Post Office service

Press, 27 August 1977, Page 14

Post Office service

Sir, — I am a Post Office teller and in reference to the many complaints would like to point out a few facts. The office in which I work is very busy, yet understaffed. In less than one month we are due to convert to computers. This involves a great deal of work behind the scenes. Coping with this, and yet maintaining sufficient counter staff has taken its toll and now many of us are having to work overtime to catch up. There have also been times when we have had to give up teabreaks and sometimes half our lunch hours on extrabusy days. Ail in all, we are trying to achieve a better service for our customers. We are not machines, so how about giving us a break? — Yours, etc., TRYING TO PLEASE. August 25, 1977. Sir, — In reply to the criticisms of Post Office service, I would like to point out that not all ladies clad in blue smocks lurking behind the counter are tellers. People working in Post Offices are human and have to have breaks (lunch, morning and afternoon teas); they are not robots programmed to work non-stop. The tell-

ers also have to close up to balance, then they don’t all close at once. Maybe you should try working behind a Post Office counter and serve some of the customers we get. Some can be terribly rude and we have to take it all without comment, otherwise the customer complains, accusing us of being rude to them. — Yours, etc., CHRISSY P.O. WORKER. August 26, 1977.