Discussions

 
Some kindness at the post office  
 
Canada Post, Shoppers Mall Brandon Manitoba.  
 
Should you visit the mall any time soon and use The Canada Post post office, please extend some warmth to the ladies who work here. This the second time - and last time - that I feel I have been treated in what I feel is a less than courteous manner within two years. While most complaint letters do not include multiple examples of a similar problem, applicable solutions and positive comments, this one does. I wish to express what I feel is a viable and simple way to resolve this issue for all parties involved.  
 
The Canada Post Postal outlet, In the Shoppers Mall, is owned and operated by the Shoppers mall. Most small postal outlets, like the ones in Shoppers Drug Mart, 7-11 and various places all over Canada are operated by the store they reside in. I always thought that they were operated by Canada Post. I will be passing along this letter to Canada Post, while I do not expect much with what the climate of customer service is these days, I hope that no one else encounters what I have experienced, and that maybe some change can happen, hopefully it is the customer service skills of individuals involved.  
 
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My first mistake was going back Canada Post in the Shoppers Mall. Never - EVER - again.  
 
 
After many, many years in sales and customer service, I know there are moments when you cannot ' be your best', due to many reasons such as a busy workload, a parade of difficult and demanding customers and an unpleasant work environment, etc. However, despite all those factors if you are employed within customer service, your problems are not the first priority. What should be your first priority is handling and providing courteous service for customers within your business or organization.  
 
 
On a personal note my intention is to act, and react with kindness. In dealing with all interpersonal matters. Period. If a situation escalates to the point where I cannot maintain that, I walk away.  
 
 
Regardless of where I am shopping, who I may be speaking to, or what the services/disservice may be, I will always try to be kind. Even though there have been scenarios where I was clearly being treated in an unkind and deliberately hurtful way, I choose to maintain that mindset. That I try to express patience and kindness, always. I do not intend to receive anything more than services provided, in fact I like to do all my shopping, running errands, etc., in a very straight-forward.... quick, in & out kind of way.  
 
 
I have used Canada Post outlets in different Province's and Cities to mail parcels within Canada many times throughout the last 5 years, I have not had any negative experiences any where else but here, at this specific branch of Canada Post. An example of stellar customer service is During the X-mas season, 2005, While I was living in Winnipeg I sent a parcel to friend in Alberta, which was clearly stuffed to the gills, and a postal outlet employee helped me re-pack and stuff with me all the X-mas goodies inside properly, I held it down while she and taped it up securely for me. This Postal employee at a St. James, Winnipeg grocery store was over-the-top helpful on several occasions, was friendly, thoughtful, and remembered me when I would pick up packages my husband and friends would send me. Another instance of great customer service at a Canada Post outlet is while living in Alberta in a smaller city, the staff was also thoughtful and helpful with similar circumstances. After my first encounter with the Postal Outlet at the Shoppers mall, I began using the postal Outlet at the 7-11 on Victoria. While she no longer works there, I would always try to use that outlet while a very charming young lady was at work.  
 
 
I am aware that examples such as above, are one individuals -personal- effort, to put in that an extra amount of effort into helping people. They elect to do so. While I do not and will not depend on the postal outlet to provide me with packing tape, (or take the time to repack a parcel with me properly) or to extend anything other than the basic service that their job description entails, there are moments though, when we all need a little extra effort from somewhere, hence my writing this letter.  
 
 
And so, on to what prompted me to write today. I had created and printed out mailing labels using a different size of label than I usually do, a slightly larger one than what most common label sizes are. Somehow during printing the zip-code was cut off from the mailing label. It is MY responsibility to have the correct information on the mailing label when sending parcels and letters, I understand that, However, I was shocked to learn, yes shocked, that Canada Post outlets do not have access to any form of information for zip codes in The U.S. Whether as a paper copy or via the internet. This in itself is humerus to me. It is a post office. They have a book of postal codes for all of Canada, and it is certainly understandable that they do not maintain a book for every zip code in the U.S. But, they have no way of looking it up, no data-base on their computer, either. Wow.  
 
