# How do you get through to a human at the USPS **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 12, 2021, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-through-to-a-human-at-the-usps/939881 "2021-04-12T22:28:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2021, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-through-to-a-human-at-the-usps/939881/1 "2021-04-12T22:28:06Z")
We’ve installed a cluster box and I need to speak to a human representative regarding setting it up. I feel like I can not defeat the automated system, and brother I’ve tried. Is there a trick? No matter what numbers I press I always end up holding then get hung up on. I’m starting to understand the whole going postal thing. Grrrrr… ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2021, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-through-to-a-human-at-the-usps/939881/2 "2021-04-12T22:34:26Z")
Try a PM on facebook. The few times I’ve done that with USPS, it’s a real person responding. Even if they can’t help you directly, they may be able to give you a better phone number or you could see if they can get someone to call you. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2021, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-through-to-a-human-at-the-usps/939881/3 "2021-04-12T22:53:37Z")
Thank you, I’ll try that. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2021, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-through-to-a-human-at-the-usps/939881/4 "2021-04-12T22:59:49Z")
Call your local post office and ask them how to get through to someone. Mine is very helpful. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-through-to-a-human-at-the-usps/939881/5 "2021-04-13T00:02:11Z")
Your carrier comes by 6 days a week, usually about the same time every day. Just plan to be at the door about that time and talk to the carrier, and they’ll tell you who to talk to. And it’s probably them – they are the ones who will have to fill that box every day. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-through-to-a-human-at-the-usps/939881/6 "2021-04-13T00:14:47Z")
That main USPS 800 number and it’s automated system seems to be designed specifically to prevent you from speaking to a real person. Years ago when I tried calling it to get help with some specific issue, I resorted to directly asking it to connect me with someone at my local post office, and the automated voice was just like “Let’s see if I can help you first.” Except it only seems to be set up to help with very common requests like “I want to put my mail on hold” and my issue wasn’t one of them. I finally managed to find the actual number for my local P.O. (_not_ the 800 number) and called them directly, and they were able to help with my problem. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-through-to-a-human-at-the-usps/939881/7 "2021-04-13T00:36:09Z")
I called my local post office and asked to speak with the postmaster and was put straight through to him. I asked him why he wasn’t flying the flag at half mast after Trump finally said it was OK to do so. He was a real jerk about it. If I had his picture I’d be checking for him at the Capitol riot pictures. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-through-to-a-human-at-the-usps/939881/8 "2021-04-13T00:58:17Z")
@Lucas_Jackson OP: Managing a condo with 150ish boxes in 3 complexes I’ve had plenty of official dealings with USPS. I’ve had excellent results with asking my normal day-to-day carrier how to contact the right office and also with stopping by the local branch office and asking for the postmaster. The vast majority of these folks are trying to do a good job. The bureaucracy is big, but the workers make it work. Mostly. @Si_Amigo. What was the event where you were wanting the flag at half-staff? ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-through-to-a-human-at-the-usps/939881/9 "2021-04-13T01:00:18Z")
John McCain’s funeral while he lay in state at the US Capitol. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-through-to-a-human-at-the-usps/939881/10 "2021-04-13T01:10:17Z")
Thank you. This being GQ I won’t have a substantive response except to shake my head. (At them, not you.) ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-through-to-a-human-at-the-usps/939881/11 "2021-04-13T01:37:23Z")
After much frustration over not being able to get through to a human, I submitted a ticket on their website. I was informed someone would be with me shortly via email. After a week of not hearing from them, I got an email from them asking me to take a survey on how they did taking care of my problem. Lol they didn’t do shit! ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-through-to-a-human-at-the-usps/939881/12 "2021-04-13T03:15:00Z")
Calling the central number is an exercise in futility. Contacting your local post office may (may!) get better results. ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-through-to-a-human-at-the-usps/939881/13 "2021-04-13T11:08:59Z")
The difficulty is finding the phone number of the local post office. I don’t remember how I found the number for mine, but here are two sites dedicated to this very purpose: > **[PostOfficeFinder.org - Find a Post Office Near You](https://postofficefinder.org/)** > > Search for US Post Office locations by Zip code and get the addresses, directions, hours and phone numbers of Post Offices near you. > **[Postal Locations, Hours, and Services Information](https://www.postallocations.com/)** > > US post offices information. Location, operating hours, phone number, and postal services. Find info for a post office in your city, county, or state. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-through-to-a-human-at-the-usps/939881/14 "2021-04-13T14:16:33Z")
I found my local number by Googling USPS [zip code]. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-through-to-a-human-at-the-usps/939881/15 "2021-04-13T15:24:18Z")
I went to [USPS.com](http://USPS.com), the official website. I clicked on [locations] on the top banner. I entered my zip code into the form and clicked [Search]. It showed the several USPS offices near me as well as all the 3rd party places selling postal services. I clicked the entry for my local real full service government post office. In the details that appeared were the local voice and fax numbers. I called the voice number and the person who answered assured me she was physically at that office. The accent sounded about right. Seems pretty easy to me for my ordinary suburban PO. Maybe it’s harder for giant urban POs in, say, downtown Chicago or NYC. ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2021, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-through-to-a-human-at-the-usps/939881/16 "2021-04-13T16:19:28Z")
I’ve called my local post office dozens of times and while sometimes there is a wait, I’ve always gotten through to someone. Walking into the post office also has a very high success rate.