Mail Boxes Etc. UK & Ireland - Surbiton Avis 5

Absolutely excellent to have an independent like this offering such a good and comprehensive service in Surbiton. All the local business people who know what’s-what go in there.

I visited Mailbox in Surbiton today. I went in to print documents, their customer support is Top-notch; any queries i’ve had were answered promptly.

I had recently visited the branch for my work. I had the staff helping me out with my necessities. They were polite and helpful and guided me through the process.

I won't be using this store again.

I don't need anyone who works in shops to bow and fawn, but I do expect a basic level of manners and professionalism.

I sent an A2 poster for printing and went to collect it. When I arrived, I asked to check it and could tell that the image had been shrunken to fit on the paper rather than be printed at actual size. I was dealing with a member of the counter staff when a guy, who I assume is the manager, involved himself and asked what the problem was. I explained that I wanted the file printed as it was sent and he tried to convince me that things always come out with a border. I said that wasn't what I expected. In front of other customers he took it, measured it and, without looking at me said, "Come back in 10 minutes."

As I was raised to use common courtesy, I was not impressed with this, so I waited. Then he said, “Come back in 10 minutes. I’ll print it again for you.”

If that person reads this, there are a multitude of ways to convey what you meant, which include. “Sorry this isn’t what you expected, sir. If you don’t mind waiting, I’ll print it again for you.” Or, if the polite use of ‘sir’ to a customer feels too servile to you, you can say, “Sorry this isn’t what you expected. If you don’t mind waiting, I’ll print it again for you.” Or even, “If you don’t mind waiting, I’ll print it again for you.” For the avoidance of doubt, these are to be delivered in a polite, sincere and professional tone.

So, I went elsewhere for 10 minutes and came back. Upon my arrival he said, “You’re too quick.”

As I waited a further 10 minutes for the print to be ready, I observed this person call across the shop to tell the other members of staff that they need to delete emails after a job has been processed. This may be a small thing, but is just an indicator of the way the shop is managed – again, the better way to do this is to mention things they need to improve on in private, in a professional tone and when not in the company of customers.

He then said, “While it’s printing I’ll take your payment.”

I said, “I’d like to check it first.”

This was greeted with a snicker and shake of the head.

After checking the poster was done as it should have been in the first place, he adopted a condescending tone when I went to pay, “Everything alright? Good to pay now?”

At each stage of this experience I was close to telling him where he could insert the poster, but in the end didn't want to spend any more time on it, so simply paid and left.

I’ve previously used this store and all has been fine, but due to this ignorant individual I’ll be taking my business elsewhere from now on.

I had an incredibly disappointing experience at the Mailbox in Surbiton today. I went in to print four documents that contained both writing and images. It was critical that the images were clear and the print quality consistent, as the documents were to be framed side by side. I chose a heavy stock paper and requested duplicate copies.

Initially, one attendee assisted me but encountered issues with the printer. They managed to print two documents but suggested we switch to another printer due to the ongoing problems. The second attendee then took over and printed three test samples on the other printer, trying different settings that resulted in varying quality. After reviewing these samples, I agreed on one of the samples and clarified that I needed the rest printed as duplicates, with consistent quality. Instead of proceeding with this request, the second attendee wanted me to accept the test samples, which were not duplicates of the four documents but rather a mix—three of one, two of another, and one of the next—none meeting the required consistency. When I explained that this wouldn’t work, as I needed identical duplicates, he interrupted me before I could finish my sentence. He bellowed at me to “calm down and be nice” in front of a crowded and busy store. His response was unwarranted, unprofessional, and deeply embarrassing. I was calm and polite, simply explaining what I needed. It felt like his reaction was based on harmful assumptions about me, as if being a Black woman automatically made me “angry.” To make matters worse, after yelling at me, he turned to the first attendee and told them to deal with me, speaking as if I wasn’t even there.

His hostile and dismissive attitude made the entire experience unacceptable and unpleasant to say the least. He made no effort to understand my needs or provide adequate customer service. I preferred the quality of the first 2 documents printed on the problematic printer. It appeared the the stock was too heavy and if that was the case he could have suggested a lesser quality stock. in addition I felt like he was coercing me into accepting inconsistent and poor-quality prints to avoid wasting paper and ink. Customers should not be expected to accept sample prints if they do not meet the required quality.

I strongly advise against using this Mailbox location. The customer service was appalling, and the behavior of the staff was both unprofessional and discriminatory. If you need printing services, I recommend the Kingston branch, where the staff offer much better service and respect for their customers.