If this were a joke of Polish persuasion it would go something like this; How many USPS employees does it take to NOT do the job you were paid to do … accept and deliver mail? In this case the answer would be nine – see highlighted.
As mentioned in my previous blog about the various frauds committed by the USPS the most egregious was certainly their refusal to accept much of our mail simply because it was delivered to them via UPS. As a result of these constant problems, SG employed individuals whose job it became to contact post offices, notify them of our arriving mail, follow up after it was hopefully received and ask them to get it out on time. Amazing we should have to go those lengths, and expense, to lean on the USPS to simply get them to do what they are paid to do … deliver mail.
The following taped conversations with USPS employees pertains to one job for one customer. They reveal the incredible frustration we experienced on a daily basis and the lack of responsibility of individuals within the USPS. Constant lies and passing responsibility to others are the theme of these calls and would be the theme of our relationship with the USPS. In contrast, you will also note the professionalism and willingness to address problems exhibited by UPS employees.
I’ve not edited out names or phone numbers of these USPS employees from the Philadelphia Distribution Center. Feel free to contact them and tell them of their performance. Enjoy!!
Philly Fiasco
This first excerpt simply sets the stage. An SG employee calls the Philadelphia Distribution Center to inquire about 24,000 pieces of mail that the USPS refused to accept from UPS. USPS employee Kenny Washington refers us to USPS employee Clayton Cole at 215.749.4371.
My call and subsequent message for Clayton Cole, Network Specialist for the USPS Philadelphia Distribution Center. Mr Cole, in a later excerpt, would state that he had received NO calls from us and was agitated that we would suggest we had.
Bill Menkhus with SG discusses with UPS employee Arlington Dotson the problems we are having with this particular delivery of 24,000 pieces of mail to the USPS. Ms. Dotson confirms they have been refused and are on their way back to our plant in Missouri. Although it was too late to resolve this problem note Ms. Dotson's efforts to help us get questions answered. UPS not only answers calls but they return them timely also. UPS is about solving problems. The USPS is about creating and then denying them.
Bill Menkhus with SG still trying to track down Clayton Cole. Transportation Supervisor Brown with USPS now recommends we contact Mr. Cole’s supervisor, Andrea Robinson. Bill leaves message with Andrea whose voice mail cheerfully urges us to have a superfantastic day. Andrea, every day we were blessed with the opportunity to plead for the USPS to deliver our mail was a superfantasticday. Thank you!
Dot from UPS calls Bill at SG with info on 31 packages refused by USPS. She discusses that they have made three attempts over two days to deliver packages and that a USPS employee refused the delivery. UPS is going to send driver back to USPS to determine the name of employee that refused the packages. Dot reminds us the history of the UPS and USPS and how “they don’t like us very much”. Again note the efforts of the UPS employee to address the problem and assist us.
We would later learn that USPS employee Vivian Best was responsible for refusing our delivery. Five unsuccessful attempts were made to contact Ms. Best. Three resulted in busy signals and two found her on break.
Bill finally speaks with Clayton Cole. Mr. Cole denies having received any calls from us despite my message to him in the second excerpt. Once past those denials, Mr. Cole brings in USPS employee Marge regarding the refusal of mail. Marge suggests she is unable to handle this problem and refers us to Vivian Best’s supervisor David Riley (215.749.4239). Since Mr. Riley is of course gone for the day we are given the names and numbers of Mr. Riley’s supervisors; Lou DeLuca and Pasquale Saladino (215.749.4278).
USPS employee is able to put to rest any doubt about who provides the better service - UPS or USPS.
As we work our way up the Postal food chain I contact Lou DeLuca. Mr. DeLuca makes the mistake of asking me why I would use UPS to deliver our mail to them. When I told him that we initially tried using the USPS’ priority mail service and found it to be completely unreliable he took offense, then proceeded to tell me the USPS was better than UPS because they “have the facts to prove it”, including “delivery successes”. After fighting back the laughter I ask him how they did this time with my mail? How successful were you this time? Mr. DeLuca relaxes his position, even to the point of saying “he’s not saying they didn’t make a mistake”. He will investigate it and get back with us.
How many lies can ths USPS tell in this conversation?
Lou DeLuca returns a call after his “investigation”. In an amazing turn of events, Lou shares with Bill of SG the information gathered from his personnel. Apparently Vivian Best reviewed our postal documents and found there to possibly be a problem. She called for a supervisor to review those documents. That supervisor, as we are told, was there within five minutes to review what might have been a problem. When the supervisor arrived the UPS driver had already left. This is what the USPS investigation showed.
Of course they had no answers for why Ms. Best thought there was something wrong with the forms. What needs to be noted is that despite their claims of Ms. Best reviewing the documents the fact is this; she refused to accept the packages that those forms were attached to. She NEVER could have seen the forms that she now states she questioned.
Bills continued questioning aggravates Mr. DeLuca to the point of proclaiming that it was UPS that should be responsible for why they refused our mail three times. When told of our effort to further investigate this Mr. DeLuca replies to Bill “whatever” and the sparks begin to fly. Mr. DeLuca even informs us that he doesn’t care if we are customers then lies about that statement. Mr. DeLuca brings his boss Pasquale Saladino into the conversation who also denies Mr. DeLuca made that statement.
At the end of the day we would attempt to go over Mr. Saladino’s head and would find the same satisfaction and answers; none. SG Print & Mail would invest approximately fifteen separate phone calls into the resolution of just one customer issue that resulted in the USPS refusing to accept 24,000 pieces of mail we had paid for. Unfortunately, this type of communication would be a daily occurrence with the USPS.
USPS REPORT CARD
Following are our grades for the USPS employees involved or named in this particular delivery issue.
Kenny Washington - INCOMPLETE but did a good job of referring another USPS employee.
Clayton Cole - D+ lied about not getting a message and gets poor marks for attempted sense of humor, on the other hand we graded him up for his attempt to at least act concerned at the end
Marge - C listened to our problems although unable to assist us
Supervisor Brown - B made an effort to direct us to the proper party requested
Andrea Robinson – INCOMPLETE but we commend her on her voice mail urging all to have a superfantastic day.
Vivian Best - F USPS party responsible for refusing our mail. UPS confirms they have constant problems with this employee. Ms. Best was conveniently on break each time we would attempt to contact her. She then participated in the laughable lies their internal investigation would yield.
David Riley – INCOMPLETE – referenced to but never contacted.
Lou DeLuca - F Not only a bad liar but a roaring asshole and idiot to boot. Will give him credit for the amusing statement that the USPS is better than UPS because “they have the facts and successful deliveries to prove it”.
Pasquale Saladino - D- We won’t fail him simply for blindly defending and covering for Mr. DeLuca. Had he been more involved we have no doubt he could have earned a failing grade as well.
