Another US post office failure

[rbarata]

I drove over there and picked it up.

Congratulations! You've made it!

I wonder why anyone haven't asked you what orchid you've got.
And I wonder why you haven't said also...

Is it a surprise?

[estación seca]

I was doing other chores. On the way into the house I had the key in the lock, and I bumped it with the orchid box. The key bent. I had a devil of a time getting it out. I just got back from the hardware store to have another key made.

I bought three warm-growing Cymbidiums from Seattle Orchids:

Ansellia africana
Cymbidium Sara Jean 'Ice Cascade' CCM/AOS
Cymbidium Valley Freestyle 'Heaven Scent'

Other warm-growing Cymbidiums, as well as Cymbidiella rhodocheila and Grammangis scriptum, are doing very well here.

I might be able to put some of these outside for the summer. I will wait a few years until these smaller plants I'm buying are big enough to divide, and try some of the divisions outside.

[Dollythehun]

Ah, yes, when it rains, it pours. But on the upside, you and your family are well, your home is intact, you got your orchids, and a listening, sympathetic ear from your friends.

My router went out. I missed you all.

[rbarata]

I'm sure, if they won't get direct sun and frequent waterngs they would be ok.

[AnonYMouse]

Last few months, USPS has taken away the anxiety by not updating at all (which defeats the point of tracking). The status I see is "arrived at origin" then a package at my door, literally. Or nothing until "on delivery vehicle". I just don't anticipate anything written anymore. They trained me well.

I forgot to check the number on the package against the one emailed to me since the last one had no status through the process. I would believe USPS didn't scan at any point as much as the number was wrong.

[Leafmite]

In our town, USPS is very good. The people they hire at the post office are always very friendly, they always recommend the best way to mail something and they even caught the wrong zip-code for a letter my daughter was trying to mail certified. I haven't had a problem with them. If something comes from the East Coast, the delivery is amazingly fast. In the nearby city, though, packages and letters go missing...often.
Fed-ex has delivered packages to neighbors and their solution is to tell me to walk around the neighborhood and look for the package. Fortunately, the neighbors call. But I think that is just nuts!
UPS is very good here, too. They have great delivery people and service.

[Salixx]

I don't have any problems with the major carriers, personally. I get everything the way it's suppose to be, though FedEx occasionally doesn't get the "Garage Apt" packages should be left in the garage, not at the house *shrug* oh well.

As for USPS nightmares, I can only say that you don't know the half of it. Try working on the inside if you want to know the true insanity of it. In our office, we are pretty sure "manglement" is bored and makes up stupid rules and/or has dumb ideas. The "Plant" (sorting facility) is full of workers that don't feel like working and do their jobs half-a-ed or the majority of them call out every nice day, day after superbowl, etc. which screws everybody, including the customers. The screwed up tracking is a symptom of this - the item was not scanned properly on it's what to your local PO. I've had items myself go "dark" after leaving the origin and just appear "arrived" at my local PO in a few days. Stressful, to say the least, when it's an expensive living plant!

Anyway, /rant. I'm glad you had good luck in the office. Most of us who work directly with customers care and also understand how frustrating it is not to get things when you're supposed to. I don't blame upset customers unless they start lobbing personal insults.

*Edited: I wanted to say that you should always call or stop in at your local PO. Best times are when they first open or when they just get back from lunch. If no-one is answered the phone, the clerks are probably swamped with customers and not all offices have an answering machine. The 1-800 number is pretty much a joke if you are having a problem.

[Dollythehun]

My two cents, FWIW, Salixx. I have wonderful mail carriers and an excellent PO staff. (I wish I could say the same for the Chicago Tribune). As I have said before, I appreciate what you do and your expertise. In any business, as in life, there are those who care about others, and those who care about themselves.

[Orchid Whisperer]

When I trade plants with people by mail, I usually use USPS Priority Mail, as do most people sending plants to me. I have had had one incident where tracking completely failed (because the tracking# printed on my receipt was incorrect). No loss of plants into the aether / parallel universe etc.

I am sure epic failures do occur with USPS. But, from personal experience, they also do occur with other carriers such as UPS and Fedex. I am perfectly willing to ship traded plants to a recipient that way, as long as they are willing to pay for the difference in freight costs.

E.S., glad you finally got your shipment sorted out.

[Chris17]

I think quality of service depends on your local post office. I have used priority mail for orchids for years with no problems. My last experience, however, was not so stellar. On the estimated day of delivery the status was "out for delivery"--I waited around all day and no delivery. I went to the post office the next morning and the clerk looked up the tracking # on the computer and then disappeared into the back. Five minutes later I had my box. I will have to think about it for a while if I'm going to use them again.