United States Postal Service At 3816 N. Shepherd Dr.

[Heights2Bastrop]

Whaddaya think, folks? Think it

[heights]

Does anyone agree that the service level at the post office at 11th/Heights is pretty low (even as post offices go)? And I don't think this is something new -- I had actually black listed this post office years ago (much like the 20th St. Kroger) but still find myself going there in a pinch. But every time I do go there, I'm reminded of why it's on my black list:

1. Poor setup/design: Even when you just want to drive through to drop off a letter, you have to drive through the entire parking lot and usually end up having to go around the block, too. If they would move the drop boxes to the east side of the median in the parking lot, at least you could enter on Yale, drop your letters, and exit on 11th. This would result in a slight improvement for those that are ultimately southbound on Heights or eastbound on 11th. But it still isn't anywhere close to efficiency.

2. Stamps/Supplies. The lobby stamp machine rarely works or has the right denomination stamps I'm looking for. And the "free" supplies available inside the service area are never well-stocked. Both of these problems result in having to wait in what is almost always an excruciatingly long line. Which brings me to point #3:

3. Lines/Slow service. There are rarely more than two servers working the line, and they seem to work at a snail's pace. Again, I understand that this is a post office, but other P.O.'s I've been to can move people through at a much faster pace.

Yesterday, I needed to pick up a flat-rate envelope, which should have been readily available on the table inside the service area. There were none there and the line was about 10 people deep, so I decided to walk up to the counter to see if one of the servers could just hand me one of the many envelopes I could clearly see stacked at each service position. This earned me the unfriendly stares of all the people waiting in line who thought I was trying to "cut". I was kind of waiting until one of the servers looked in my direction so I could politely ask them to grab the envelope, but neither would even look up as they worked at their glacially slow pace of pecking on the computer touch-screens and sticking postage on packages.

Finally, I had to say, "Excuse me, ma'am, could you please hand me one of the flat-rate priority mail envelopes?" and she looked a bit annoyed (as did her current customer) but did give me the envelope. What should have taken me 30 seconds took over 5 minutes.

But hey, at least the lady with the 3-inch fingernails wasn't working yesterday (it's awfully hard to type on a keyboard or affix postage labels when your fingernails get in the way).

Sorry for the rant, but I think it's time for some changes at that place.

[callisthenes]

Try the post office up on Cavalcade; it's not that far away.

[Heights CPA]

Does anyone agree that the service level at the post office at 11th/Heights is pretty low (even as post offices go)? And I don't think this is something new -- I had actually black listed this post office years ago (much like the 20th St. Kroger) but still find myself going there in a pinch. But every time I do go there, I'm reminded of why it's on my black list:

1. Poor setup/design: Even when you just want to drive through to drop off a letter, you have to drive through the entire parking lot and usually end up having to go around the block, too. If they would move the drop boxes to the east side of the median in the parking lot, at least you could enter on Yale, drop your letters, and exit on 11th. This would result in a slight improvement for those that are ultimately southbound on Heights or eastbound on 11th. But it still isn't anywhere close to efficiency.

2. Stamps/Supplies. The lobby stamp machine rarely works or has the right denomination stamps I'm looking for. And the "free" supplies available inside the service area are never well-stocked. Both of these problems result in having to wait in what is almost always an excruciatingly long line. Which brings me to point #3:

3. Lines/Slow service. There are rarely more than two servers working the line, and they seem to work at a snail's pace. Again, I understand that this is a post office, but other P.O.'s I've been to can move people through at a much faster pace.

Yesterday, I needed to pick up a flat-rate envelope, which should have been readily available on the table inside the service area. There were none there and the line was about 10 people deep, so I decided to walk up to the counter to see if one of the servers could just hand me one of the many envelopes I could clearly see stacked at each service position. This earned me the unfriendly stares of all the people waiting in line who thought I was trying to "cut". I was kind of waiting until one of the servers looked in my direction so I could politely ask them to grab the envelope, but neither would even look up as they worked at their glacially slow pace of pecking on the computer touch-screens and sticking postage on packages.

Finally, I had to say, "Excuse me, ma'am, could you please hand me one of the flat-rate priority mail envelopes?" and she looked a bit annoyed (as did her current customer) but did give me the envelope. What should have taken me 30 seconds took over 5 minutes.

But hey, at least the lady with the 3-inch fingernails wasn't working yesterday (it's awfully hard to type on a keyboard or affix postage labels when your fingernails get in the way).

Sorry for the rant, but I think it's time for some changes at that place.

Gosh, if they did not close their doors after you black listed them, I can't imagine what else can be done.

[RedScare]

1. Poor setup/design: Even when you just want to drive through to drop off a letter, you have to drive through the entire parking lot and usually end up having to go around the block, too. If they would move the drop boxes to the east side of the median in the parking lot, at least you could enter on Yale, drop your letters, and exit on 11th. This would result in a slight improvement for those that are ultimately southbound on Heights or eastbound on 11th. But it still isn't anywhere close to efficiency.

