SPOILERS Going Postal Discussion *Spoilers*
- Thread starter Tonyblack
- Start date
I was reminded of the Post Office by an article in The Guardian today about the scandalous mismanagement of the Royal Mail between 2000 and 2014. The computer system was full of errors in its sums, but instead of holding an enquiry and fixing it when problems arose, they saw fit to blame subpostmasters and -mistresses for fiddling the accounts (leading to their debts, disgrace, and occasional suicide). This was unreported in most of the media, but Private Eye covered it.
I wouldn't be surprised if this was the backdrop to Going Postal. Too much reliance on new technology (like the clacks or the Roundworld computer system), and reliance on fancy corporate rebranding (like Royal Mail briefly rebranding itself as Consignia) underlie Reacher Gilt's meteoric rise and fall.
I wouldn't be surprised if this was the backdrop to Going Postal. Too much reliance on new technology (like the clacks or the Roundworld computer system), and reliance on fancy corporate rebranding (like Royal Mail briefly rebranding itself as Consignia) underlie Reacher Gilt's meteoric rise and fall.
I was interested to note that my bank, the Royal Bank of Scotland, has closed its branches in Cardiff and announced that I could do my banking at the Post Office . . . I say this because, when the Post Office tried to start its own banking service, the banks moved in and destroyed what was known as Girobank. Things have certainly moved on with the rise of computer banking. But I quite see your point. I worked in the Post Office for years, and it was very much the case that the machines were taking over so many of the aspects of manual work.
If we're talking new technology -- don't forget the New Pi and what it led to. (Cosmic horrors ... it spoke, the horror from beyond the stars, and in my mind's eye, I comprehended its commands). 
And this is exactly why machine-work has to be overseen manually by a human. As the old saying goes: to err is human, to really mess things up requires a computer.
I saw the same thing too. With the rise of working-from-home (thanks to the Dreaded Lurgy Which Must Not Be Named), I've noticed that more and more bank branches were closing, and staff being moved onto centralised call-centres. (Cthulhu help us).
Here in Australia, too, I can do the day-to-day banking tasks that requires a branch - e.g. depositing cheques - in a branch of Australia Post. (And before you chuckle about cheques - yes, quite a few people and corporations still use cheques. Working in accounts as I do, I've been seeing many more cheques now that I used to before the DLWMNBN.
Not sure what the connection is, though).
And this is exactly why machine-work has to be overseen manually by a human. As the old saying goes: to err is human, to really mess things up requires a computer.
I saw the same thing too. With the rise of working-from-home (thanks to the Dreaded Lurgy Which Must Not Be Named), I've noticed that more and more bank branches were closing, and staff being moved onto centralised call-centres. (Cthulhu help us).
Here in Australia, too, I can do the day-to-day banking tasks that requires a branch - e.g. depositing cheques - in a branch of Australia Post. (And before you chuckle about cheques - yes, quite a few people and corporations still use cheques. Working in accounts as I do, I've been seeing many more cheques now that I used to before the DLWMNBN.
Not sure what the connection is, though).
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=Tamar and Tonyblack
Fair enough. I think nowadays things have gone the opposite way; I have a credit card, and as long as I pay it off every month (which I do), I don't have to pay the company any more. By contrast, the last time I wanted to pay by cheque/check, I had to go into the bank and pay an extra $8 just to draw up a cheque.
By contrast, the last time I wanted to pay by cheque/check, I had to go into the bank and pay an extra $8 just to draw up a cheque. 
I use a credit card as much as possible for the travel points so I can afford airline tickets to the UK every couple of years. I pay off every month, so no interest charges to me. BUT - the merchants I patronize pay a 7% commission on every transaction, and that includes 7% on the sales tax they are obliged to collect. Soooo, if I'm patronizing a local small business I do think twice and often choose to pay cash there. And I've gotten in the habit of tipping in cash. That way the server gets it, and doesn't have to split with anyone else. (One reason I like travel overseas is that tipping isn't expected the way it is in the US)
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Penfold
True. But then -- at least here in Australia -- waiters and other staff are generally paid more than they are in the US, so they don't have to depend on tips to make a living.
I often thought that restaurant owners paying their staff so little that they have to depend on tips is rather rude. If you own a restaurant and employ staff, you should pay them a decent wage. They're your staff, not mine. Why are business owners allowed stiff their own staff? Being that mean won't win you any friends, neither among your staff nor among your customers.
I often thought that restaurant owners paying their staff so little that they have to depend on tips is rather rude.
