RogerGarrett
Member
Have an interesting situation.....
I mailed off a custom made conducting baton to a customer's son in California in early September - sent from the Bloomington, IL PO. I assumed it was received. 60 days later, I heard from the parents that when they asked him about his birthday gift from them, he had never received it. I did a search on the tracking number (it was sent priority mail insured) and it never arrived. I filed a claim at the PO, and I was told that they would pay me for the item within a week to 10 days. I made a new baton for the customer and shipped it off.
After two weeks, I was in the PO again and stopped in to let the fellow who wrote up the claim know I had not received payment yet. He looked it up and told me I should have it fairly quickly.
When I got home, I received a call from the PO saying that the original baton had just been delivered - 66 days after it was shipped. When I mentioned that I had replaced the baton for the customer after the claim was filed and I was told it would be paid, the guy said, "Well - now your customer has two batons!!!" I asked who would pay for the second one, and he didn't know.
The PO offered postage refund - but would not pay for the baton. I wrote a letter to the local PO postmaster as well as the regional postmaster 45 miles away away in Peoria. A day later I received a call from the regional guy telling me that although it was unusual, he was going to take care of my claim. He wanted to assure me that this was very unusual - that I should have had my package sent with a return receipt that showed delivery. I asked how that would have helped in this situation, and he said that I would know for sure that it was delivered or not..... (!!??). Anyway - we ended the conversation with me expecting a payment.
Well - here we are 1 month later - not a word from anyone.
Their opinion was that it was delivered - so they can't pay the claim. My opinion is that, after 60 days, I consider it lost and they confirmed that by telling me they would pay the claim. That was my signal to make and send a new baton to the customer - who was out the money and the baton up to that point.
Not a lot of money to be out - only $37 plus all the postage - but I really feel upset now when I walk into the PO to mail a package and see the dude filling out claim forms for other people.
Thoughts?
Best,
Roger Garrett
I mailed off a custom made conducting baton to a customer's son in California in early September - sent from the Bloomington, IL PO. I assumed it was received. 60 days later, I heard from the parents that when they asked him about his birthday gift from them, he had never received it. I did a search on the tracking number (it was sent priority mail insured) and it never arrived. I filed a claim at the PO, and I was told that they would pay me for the item within a week to 10 days. I made a new baton for the customer and shipped it off.
After two weeks, I was in the PO again and stopped in to let the fellow who wrote up the claim know I had not received payment yet. He looked it up and told me I should have it fairly quickly.
When I got home, I received a call from the PO saying that the original baton had just been delivered - 66 days after it was shipped. When I mentioned that I had replaced the baton for the customer after the claim was filed and I was told it would be paid, the guy said, "Well - now your customer has two batons!!!" I asked who would pay for the second one, and he didn't know.
The PO offered postage refund - but would not pay for the baton. I wrote a letter to the local PO postmaster as well as the regional postmaster 45 miles away away in Peoria. A day later I received a call from the regional guy telling me that although it was unusual, he was going to take care of my claim. He wanted to assure me that this was very unusual - that I should have had my package sent with a return receipt that showed delivery. I asked how that would have helped in this situation, and he said that I would know for sure that it was delivered or not..... (!!??). Anyway - we ended the conversation with me expecting a payment.
Well - here we are 1 month later - not a word from anyone.
Their opinion was that it was delivered - so they can't pay the claim. My opinion is that, after 60 days, I consider it lost and they confirmed that by telling me they would pay the claim. That was my signal to make and send a new baton to the customer - who was out the money and the baton up to that point.
Not a lot of money to be out - only $37 plus all the postage - but I really feel upset now when I walk into the PO to mail a package and see the dude filling out claim forms for other people.
Thoughts?
Best,
Roger Garrett
