Staples in Canada has announced plans to roll out what it is calling video agent customer service stations. Customers use these to speak with a call centre which directs the query. This is a big contrast to the personal service one receives in small business. Sure Staples is a huge retailer compared to, say, a newsagency. However, Officeworks, their Australian comparison, competes with us in the suburbs for stationery business. I am sure they will continue to hunt down ways they can cut labour costs – such as this video agent customer service station. Hence the importance of us concentrating on live in the flesh customer service.