I went into The UPS Store in Santa Cruz today to send a package (a pair of defective boots) back to Zappos.com (whose customer service experience was absolutely fantastic!!!!). In times past, The UPS Store's workers are generally helpful in lending tape to customers, and doing other things to make customers feel good. So I came in without just the top flaps of my box taped, and otherwise had the form printed up and the box ready to go.
The "manager" of the store told me in a tense voice "that will be $1 for the tape." I replied, "Are you serious?" I really thought he was joking! He proceeded to sternly tell me that "these things cost money," and "someone has to pay for it." Not a flicker in his eye, not an ounce of warmth or a smile...just a hard, unhappy, disgruntled, "No. I need your dollar."
I replied, "Sir, any other UPS Store I've ever been to has allowed me to use their tape if I brought in my own box. Are you for real? Seriously? A dollar?"
Ironically, I hadn't brought in my wallet because I was just making a drop-off. In fact, I had tape at home that I could have scrounged around for, but I figured I could just borrow the tape gun behind their counter (as I've experienced in Marin, Scott's Valley, Charlotte, NC, Ithaca, NY....every The UPS Store I've frequented over several years). This guy says, "You can't borrow it! You wouldn't be giving it back, would you?"
So we proceeded to have one of those types of conversations that one dreads having...between a person who is trying to give a company business and speak like a reasonable person to (hopefully) another reasonable person....and another person who is more like a computer program (immovable and cold) than a pulse-bearing human being.
The manager proceeded to repeat that it's "company policy" to not give tape to customers. I questioned, again, stating that I've experienced very hospitable treatment at other stores in the same chain...AND tape...so how could it be "company policy?"
At this point, he was raising his voice ever so slightly, and as such I was on the verge of tears...to which he replied, "Don't go there." I asked him for his manager's name so I could file a complaint. He answered, "I am the manager." I asked him for his name so I could call UPS directly to file my complaint with them. He stood there silently, refusing to budge.
AND....to top it all off...he proceeded to place the plastic sleeve (the pouch with the adhesive on the back), which contained my UPS mailing printout in it, across the box flaps on top so that the pouch itself taped it shut automatically. He began to bring the box to the back, to which I questioned, "Will it be okay like that?" And he replied non-emotionally, "Of course it will."
Then why did he put me through 10 minutes of horrendous customer service???? If the box was fine as-is??! And didn't even need the stinking tape!?!
Wow. I think that giving the courtesy of 2 cents of tape is going to cost this man at least $200 in future business! Apparently he is not interested in running a thriving business.
I highly recommend The UPS Store in Scotts Valley if you can make the hike up....they are super-sweet and don't penny-pinch on the tape. read more