For the first time I can remember, I just bought “postal insurance” on a package I mailed. Being naturally curious, especially of any bureaucracy, I asked questions so that I might better understand what I was paying for.
Postal insurance covers me (the item I am sending) up to the amount of insurance against loss or theft. For me, this translated into my paying extra to actually get the package to where I was sending it. The customer service representative did not follow my logic for several minutes, but eventually she admitted I was right.
At first she thought I was accusing the USPS of soemthing! I suppose I can understand how it seems accusatory, since I asked questions like, “So, insuring this package really just protects me from the postal service losing this package?”
I did not lose my cool; I was not upset. Ok, I was a little upset. It seems clear to me that I paid the initial $3.75 (or so) to “maybe” get the package delivered. if I was only willing to pay $3.75, then a light-fingered postal employee or a truck fire or whatever else were chances I was willing to take.
For an additional $3.75 (or so), the USPS was willing to assure me they wouldn’t let their dishonest employees near my package, nor would they be reckless in loading my package onto a truck that was going to catch fire.
Do you suppose in the “good ol’ days” companies actually took responsibility for items left in their hands without the customer paying extra?
Bandits No More 
“Do you suppose in the “good ol’ days” companies actually took responsibility for items left in their hands without the customer paying extra?”
No. At leats not regularly. But then I’m cynical sometimes.Of course, having a monopoly isn’t conducive to the best in customer service.
My, aren’t we a bit testy today? Look, both God and Demming agree that human endavour will never achieve perfection in this mortal frame. Trucks burn, planes crash, psychotic postal workers are found with 10 yrs of undelivered mail in their barns. That is what out fallen world is like. One can rail against it, or one can do the prudent thing. (The truely amaizing thing is that as much gets thru unscathed and on time as it does!) Since my 1st application to college I’ve sent every serious piece of correspondence (e.g. taxes, professional lisc. renewal, etc) Certified & return receipt requested (with a xeroxed copy of the materials and all postal receipts locked in my steel file cabinet). In 30 yrs USPS has a perfect score, every item sent was delivered & receipt recorded. Yes, I paid extra and, statistically, it is likely that regular mail would have sufficed. But it is worth the difference to not have to worry.
Testy? Not exactly. I was actually more frustrated with the attendant’s unwillingness to admit that a customer should have any general expectation of deliver of product UNLESS insurance was bought.