Music, Mail and Waiting in Line
The post office by my house is notorious. No one I know really wants to go there. Ever. It's simply dreadful. It's always understaffed. The line is always outrageously long. The staff is seemingly perpetually in a bad mood (probably because they are always dealing with people who have been waiting in line for too long). Confrontations at the counter are commonplace. So it was with a sense of dread that I headed into the post office yesterday to send a package.
This time was different though. When I walked into the lobby and looked through the glass to the main post office, there was a shorter than usual 10 person line and 2 USPS employees working. Pretty typical post office visit office visit for me though I was happy about the shorter line. Even so, I could already feel my frustration rising before I had even entered the main office. Sensing the cloud descending on me, I lumbered through the glass doors. Something was different. Out of the din of background, I was struck by something very unusual. Music! Clear and cheery. Silent Night being sung by a crooner.
Never in any of my previous visits had there been any other sound in the Post Office other than sighs, muffled obscenities and the barking of USPS employees "NEXT PERSON IN LINE PLEASE!!!" Music! What a delight. Apparently, one of the employees, probably operating against USPS code and soon to be reprimanded, had set up a radio on one of the un-used checkout stations and had tuned it to a station playing some very pleasant Christmas music. The music had an immediate softening effect on the experience.
Now Christmas music is generally relaxing to those who listen to it, but in this context it seemed twice as potent. The dread of standing in line was immediately lifted. The entire experience changed because of something totally unexpected. In a good way. Looking at the people in line, two of the ten, a full 20% of the current customer base, were visibly keeping beat in some fashion with the music. One was humming . . . joyfully humming as they stood in line. Humming! At the Post Office!
When I got to the counter I found my USPS employee, Wanda, to be in a very good mood. Surprisingly good. Sensing her amiable demeanor, I went out on a ledge to make small talk by commenting on the music. "I like the music, it really makes the whole line a lot more enjoyable." She looked at me and smiled and said "I know, it just makes it go a little bit faster doesn't it?" "It does," I agreed." She paused for a moment and then finished her though, "Music just calms everybody down." I followed up with "I bet you too." She smiled, her eyes agreeing. And that was that.
People need pleasant distraction. Pleasant distraction helps us forget why we're in such a rush. Did the music alone really transform the Post Office?I think so. It's no surprise, many companies (most notably Disney) have long known that distracting people in line is a great way to make time pass more quickly and improve their experience. It's just interesting to see the dramatic difference one small change can make in customer satisfaction and brand.