If you lived east of the post office, like I do, the mailboxes are set up perfectly. I turn in from 11th, pull up to the box, drop my mail, exit northbound on Yale, and turn back east on 11th. Perhaps you should move to the east side of the Heights to improve your mail dropping efficiency.

[Tricky Matt]

I turn in from 11th, pull up to the box, drop my mail, exit northbound on Yale, and turn back east on 11th.

So it's YOU who's always trying to turn left there!

[Tiko]

If you lived east of the post office, like I do, the mailboxes are set up perfectly. I turn in from 11th, pull up to the box, drop my mail, exit northbound on Yale, and turn back east on 11th. Perhaps you should move to the east side of the Heights to improve your mail dropping efficiency.

East Side snobs...

[heights]

If you lived east of the post office, like I do, the mailboxes are set up perfectly. I turn in from 11th, pull up to the box, drop my mail, exit northbound on Yale, and turn back east on 11th. Perhaps you should move to the east side of the Heights to improve your mail dropping efficiency.

Ahh -- I guess you drive right past those "DO NOT ENTER" signs.

[Heights CPA]

If you lived east of the post office, like I do, the mailboxes are set up perfectly. I turn in from 11th, pull up to the box, drop my mail, exit northbound on Yale, and turn back east on 11th. Perhaps you should move to the east side of the Heights to improve your mail dropping efficiency.

So you advocate breaking the law to make things easier?

[RedScare]

Oops.

See how often I go to the post office?

[Arivechi]

What that place needs is one of the automated postage machines for packages. Like the POs at West Gray and on E TC Jester in Oak Forest. This doesn't fully solve the 3-inch fingernail lady, parking lot design, or the poorly stocked supply stacks, but it'd cut down on some of the people standing in line to send large envelopes and packages.

[HtownWxBoy]

If you lived east of the post office, like I do, the mailboxes are set up perfectly. I turn in from 11th, pull up to the box, drop my mail, exit northbound on Yale, and turn back east on 11th. Perhaps you should move to the east side of the Heights to improve your mail dropping efficiency.

I can just walk to that post office... no driving needed.

[tanith27]

I agree, its a mess there, but what's the alternative? Cavalcade has 3x the dirt and 1/2 the parking. And with the USPS coming out saying they will run out of operating money this year, I dont suspect the Heights PO will get a makeover anytime soon.

[Heightsfamily]

I am mostly a lurker on this site, but an avid reader. I just could not pass up an opportunity to comment on the postal service in the Heights! Abysmal does not even begin to describe it. The PO on 11th street is a model of customer service and efficiency compared to what they pass off as a station on 18th street. That is not to say that the PO on 11th is a positive experience. I could go on and on about my delivery problems and the idiot who does my street, but I suspect it is the same for most of you .

[20thStDad]

I am mostly a lurker on this site, but an avid reader. I just could not pass up an opportunity to comment on the postal service in the Heights! Abysmal does not even begin to describe it. The PO on 11th street is a model of customer service and efficiency compared to what they pass off as a station on 18th street. That is not to say that the PO on 11th is a positive experience. I could go on and on about my delivery problems and the idiot who does my street, but I suspect it is the same for most of you .

Same here - I'm glad I see my neighbors often and get along with them, because we are constantly exchanging mis-delivered mail. My favorite is when we get mail and packages for people on a street 2 blocks away. They're lucky I'm nice enough to put it back in the mail or walk it over.

[daveg]

I've always found the people to be helpful enough and quite friendly-- the problem I've had multiple times is they don't open up at 8. Two or three times I've waited until 8:15 or 8:30 and they would still not be open with me having to go somewhere else.

Though you better believe that they close the doors at EXACTLY 5. Curious how that works . Not that I wouldn't do the same if I worked there.

[toadfroggy]

I don't have a problem with the PO on 11th, but I don't go in there very often because it's pretty easy for me to drop by the main PO (on Franklin) between work and home. What I hate, that seems to happen a lot lately no matter which PO you go to, is when all the machines are out-of-order.

[Angostura]

The service is bad at the post office? Who knew!

Next thing you know someone will start a thread complaining about the low quality of airplane food.

[heights_yankee]

the poor service and crappy selection of desired materials are actually what make me go there. i guess it's a pretty backwards way of looking at it, but it comes from the city's parks and rec philosophy: the more a park is used, the more perks and more funding it gets. so, i guess if the revenues of the Heights office on 11th are high enough, it will get some attention... too bad i don't mail enough stuff to make an impact, but i hope somewhere there are other freaks with a twisted sense of how the world works who are doing the same thing

[HeyHatch]

I heard from someone that the 11th Street Post Office is where all the postal carriers are placed that need re-training. In other words, they've messed up in such a bad way in another area of town that they are brought here until they shape up. I guess the 11th Street office is some sort of postal service purgatory. Funny thing is that I've seen the same employees there for many moons, so either I was given bad information, or the folks who work there have no desire to improve their standing with the USPS. Let's here it for the USPS Houston naughty spot!!