Acton Rant

'The People's Post Office' is treating elderly and disabled customers with contempt. 

Last week I witnessed an old man bent double and in clear discomfort queuing in Acton Main Post Office. Occasionally he would straighten himself a little and heave a sigh. It seemed that whatever he had come to do there was too important for him to give up on and go home.

There is no system in place at 'The People's Post Office' for old or disabled people to sit and wait their turn. There are just two chairs provided for customers and on this occasion both of them were occupied.

People queuing in the 'People's Post Office' are targeted by staff who push its financial products. A screen bombards customers with a constant stream of advertising presented by 'warm, Oop North' stereotypes. The cosy charm the marketers want us to buy into is such a mismatch with the reality of entering the 'People's Post Office' as to be laughable in other circumstances.

The tacky 'People's Post Office' tag is presumably based on the premise that we 'the people' theoretically own the Post Office. However our 'ownership' didn't stop the government from closing 155 post offices in the London region last year, including our local post office in Churchfield Road.

So here is some free advice for the Acton Post Office management.

You have to start earning your

self-proclaimed 'People's Post Office' tag.

1. Get a ticketing system in place. People should not have to endure standing in long queues. This isn't the 1940's.

2. Buy some chairs. You have elderly and disabled customers. Hadn't you noticed?

3. Have a member of staff on the floor area to fast track elderly and disabled customers to a designated counter. The rest of us really won't mind.

4. Don't sell to us. Let us buy. You are competing with the supermarket experience next door. Once you release people from queues they can browse your products including your financial products.

5. Paint and redecorate. Brighten the place up. Create an ambience that makes us feel cheerful and positive about being there.

6. Surprise us. Be innovative about aspects of the quality of customer service you offer. Give us something outstanding. We might even love you for it.