Never believe anything’s impossible! A lesson learned in La Poste.

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Never believe anything’s impossible! A lesson learned in La Poste.

06/08/2011 by PigletinFrance

I’ve had many frustrating run-ins with the La Poste (post office) as I am sure most people living in France and many other countries have experienced also, but the lack of consistency in service and unhelpfulness in France is second to none.

Until yesterday.

I had ordered some items online from Amazon and like a fool, I had forgotten to switch my address details in Amazon to my new address so they were sent out to my old address.

The new owner averted us that the postman had left a calling card and that the local post office (remember the incident I had here when I was pregnant?) was holding the items. We were in Lyon yesterday and as we had arrived a bit early for my appointment, Mr Piglet suggested I try and negotiate with La Poste and see if I can get them to give me my parcel.

We had a bit of a domestic in the car as I was absolutely convinced that I was wasting my time but I set off sulkily to the La Poste whilst he waited in the car. I took my ticket and waited my turn, all whilst tutting to myself about what a big fat waste of time this was.

Well, I wouldn’t be writing this post if it turned out to be a waste of time, so I may as well get to the point: THEY GAVE ME THE PARCEL! Yes, I had no calling card, no proof of address – just my passport and the parcel number which Amazon had sent me by email.

I don’t know if it is because it is holiday time and the staff were stand-ins, but the lady on the desk immediately understood my problem as soon as I started explaining and offered a solution stating that she just needed the parcel number.

If only more of my experiences could be like that but it’s great to have something positive to say about them for once even if I did have to listen to Mr Piglet say “I Told You So” when I returned to the car with the parcel!

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Posted in Customer Service, French Things, La Poste | Tagged Customer Service, La Poste, life in France, living in France | 20 Comments

20 Responses

on 06/08/2011 at 12:12 pm | Reply Andrea

While I’ve had countless unsavoury run-ins which customer ‘service’ people in France, I’ve always found the people at La Poste to be super friendly and helpful. Weird.
- on 06/08/2011 at 12:33 pm | Reply PigletinFrance
  
  Oh wow! You’re very lucky! Which La Poste do you go to? Maybe my bad experiences have been down to me living in the city where staff are maybe more stressed?
  
  I’ve not had any chance to experience our rural post office now we’ve moved so cannot compare.
on 06/08/2011 at 12:37 pm | Reply Andrea

I used to go often in Boulogne Billancourt (Paris) and they were really helpful, even speaking to me in English without me asking. I then moved to Paris 16th and they’ve always been pretty good too. Maybe I got lucky, who knows. I’ve had some hellish experiences with my bank though!
- on 06/08/2011 at 5:01 pm | Reply PigletinFrance
  
  Am quite jealous ref La Poste! Have always had good bank experiences but then I work in finance…
on 06/08/2011 at 1:16 pm | Reply Sara Louise

I am in shock! Oh wait, I just saw a pig fly by my window! It’s probably on it’s way to hell to go ice skating with the devil
- on 06/08/2011 at 5:07 pm | Reply PigletinFrance
  
  LOL! Are you sure it wasn’t Baby Piglet and me ice skating on the way to the shops rather than hell? What with me being an ex-ice skater and all…
on 06/08/2011 at 3:00 pm | Reply fly in the web

La Poste were always fine with me…out in the sticks.
When Mr. Fly was too ill to be left alone, if I rang them before eight o’clock in the morning the postlady would bring cash out with her and predate all the papers.
Since la Banque Postale has been split off, from La Poste proper though, their service has been awful. Just like a bank.
on 06/08/2011 at 3:40 pm | Reply Candice

Ahhhh ~ There are times that it is worth hearing ” I told you so ”
So glad that you got the parcel without a huge fuss.

LOL Sara Louise, she saw a pig fly past the window !

I have little faith at all in the Argentine Postal Service, due to the lost books, disappearing mail and ridiculous delivery system.
I force family to email or call/ iChat or come visit .. then they can bring what I need. It is not worth the aggravation to deal with the postal service ( misnomer if I ever heard one) …besitos to you three !
- on 06/08/2011 at 5:09 pm | Reply PigletinFrance
  
  It was definitely worth hearing those words!
  
  I don’t think I would be able to cope living in Argentina if the postal system is that bad. I do order quite a lot by mail order so rely on La Poste a lot. Do you manage with what you can get there?
on 06/08/2011 at 3:57 pm | Reply dedene

Well, I’m glad to hear that your relationship with La Poste has been improved.
- on 15/08/2011 at 6:08 pm | Reply PigletinFrance
  
  It’s a miracle! Either that or they remembered my screaming episode when I was pregnant!
on 06/08/2011 at 4:30 pm | Reply Piglet in Portugal

Don’t you just hate it when men are right!
- on 15/08/2011 at 6:09 pm | Reply PigletinFrance
  
  Don’t I just!
on 06/08/2011 at 7:24 pm | Reply Sarah Hague

The age of miracles has not yet passed I’m glad to see.
on 07/08/2011 at 4:20 am | Reply Kelleyn

You deserve to have at least one thing not be a hassel. Yahoo!
on 07/08/2011 at 6:37 pm | Reply paris (im)perfect

Wow, that’s nice! Oui, c’est possible! You know, I think a lot actually runs better in the summer, too. I don’t want to jinx it, but after a very thorny issue with the tax office one year, my problem finally got resolved in the summer when the woman there was very helpful. I think it was because everyone was on vacation and the mood in the office was just better overall. You know I’m not a fan of La Poste (http://parisimperfect.wordpress.com/2010/05/28/la-poste/), but sometimes they *do* come through! Glad they did for you this time.
on 09/08/2011 at 2:15 pm | Reply tan7anite

Hi Piglet!

My god, having a quick look at your blog it looks like I could have written some of it myself! Right down to the franglais baby and the husband who like to say “I told you so”!

I have found La Poste staff to be helpful enough usually (lots of other “service” people aren’t!) However, after I had some Christmas presents “lost” the first year I came, I now order presents for my family in the UK from Amazon UK, paid for from my UK bank account, no postage to pay – problem solved. They get their french goodies when I go over!

E
on 11/08/2011 at 3:06 pm | Reply Zoeh.

So that might mean that if I order something from Amazon in France, when they won’t be able to deliver it it’ll go to La Poste? Nothing much turns up if it’s not sent with a tracking number… Have not received nephew’s christmas present, Chinese chiming balls from brother (hope the person who has them finds them very useful!), homemade cookies from a German friend… And like tan7anite I do an order to my parents in the UK for books and things, but that I pick up when I go over. In fact my baggage is usually only filled with books and kitchen gadgets! Oh and food
- on 12/08/2011 at 8:08 am | Reply Emily
  
  Hi
  
  I’ve had no problems with Amazon.fr delivering to me in France- just using La Poste to send things to the Uk.
  
  I’ve used Amazon uk to buy things in France- again no problem!
  
  E
on 11/08/2011 at 4:53 pm | Reply Michel

I am glad you got your parcel even if it gave the husband a chance to say “I told you so”.