I am dissatisfied with the Norwegian postal service in general and today in particular. I have been negatively affected by this organization three times today and still the time is no more than 12:46.
Waking from what can only be described as relative beauty sleep at a fairly comfortable airport hotel in Bergen this morning I set off in the direction of Flesland, intending to finally get myself back home after unvountarily having been sightseeing central and western Norway yesterday.
According to the package tracking log on the Internet a shipment from one of my favourite technology vendors had arrived in Sogndal yesterday before 8 a.m. and I was keen to see if it could be intercepted here in order for me not to have to wait until after the weekend before exploring my fresh purchases.
Calling the postal service customer response call centre did little good. I explained my issue to her and she explained the exact same thing back to me. Speaking to deaf ears in other words. I concluded the conversation by asking for the phone number of my local post office upon which the first incident occured.
The following is my recollection of the conversation
Me: “… Well, I understand, thanks a lot anyway. However, Sogndal is a small post office, just in case they have the package available for me – would it be possible for me to get their direct phone number and the number of the destination post office in case it has arrived and just haven’t been registered yet?!”
Call centre: “You can have the one for the destination post office but the other one – why do you want that?” (Don’t you trust me?!)
Me: “So you won’t give me the phone number for Sogndal post office then?!”
Call centre: “No, but here is the phone number for Leikanger. #### ####, Good bye”
…
Having been travelling much lately, checking of my mail box have been a task subject to a considerable amount of neglect. However – upon return from Bergen this fine morning I went to my mail box, found a slip indicating that a package had arrived for me and – in order to collect a lock cylinder shipped to me by my car dealer went to the post office. I was due to have the lock replaced during a car service operation on monday and hence needed it now.
Upon entering the post office I was told promptly and not completely without smug satisfaction that the package was returned due to not being collected within a 14 day limit. They had most efficiently done so the night before.
So – the same &%”/%/&%#”(//$” office that is incapable of shipping a small package a distance of less than 20 km in two full days had succeeded in returning my lock cylinder on the minute 14 days after receiving it. Great. I did react momentarily with an outburst of frustration but for the most part stuck to a comfortable attitude.
Now – to make things worse.Having been pursued by some ill-gotten luck lately I earned a parking ticket last sunday. However – for reasons unknown a formerly paid parking ticket was refunded to me recently and ironically I was now intending to trade these two against each other, balancing with a negative 50 kroner.
Trying to keep my composure I explained this to the unsympathetic lady in the cash register upon which she frowned and said that of course she could help me but it would cost me an additional 30 kroner unless I had an account in the Norwegian post bank. My irritation and resignation was visible and she added “How are things difficult today!!!”.
I walked out with a defintively angry look and I honestly hope she was offended and possibly hurt. At least temporarily.
…
Having lost two out of two battles with the post so far today I ventured for my car dealer which had ordered a signal cable for me to connect my mp3 player to my car stereo. Upon arriving there – small wonder – the guy in the reception informed me that due to slow mail delivery (3rd time pays for all) he hadn’t yet received the cable.
So please anyone out there. Any competitor to the Norwegian postal service will be warmly welcomed by me.