I’ve yet to see a busy Staples. It’s a good way to drive in business, and keep staff busy.
I’m sure some SO staff will move with the branch, but majority will be let go.
|
|
|
Some Service Ontario locations closing
- Thread starter matthew
- Start date
I’m sure some SO staff will move with the branch, but majority will be let go.
I'm sure we will get more details on this as this just kit the press today.
Digital kiosk are a good idea for the simple transaction. A human being is needed for the complex transaction. But they need to know what they are talking about. A lot of SO clerks were not very helpful.
Staples lost Canada Post many years ago, so I'm not surprised that they want a third party operator in their store. Paying some of the rent getting some kickback.
If you think about it. Digital only kiosks can be installed anywhere and everywhere. Think of it as a ATM. But I'm DoFo wants to limit that as well so keep the costs down.
Digital kiosk are a good idea for the simple transaction. A human being is needed for the complex transaction. But they need to know what they are talking about. A lot of SO clerks were not very helpful.
Staples lost Canada Post many years ago, so I'm not surprised that they want a third party operator in their store. Paying some of the rent getting some kickback.
If you think about it. Digital only kiosks can be installed anywhere and everywhere. Think of it as a ATM. But I'm DoFo wants to limit that as well so keep the costs down.
Once they took dealer transactions out of SO, they really don't have enough volume to cover multiple staff and rent for a whole office unit.
SO also has a similar problem to HD. Most of their customers are old. Younger people are going elsewhere most of the time.
I loved those kiosks. There was one at Cloverdale mall I used for anything I needed.
Then one day it disappeared.
Me neither. Every time I am in one, I feel like there is more employees than customers. Yet, when I need a employee they are hard to find.
Also,
Since Covid, I think all the Staples had cut down on the hours. Mine in Milton used to open really early, (I want to say 7 am) now its 9 am and they close at 7pm.
Not sure about the rest but I guess this being opened till 7 is longer then 5 that some of the SO locations may have been opened to.
Square one had one too, downstairs near the Bulk Barn and Sears (RIP).
I remember using it several times as well.
As for Cloverdale mall.
I always found the SO in there to be good. Line was never long.
Last edited:
Relax
Well-known member
Probably the same way they have space set aside for the UPS and FedEx kiosks. Except I assume that instead of a Staples employee helping you with those, there will be trained and dedicated SO staff printing ownerships and handing out license plates.
So, close existing locations with 5-10 employees who actually know what they're doing (arguably, but reality), and replace them with "kiosks" with 1 or 2 people (?) of questionable skill?
Unless they're closing only a tiny number or SO's or are opening a LOT of these "kiosks", I'm not sure this isn't something that's going to be another blue licence plate boondoggle in short order.
When was the last time that anybody went to a service Ontario in an urban area it wasn't backed up with a 20–60 minute wait?
Malks
Well-known member
The SO in Orangeville, (NOT the DriveTest), is well run and you can book appointments. I've used it a few times in the past couple of years and with an appointment you're in and out in minutes. The Service Canada on the other hand has line-ups outside on the street all day, every day.
Perhaps because Canadian tire got tired of hosting the gong show that is often service Ontario, including the belligerent customers, and I'm not just meaning the grumpy people who don't like lineups, I'm talking the "the rules don't apply to me" special snowflakes who have a meltdown whenever they are told they can't do something that is clearly against the law/rules/procedure. Because they're special and then turn into screaming 8 year olds when told "no" for the first time in their lives.
That's because 4-9 of those 5-10 employees ARE STANDING AROUND WITH THEIR THUMBS UP THEIR BUTTS CHATTING OR HIDING IN THE BACK WITH THEIR UNION STEWARD ON SPEED-DIAL.
Go to the S.O. on Dundurn in Hamilton. It's an indy, use to be in the CAA in the Fortinos plaza. 6 wickets, never less that 4 manned. Employees are happy, helpful, and ruthlessly efficient. I have been in and out there for car and bike stickers in under 10 minutes.
Last edited:
Don't forget that SO is the point of contact for Healthcards too. Everybody needs one including addicts and the unhoused. You can't refuse them access. Does Staples want those clients in their stores? Given how few customers they currently have, at least they don't need to worry about driving existing customers away.
When they pulled the dealer work, volume collapsed at the SO offices. They have no incentive to minimize wait time. Agency stores are focused on maximizing profit (or minimizing bleeding with some operators walking away). Government run SO just dgaf.
I didn’t even know they got rid of their dealer work.
Where do dealers get their plates now?
Dealers can do their own now. They are given a box of plates and access to the system to attach them.
Many SO's are independently operated and aren't unionized. I've been to both kinds over the years and they range from "thumbs in ass 6 mile long line with 1 wicket open" to "well oiled machine". Management seems to have more of an effect on that vs anything else.
Has there been any announcement on which ones are being closed? Are they conveniently the remaining government operated unionized ones, or any privately operated ones? I'm wondering if there is any rhyme or reason to the decisions, based on satisfaction numbers or anything meaningful, or whether some Ford bureaucrat basically went Eenie Meeny Miny Moe, or decided based on what Staples (*cough*) wanted?
This TOTALLY will never be abused.
Nope.
/s
(Anyone want to take bets on when the abuse comes out or the woodwork?)
The ones closing are the privately operated agency stores. We are keeping the grossly inefficient government run stores. Agency contracts are for a set time period. Government is choosing not to renew some of the contracts as they come up. No idea if there is any planning or brainpower being spent on which stores close.
From the original linked article "Employees of impacted private services providers".
Ditto
|
|
|
|
|