 
Now, for me to get the zip code, I would have to return home, which would take a huge amount of time out of 'running errands' to check my email for the correct address/zip code, or stop anywhere with internet access, or possibly the UPS Store down the street. But, thankfully a kind-hearted employee in another store looked it up for me. (Thank-you ) I already have a letter of thanks sent to that individuals employer. Now the real problem here is that the individual I spoke with, had a very snippy reaction to my dismay of not having access to postal related information. When my company or I cannot provide a specific service for someone, because it is not a service we offer, but is very much in line with what our company provides, I cannot and do not take any personal responsibility for their anger, disappointment or irritation.  
 
However this is what I encountered. I am surprised with the reaction I received, I do not believe I portrayed any anger directed at this individual, and at that point I wasn't angry, just surprised that a post office did not have information that was pertinent to .....well, postal information. It is this individuals attitude and comments that I have concern for.  
 
 
I hope to portray how ridiculous my interaction with the Postal Employee was. During this interaction, after finding out that the post office does not have access to postal information which they probably would need to refer to, I was not angered, I am still not angry. I think this is laughable, a minor irritation, and kind of piteous. If the response to someone like me = gets THIS reaction, I cannot imagine what the day to day working environment at this establishment is like.  
 
 
( While the purple sweater is irrelevant here, I hope to shed some light on why this is so bizarre)  
 
 
= If I go to a sweater store and wish to purchase a purple sweater, and they do not carry purple sweaters, and I react with rational disappointment and ask in a civil manner, "What? You don't carry purple sweaters, isn't this a sweater store? ". I do not - and should not hear the response, " Because we don't " accompanied with attitude. And if I am irritated by this, do not follow suit with more attitude and irritation directed towards me for even asking about purple sweaters. Even if I walked into a Sweater store and was demanding and angry, but not abusive, " Because we don't " is not an okay response. =  
 
 
There was no mention of " This is a Canada Post outlet -CANADA- we only ship to CANADA". That would be understandable If Canada was their only market, why would they have a need for information pertinent to zip codes? When I asked about finding a zip code, any where close by they had absolutely nothing to offer me. In fact she shrugged her shoulders and made the head side to side 'I don't' know' motion. I am still surprised that an individual postal outlet would not have access to information like this, even though it is the senders responsibility to have correct information, what if there is a language barrier, and or an individuals handwriting is illegible ( like mine, that's why I use mailing labels)  
 
 
Sadly this is not the worst of my two unfortunate experiences at the Shopper's Mall Postal Outlet.  
 
 
While my husband was away training Wainwright, Alberta, in 2007, I wanted to surprise him with a package of candies & treats, soups, hot coco, cough candies etc....and some creature comforts that would remind him of home. I intended to go to the mall, to pick up a few more things, and then purchase one of the boxes Canada Post sells in their store, and ship it off. We had just recently moved here, and I was not aware of the location of other postal outlets in town, plus I needed to pick up some things from the Mall. So I showed up at the post office in the Shoppers Mall, with all my goodies to send, and purchased the box..... but it was too small, so I purchased another, bigger box, put everything in, wrote the return and sending information on the box, closed it up, and when I got up to the till, I realized that I needed to tape this box up, and so I asked for a piece... a piece of tape and they refused to give it to me.  
 
Again, here is where I made my first mistake. I really, really wanted to get this sent off to my husband, and so instead of turning around going home then getting my own tape and finding another postal outlet, I said "you won't give me a piece of tape, a small piece of tape for this box? " And so a circular conversation ensued. I was in complete disbelief that they would not give me a piece of tape. Their explanation was that they would be expected to tape up parcels for EVERYBODY, and that people would expect that from this post office. Usually I do my own taping and wrapping, but in this instance, I had gone to the mall, made purchases at Safeway,the Buck or Two, Zellers and another novelty store, with the intention of buying a box big enough to fit all these goodies into. I did not think to bring my own roll of packing tape. I also do not think that it would have taken more than 10 inches of packing tape to properly secure this parcel.  
 
