The customer service challenge with parcel collection in newsagencies

If you offer a parcel pickup service in your newsagency I urge you to ensure you have the space, resources and business processes in place to provide a good customer experience.

Customers only visiting the newsagency to collect a parcel will expect quick, knowledgable service. If they do not get this they will most likely want to complain.

There is good anecdotal evidence that online shoppers embrace opportunities to complain. E-commerce sites and social media make complaining easy through feedback, ratings, reviews and in other ways.

A poor parcel pickup experience is something online shoppers will complain about. They are empowered because of the ease with which they can complain online – often not to those who could address their complaint.

I have been contacted by newsagents with parcel pickup services seeking advice on how to deal with complaints against them. I have been contacted through this blog by shoppers who want to tell their story of poor parcel pickup service fro newsagency businesses. I have been contacted by parcel service businesses asking how to get newsagents to provide better service.

The parcel collection customer they wants…

1. Easy access to the pick-up business.
2. Fast service once inside.
3. Straightforward processes.
4. Security for their parcels.

The most common complaint I have heard relates to speed of service in the business. While they are happy to wait, they want to be served in sequence. They do not want to be told to wait until other customers are served.

Here is an example of a complaint from a parcel collection customer, in their own words, about there experience:

The lady that works at the newsagent would not give me my parcel at the store she wanted to to serve the other two customers there and told me to wait even tho I was waiting first anyways after she kept serving the other customers I said are u gonna serve me now and then she went off her head yelling at me and even her husband told her to be quiet, I’m not happy at all with the service cos she wanted me to wait till she serves the whole store then I’ll get my stuff.

This is a common complaint.

Anytime someone approaches me about a parcel collection service issue I suggest they deal with the retailer as they are likely to have more leverage. I also suggest they contact the parcel service business connected with the newsagency business as they, too, are likely to have more leverage.

Parcel collection can be challenging for retailers. You should only take it on if you are prepared for the challenges and prepared to provide the level of service customers expect.