Ultimately Significant Pile of S**t!!

Okay, so what is it with customer service and post offices?

Our local PO is the epitomy of crapness. Frequently there are queues out of the door and one maybe two if we are lucky, desks open. The staff are sullen and rude and it is also badly stocked, so if you need a customs label, they are often out, so you have to approach the snapping crocodile and request one and a pile of verbal abuse for pudding! I try really hard not to go there unless it is absolutely necessary. Over here, you can actually do a lot of your postal work online, print off the postage, nice Mr/s Mail delivery man (some of these guys are really pleasant, obviously a different breed!) will actually pick it up from your mail box when they drop off your daily mail, so unless you need something specific ie: media mail postage or.......my fall down, you want to post overseas.......you can avoid Hades. Yesterday was one of those unfortunate days when, I made a conscious decision to "child-lessly" (they were in school) attempt the post office. More fool me!
First off, one of the Post Office attendants screamed at a customer (ok, so a little bit of an exaggeration, but it was excessive reprimand!) that she needed to fill in all her forms before coming to the desk, poor woman must have felt about knee high. Secondly one of the other attendants was struggling to work out how to perform a procedure that required delivery confirmation on pre-paid postage or something, so, my attendant is just about to finalize my transaction when, after having already abandoned me once to go and get gum! he moves over to help out his colleague, which, in theory is actually nice....but 5 minutes later he is STILL with him, I have a child to pick up, the queue is now 11 long and huffing AND the freakin' big master of the Post Office is just standning there........OBSERVING! Meek and mild no longer rubs with me.........so I just asked if I could please pay as I had a small child to pick up from school - "oh!" says my cashier........15 minutes to pay for 2 parcels within the US, and that doesn't include waiting time in the queue! I think we should start a book on this!