If you own a restaurant and employ staff, you should pay them a decent wage. They're your staff, not mine. Why are business owners allowed stiff their own staff? Being that mean won't win you any friends, neither among your staff nor among your customers.
Ah! Here in Australia, a certified check is also known as a "bank cheque". Like the USA, the cost money.
I'm not surprised that car salesmen will not accept personal cheques, given the fact that sometimes they bounce. Having said that, I've worked in accounts for over 15 years and haven't run into any bouncing cheques yet -- but I've heard stories.
I'm not surprised that car salesmen will not accept personal cheques, given the fact that sometimes they bounce.
Having said that, I've worked in accounts for over 15 years and haven't run into any bouncing cheques yet -- but I've heard stories.
[QUOTE="RathDarkblade, post: 386129, member: 7149"
I often thought that restaurant owners paying their staff so little that they have to depend on tips is rather rude. If you own a restaurant and employ staff, you should pay them a decent wage. They're your staff, not mine. Why are business owners allowed stiff their own staff? Being that mean won't win you any friends, neither among your staff nor among your customers. [/QUOTE]
Here in the U.S, waiters in mid-to-upscale restaurants are often paid hourly wages below minimum wage, but they can make $200-$400 per shift in tips. Obviously, tip income is much lower in bargain restaurants. Unfortunately, the margins for most restaurants are so thin that paying waiters significantly higher hourly wages would put them out of business. The main inequity in restaurants is that non-tipped cooks, and buspeople, while earning higher hourly wages than waiters, make much less in total shift income than waiters even though, arguable, their jobs are much more strenuous.
Some more enlightened restaurants require pooling of all tips, wherein waiters keep most of their own tips but a percentage is also distributed to the kitchen and serving staff. Of course, the amount of the pool is easier to track when people are paying by credit card. For cash tips, everything depends on the waiter's honesty (and memory).
I often thought that restaurant owners paying their staff so little that they have to depend on tips is rather rude.
If you own a restaurant and employ staff, you should pay them a decent wage. They're your staff, not mine. Why are business owners allowed stiff their own staff? Being that mean won't win you any friends, neither among your staff nor among your customers. [/QUOTE]Here in the U.S, waiters in mid-to-upscale restaurants are often paid hourly wages below minimum wage, but they can make $200-$400 per shift in tips. Obviously, tip income is much lower in bargain restaurants. Unfortunately, the margins for most restaurants are so thin that paying waiters significantly higher hourly wages would put them out of business. The main inequity in restaurants is that non-tipped cooks, and buspeople, while earning higher hourly wages than waiters, make much less in total shift income than waiters even though, arguable, their jobs are much more strenuous.
Some more enlightened restaurants require pooling of all tips, wherein waiters keep most of their own tips but a percentage is also distributed to the kitchen and serving staff. Of course, the amount of the pool is easier to track when people are paying by credit card. For cash tips, everything depends on the waiter's honesty (and memory).
Hmm. Hospitality shifts (at least for dinner service) are usually 5 pm 'til the restaurant closes (9 pm? 10 pm?), plus additional time to help clean and set-up for the next day.
Here in Australia (AFAIK - I'm generalising, of course), tipping is not considered mandatory. Presumably this is because hospitality workers get paid much higher wages than in the USA. (Sorry that I assumed that restaurant owners are mean cheapskates. That was rude of me!) *blush*
Depending on tips can have drawbacks too, though. I've heard and read some stories of waitstaff having to put up with entitled customers, cheap customers, super-entitled customers (who snap their fingers at waitstaff etc.), and customers who won't tip (or hand out religious tracts as "tips"). Unfortunately, this seems to happen even in expensive, high-class establishments who cater to the elite.
Rude is rude. I just hope waitstaff are given enough leeway to call this out. If not, why not? Yes, waitstaff have to be patient, honest, and polite. But that's no reason to treat them like dirt.
Here in Australia (AFAIK - I'm generalising, of course), tipping is not considered mandatory. Presumably this is because hospitality workers get paid much higher wages than in the USA. (Sorry that I assumed that restaurant owners are mean cheapskates. That was rude of me!) *blush*
Depending on tips can have drawbacks too, though. I've heard and read some stories of waitstaff having to put up with entitled customers, cheap customers, super-entitled customers (who snap their fingers at waitstaff etc.), and customers who won't tip (or hand out religious tracts as "tips").
Unfortunately, this seems to happen even in expensive, high-class establishments who cater to the elite.Rude is rude. I just hope waitstaff are given enough leeway to call this out. If not, why not? Yes, waitstaff have to be patient, honest, and polite. But that's no reason to treat them like dirt.
