Tracy Porosoff writes:
I arrived at the Westport post office early the other day. They don’t open until 9, but Lou saw me standing beyond the metal gates. He opened them for me, and waved me inside to Rosie’s counter.
I was there to mail a birthday package to a friend in Idaho. I put the box on Rosie’s scale, and she calculated different options. I settled on the cheapest: $17.76 for ground delivery. It would take at least a week to arrive. I told Rosie it seemed expensive.
“Try Priority,” she suggested, and left her spot behind the counter to get the box for me. I asked if she thought my items would fit. She taped up the new box, opened my existing package, and helped me carefully place the items inside the smaller one.
“But what about the stickers?” I asked, pointing to the decorations I had attached to the original box.
“Here.” She tenderly removed the tape from the box that had the stickers attached and transferred them to the new box.
Rosie typed a few things into her computer, then said, “Now it will cost less money and get there faster.”
Wow — that was service!
I was amazed. And grateful. For all of the jibes about workers “going postal” and civil servants being apathetic clock punchers, this experience proved the contrary. And I even got out of there before the official 9 a.m. open!
Thank you, Rosie and Lou, for caring enough to go the extra mile for your patrons, and for taking care of our stuff.
Rosie has worked at the Westport branch as long as I have lived here. I truly appreciate her kindness, knowledge and sticker transferring skills.
Lou and Rosie. (Photo/Tracy Porosoff)
(Do you know an Unsung Hero? Email dwoog@optonline.net)
Both good people… Have always taken good care of me.
We have the most wonderful delivery mail person, Laura ! She goes above and beyond everyday.
I just love the post office!!
We sell on eBay, and have multiple packages to send each day. I print the mailing labels at home so that the PO just has to scan the Barcode for tracking. The postal workers at the Westport and Weston Post Office are some of the most helpful and patient people I have ever met. They are always courteous and attentive to you mailing questions and options for mailing. Also, the post office office does an amazing job of getting your packages and mail to the correct address at a very reasonable cost.
Many customers do not understand about certain mailing options that can save considerable costs. You should really checkout all of the fixed rate options and different size FR boxes that are available in the front of the PO. You can also read about these Fixed Rate boxes on the PO website, and even order them mailed to your house or business for free. Use the USPS.com website to read about this service.
If we could only stop the US Government from screwing around with one of the finest quasi government services available.
Great story.
They’re the best, always so pleasant
I was going to nominate Rosie too! She always goes above and beyond, whether taking a passport photo, helping with applications or mailing packages to far off destinations! I once witnessed them patiently helping a temporary resident from abroad fill out a change of address form while trying to help her track a lost package from her last address. We are so lucky to have Lou, Rosie and everyone else working there. They turn a dreaded errand into a delightful experience!
The Westport and Weston PO’s are fantastic institutions. So great to see the same old faces behind the counter over the years — like EJ Butner, who was actually my 1st grade classmate at the old Bedford El (now Town Hall.)
As Bill Webster points out, it’s now possible to price, buy and print out postage at home via the “click and ship” service on USPS.com. Priority Mail 2nd day is actually the best value for shipping small items. And Priority Mail Express ships overnight for about 1/2 price of FedEx (but admittedly not as reliably.)
Just be sure not to buy postage at the UPS Store. Whether you’re shipping USPS or UPS, they mark it up…a lot!
lovely story about two clearly lovely people,
A happy story for a change! Thanks for sharing. I too love Westport PO — and my neighborhood postal delivery service provider. If I have a lot of mail or bulky stuff, they drive up and place it on my porch. I used the “hold my mail” service for the first time this summer and it was terrific too!
One more vote for the nicest and most helpful PO staff we have ever encountered in any of the numerous places we have lived!
They are so nice & helpful! Happy to see the recognition.
I love Lou & Rosie! So glad to see I’m not the only one.
When people go the extra mile and are kind, they deserve appreciation and acknowledgement. Thank you Tracy for writing about Lou and Rosie and thank you Dan for posting Tracy’s note on 06880.
MY UNSUNG HERO IS MY MAILMAN, TOM SHUTTE. HE NOT ONLY DELIVERS TO MY DOOR AND SPRAYS THE MAIL, HE ALSO LOOKS AFTER MY WELL BEING. HE’S SWEET, KIND AND FUNNY. I LOOK FORWARD TO HIS VISIT EVERY MORNING. NICE WORK TOM. MANY THANKS. CARYL
Still doing neither rain nor sleet, etc., I see. Please say hello to Tom from Ida Gerrity of Tamarac (d. 1996), who left me a note naming him and about his personable kindness in the years after my father’s death. I’m pretty sure she slipped him a tip or two or three over the years.
I’m a teacher, and when Rosie learned that I was mailing books to my students during the early days of Covid, she wanted to pay for the postage. I didn’t let her, but so appreciated her generosity!
Very much agree with this post. All the Westport postal counter clerks are top notch. And if you’re sending valuables by certified, insured mail, no one will tape up your package better and more securely than Rosie.