A reminder to my self and all of you: you can, and should make customer complaints on behalf of staff.
Like last week, I had to mail a package and my local USPS was absolutely SWEALTERING. And the staff only had a few fans, some of which they were using faced towards customers, to try and keep us cool.
While doing my transaction, I was chatting with the worker about how crazy this was and how I hoped she had her own fan too, because I could only see the customer-benefit ones. She said yes, but I also asked if there was anyone I could complain to on her behalf and she immediately said yes again and to please do it! She wrote a more direct customer service number on my receipt which I was able to call Friday.
To be clear, I was kind and polite; I stressed how good the workers at this office were and how efficient always: "It's my local post office," but also how unbearable the heat was and how I couldn't imagine MY poor local staff having to suffer in that heat all day. I don't know yet if it will have an immediate effect for the workers, I hope it will though.
It's a move I haven't pulled much recently, but it was a good reminder for me that I can. I can put on my best assertive-Karen-for-good voice and bitch at companies and corporations to take care of their staff because why would I keep going to them if they don't? I know Post office is a little different, but all the more reason for me to take a vested interest as I pay for them with my taxes! Use my money to get those hard-working folks some goddamn aircon!
As someone who works in a warehouse without air conditioning or any kind of air filtration... DO THIS SHIT!! Higher ups will regularly ignore the concerns voiced by employees but will care a lot more about the complaints of customers. Also, a lot of things that employees complain amongst themselves about never make it all the way up the food chain because people don't have the balls to raise the issues to the people in charge. If its 103 outside and a feels like of 113 and you are thinking "how can they work in this heat?" Say something to the people who make decisions about these things! Complain to the higher ups that you are concerned someone is going to get a heat injury (don't blame the workers, and don't say they are moving too slowly or anything like that, make it about the specific safety hazard putting the employees at risk). I recently had to raise a concern about the terrible air quality from the Canada fires because no one else was saying it to the highest levels of the company but we were all trying to survive. When conditions are problematic saying something as a consumer goes way further than saying something as an employee or manager.
See a hazard, speak up for the employees having to deal with the hazard who have no control. Your words as a customer can be used to help or hurt employees, speak up for your friends.
