When I mailed a package at the post office today, I asked the clerk a question about the Automated Postal Center (APC) in the lobby. I love those things. They're so handy. But now I wish I hadn't asked.
The clerk said the APCs will soon be torn out of all post offices. Not because they don't work, but because they work too well. My chatty clerk said, "They want customers to come in and see us." When I wondered why, he said, "So we can keep our jobs--the Post Office is laying off 40,000 people." He said that's why they removed the lobby stamp machines (you did notice they were gone, didn't you?)
"But you aren't here at 8 o'clock at night when I need to mail a package!" I said. He just looked at me. It was clear that he had already weighed my need to mail packages after hours with his need for a job, and my need was found sadly lacking. I was defeated. I left, shaking my head. De-automation just seems so wrong. Am I missing something here?
Struggling companies all over America are trying to keep us away from their customer service reps. They direct us to the internet and trap us in telephone trees so complex we never get to talk to a human. But the Post Office, our government in action, wants to give us real live people to deal with--not during hours that are convenient to us, of course--but still, real live people! In fact, they are so intent on giving us those people, they're willing to take away all our non-people options.
The clerk said the APCs will soon be torn out of all post offices. Not because they don't work, but because they work too well. My chatty clerk said, "They want customers to come in and see us." When I wondered why, he said, "So we can keep our jobs--the Post Office is laying off 40,000 people." He said that's why they removed the lobby stamp machines (you did notice they were gone, didn't you?)
"But you aren't here at 8 o'clock at night when I need to mail a package!" I said. He just looked at me. It was clear that he had already weighed my need to mail packages after hours with his need for a job, and my need was found sadly lacking. I was defeated. I left, shaking my head. De-automation just seems so wrong. Am I missing something here?
Struggling companies all over America are trying to keep us away from their customer service reps. They direct us to the internet and trap us in telephone trees so complex we never get to talk to a human. But the Post Office, our government in action, wants to give us real live people to deal with--not during hours that are convenient to us, of course--but still, real live people! In fact, they are so intent on giving us those people, they're willing to take away all our non-people options.
It's like watching a film running backward very fast. I think I feel vertigo coming on.
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3 comments:
Oh come on. You can go to the post office any time of most any day. Let the poor guy have his job. I work and do have a hard time getting to the post office, but I buy stamps at the grocery store and use the shipping office at work. And given the choice, I'd deal with a real person any day. Same at the grocery store. I refuse to use those self-checkout things.
On the other hand, after a day of running errands and deal with an abnormal amount of stupid people, I may change my mind and side with you! But I still won't use those things at the grocery stores...mostly because they make ME look like one of the stupid people. :)
Don't think for a minute you're saving anyone's job by using self-checkout at the grocery store. You're actually falling into the grocery conglomerate's evil plan to save money by having you do the work of people they would normally pay. But I'm with you; I don't use them because they make my blood pressure go up, the way they demand things in a human voice but behave like machines.
BTW, I assume you are grateful to be working?
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