I popped in here to buy an envelope and mail something at around 9:15 am. The ladies behind the counter seemed preoccupied; I wasn't told why, but I was informed that I'd need to wait for a bit. I still needed to fill out the mailing details, so I figured a short wait would be fine. I should have known the experience wasn't going to go well, because when I asked for the smallest envelopes, I was glared at and provided with a general pointing towards a wall of envelopes. Then, after unsuccessfully looking around a very disorganized postal area (Shoppers Drug Mart uses most of the space for storing toilet paper it seems), I finally asked the ladies again for a pen. One just stared at me, while the other matter-of-factly said "you will need to wait, as our computers are down and you can't pay for anything anyway". I asked if I could just buy the envelope and mail it later, I just received a "No, our computers are down".
I understand technical problems happen, and am not disappointed because of this... it's the way the customer service ladies approached the situation that was a bit surprising. When computers aren't cooperating, the thing that can make or break a customer's experience is the way the employees deal with the situation and the people involved.
A simple smile, positive attitude and "oh shoot, we're really sorry - this computer has been acting up all morning, so it'd be better if you came back later" would have sufficed! I'll head to the downtown postal office from now on. read more