesy and respect.

Chewster · Post by **Chewster** » 20 Oct 2016, 20:20

woopesh wrote:Don't even get me started on the dog owners. I've had countless run ins with owners holding back dogs that are frothing at the mouth, growling, barking their heads off, to be told... he / she isnt a problem, he / she is friendly, he / she wouldnt harm a fly. However, as annoying as it is, I can understand why they defend their pets like their children. They are attached to these animals and can't evaluate them objectively.

I have dogs myself so I also understand why they say that. What people don't realise is that their dog could be the cuddliest little thing ever, but when someone in a uniform comes to the door its a different matter. I just don't understand why people don't put the dog in another room before they answer the door!

Dorset Plodder · Post by **Dorset Plodder** » 20 Oct 2016, 20:57

Chewster wrote:
I have dogs myself so I also understand why they say that. What people don't realise is that their dog could be the cuddliest little thing ever, but when someone in a uniform comes to the door its a different matter. I just don't understand why people don't put the dog in another room before they answer the door!

I'm with you on that one Chewster. I love it when the door opens a crack and there's some women in a dressing gown with a mobile wedged to her ear, trying to jam a yapping dog against the door frame with her knee, sometimes with a baby stuffed under the other armpit!

"I've got a parcel for you that you need to sign for" That's when the fun starts!

In the past I've had to tell them to put the dog in another room, tell their mate they'll phone them back and then come and sign for their parcel. Recently I've run short of patience with these idiots. If the parcel doesn't need signing for I just balance it on the open hand that sticks out of the crack say Cheerio and walk off!

They're left to work that one out for themselves, normally involves shouting at the dog and giving it a kick, dropping the parcel, or dropping their mobile!

Chewster · Post by **Chewster** » 20 Oct 2016, 22:23

Dorset Plodder wrote:
Chewster wrote:
I have dogs myself so I also understand why they say that. What people don't realise is that their dog could be the cuddliest little thing ever, but when someone in a uniform comes to the door its a different matter. I just don't understand why people don't put the dog in another room before they answer the door!

I'm with you on that one Chewster. I love it when the door opens a crack and there's some women in a dressing gown with a mobile wedged to her ear, trying to jam a yapping dog against the door frame with her knee, sometimes with a baby stuffed under the other armpit!

"I've got a parcel for you that you need to sign for" That's when the fun starts! In the past I've had to tell them to put the dog in another room, tell their mate they'll phone them back and then come and sign for their parcel. Recently I've run short of patience with these idiots. If the parcel doesn't need signing for I just balance it on the open hand that sticks out of the crack say Cheerio and walk off! They're left to work that one out for themselves, normally involves shouting at the dog and giving it a kick, dropping the parcel, or dropping their mobile!

As long as they're not dropping the baby

Lance Jack · Post by **Lance Jack** » 01 Nov 2016, 20:19

I had a conversation with a local (Labour) councillor I deliver to. She started "Do you know who I am?" full of her own importance, she then ranted at me, trying to get me to tell her to "F*** off " but it was wasted on me. I smiled at her and politely told her that I didn't care who she was, she got the same service as the rest of the people in the road, one of which was my DOM.

ScousePostie · Post by **ScousePostie** » 02 Nov 2016, 17:39

I posted a D2D last week where there was a sign on the door "ABSOLUTELY NO JUNK MAIL. ROYAL MAIL ONLY!". This customer came flying out the door moments later. "Can you not read what that says on the door?", he asked me, but not in an aggressive manner at all.. I looked down at the sign and said to him, "it says Royal Mail only". He looked back at his sign and replied, "hmm... I'll have to change the wording on that".

We laughed and I left it at that because I didn't want to get into an argument over it. At the end of the day, we're only doing what we're instructed to do.

yubin282 · Post by **yubin282** » 03 Nov 2016, 15:11

Can we refuse to give customers normal mail if they refuse to take a D2D and try to force it back in to my bag, its all live mail.

nickbsmooth · Post by **nickbsmooth** » 03 Nov 2016, 19:06

I had an irate customer today,he's one of those old bitter guys who has too much free time.
Complaining about a miss delivery in a drawn out story,calling us f*cking idiots and stupid etc.
So I said "wind your neck in,neither of us delivered to you yesterday and if you have a genuine complaint take it up with the Royal Mail as I don't care,you're boring me". I then got in the van and drove off to my next loop.
Me and my regular partner has had numerous dealing with this waste of space.
I think he's got some hell bent issue with RM maybe he used to work for the company I dunno but he's a prize plonker.

InglisDrever · Post by **InglisDrever** » 03 Nov 2016, 23:02

Terrible some,people

postslippete · Post by **postslippete** » 04 Nov 2016, 18:41

woopesh wrote:Posted a D2D today. A few seconds later a man stormed out of the door.

"What bit about the NO JUNK MAIL sign do you not understand?"

"We are instructed to deliver them. If you have a complaint you can call..."

"Im not calling a f***ing number... you can take that back... Don't f***ing post that s**t through my door again, or I'll have you for trespassing."

Slams the post down and storms off.

What are you supposed to do in this situation? Are you supposed to report customers like him? How much s**t are you supposed to take? If I wasn't in uniform with a job at stake I would have ignored him totally and walked off. You obviously have to be a bit loony to get that off kilter about a leaflet so I never engage with these sorts of people. Could I be pulled up by a DOM if I did this to a customer and they complained?

I get a few n*bs on my round. Just withhold his mail for a week for or so. And if he comes out asking for his post just tell him that you thought that he told you not to post any s**t any through his door so you left it at the depot for him to collect. If he says he's going to complain about you then why don't you give him the Royal Mail customer services number? Oh sorry, I forgot, he can't be bothered!!

sussexlad · Post by **sussexlad** » 05 Nov 2016, 19:09

Personally if a customer spoke to me as described in the opening post I would be pushing my Dom to suspend deliveries to his address. Failing that I would argue that I have no interest in delivering to that address again.

Post by **Lounge Lizard** » 05 Nov 2016, 20:38

blisterfeet wrote:Someone said a similar thing to me a few years ago, they said they were going to phone up the office and complain. I said please do, at least then my manager will know I'm doing my job properly and delivering the D2D's.

I've had similar, the resident complained, he got a reply from Royal Mail in Swindon saying I had acted correctly and he wasn't aggressive again.