Now, they have tape for sale in the Postal Outlet, but because we had just moved here I had literally just purchased 2 huge 6 pack's of quality tape less than 1 week before this incident. I had 5 and a half rolls of tape at home in my laundry room, (that I still have a few rolls of today). Am I going to purchase a 4 dollar roll of tape at this Postal Outlet.... No Way!  
 
So, I had to walk across the mall to the buck or two, where I was just prior. And because the post office was my last stop for the day I was carrying that big box of goodies for my husband, 2 bags of things I had purchased from other stores in the mall, and the flat box I had purchased previously that was too small. While purchasing the tape they cashier asked " weren't you just here? " and I said, "yes, the post office will not give me 10 inches or so of tape, so here I am" She was surprised about the tape fiasco too.  
 
But it gets even more ridiculous. I returned with the box to be sent and my own packing tape, I taped up my parcel, had it measured and weighed, and paid for the services. I offered to give the packing tape I had just purchased to the post office, I explained that I already had alot of tape at home, and maybe in the future someone else may need it in the event that they need to tape something up, too.  
 
Oh my goodness. BIG MISTAKE  
 
Instead of a 'yeah sure, we have a low budget and that would be fine', I had another circular conversation, with a different post office employee about how " we don't want to be responsible for taping up peoples packages and that if we begin offering tape, it will be expected" and etc. And so I clearly stated again, " I do not need this, in the future there may be an instance where someone, even you, for your own needs may need some packing tape, may I leave this here with you?"  
 
 
The answer was no. I asked to speak with a manager or supervisor, but no one was available, it was 3:15 ish in the afternoon, which is strange for there to only be one employee at the postal outlet on a weekday. I did get the supervisors name and all the people that I spoke with name's that day. I really wanted to wait a few days before I contacted anybody with a comment /complaint about this.  
 
So I came home, baffled. When I later spoke with my husband on the telephone, I asked for his honest opinion, should I contact someone, maybe it was a little too much to ask for a piece of packing tape,( It was not ) but I don't think that the indifferent and stony demeanor that I encountered was warranted. This is a scenerio where I should have been a little more cold-hearted, ( just a little). I really thought that offering my packing tape was thoughtful and considerate, after all, employees do have to keep track of supplies, and may be held accountable for excessive use.  
 
 
I have yet to have been met with such a stand-offish attitude, in any service area, EVER. Even my recent encounter with the same business was not as bad as the packing tape incident at the Shoppers Mall Postal Outlet.  
 
 
 
Now here's what I will go away with = the employees at this specific Postal Outlet have very little training in customer service. They have a very poor work environment, coupled with a lack of personal  
motivation to put forth even a small amount of effort of the lowest percentile of courtesy, I don't expect smiles or chit-chat, Just the basic services that your business provides. Not on a company level, but a personal level does this postal outlet have some undesirable qualities. Usually I will give everything 3 chances, but there will not be one here. there are 5 Canada Post outlets in town. The next time I require Canada Post services, I will definitely not use the one in the Shoppers Mall.  
 
 
 
I hope that readers who use the Canada Post Outlet in the Shoppers Mall have better experiences than I had. I have had the opportunity to work in various sales associate, waitress jobs, and customer service/customer care over the years. I met and meet my goal of being courteous, and patient with customers, business associates and co-workers. I am saddened that these individuals employed here have created a negative image for me in regards to this postal outlet. Though my concern is more that grown adults who have had decades to get it right, cannot.  
 
 
And so I genuinely mean it when I say that if you are using the Post Office soon, or visiting the Shoppers Mall, please put a little extra effort to be kind and gentle with these ladies, they really, really need it.