Hydro service centres in city remain closed
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 23/08/2022 (1172 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Catriona Younger wished Manitoba Hydro’s public offices were still open in Winnipeg while she waited on hold for hours to correct a billing error.
“I don’t think you have the same lineups at an office and it’s always better if you can have a back-and-forth conversation with someone that you’re actually facing,” she said.
Younger called Hydro last week, but hung up after waiting for almost two hours.
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“Increasingly, more customers prefer to contact us through our website or our app. This trend began before the pandemic and is continuing,” a Manitoba Hydro spokesman said.
Hydro used to have four offices in the city. By the time the pandemic struck, only two were open, and they were shuttered once lockdowns took effect.
“Increasingly, more customers prefer to contact us through our website or our app. This trend began before the pandemic and is continuing,” a Manitoba Hydro spokesman said.
The locations allowed for in-person bill payments and service applications. Hydro said no employees were laid off when the offices closed.
Younger eventually got through to an operator Monday. Her issue was resolved in less than five minutes.
Loren Remillard, president and CEO of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, said consumers have become more comfortable making online transactions, but there is still a need for in-person service.
“We do need to recognize that from an inclusion perspective, not everyone has access to that technology and that there are still many in our community who require that in-person service because that’s the only way they can interact,” he said.
“We live in an increasingly digital world and an increasing world of just being able to interface with a web page, but people still crave human customer service.”
The City of Winnipeg’s Parking Store on Portage Avenue has been the subject of complaints from the public for remaining closed.
The city has announced the store will reopen Sept. 6 based on the ability to meet staffing levels.
Remillard said companies are evaluating customer service levels amid the pandemic.
“We’re always adjusting, evaluating and readjusting. I think Hyrdo’s doing the same.”
Manitoba Hydro did open some of its customer service centres in rural areas in June and some are open in remote Indigenous communities.
bryce.hunt@freepress.mb.ca