My name is Monique Gillis, and I’m the customer services supervisor at the Merrifield, VA, Post Office. I’m responsible for maintaining the office’s retail window services and overseeing a team of 16 employees.
A lot goes into customer service. It’s not just selling stamps. I tell my employees: The customer is always right, even when they might be wrong. We must be courteous to them at all times. No exceptions. Every customer experience must be outstanding.
I’ve been with the Postal Service for 30 years. I started as a casual employee, and in March 1989, I became a career employee as a letter carrier. After two years of delivering mail, I became a retail associate and did that for almost two decades. I then began supervising in 2007.
I believe I’m a big part of the Postal Service’s mission. The job and the technology have changed over the years, but the goal hasn’t. It doesn’t matter what position you have in the Postal Service, it’s still about providing customer service and growing the business.
When I’m not at work, I stage homes that are for sale. It’s what I plan to do when I retire. I’m also a member of the Intercessory Prayer Ministry. We pray on behalf of others and help meet their needs. This is what I love doing.
My husband, Robert, is a letter carrier, and we have been married for almost 26 years. We have three children and six grandchildren.
The Postal Service is a great career. When I talk with people who are training at Merrifield, I tell them to learn everything they can and take the initiative. Don’t say “it’s not my job” because it’s everybody’s job. Do what needs to be done and be proud of what you’re doing.
“On the Job,” a series on individual employees and their contributions to the Postal Service, appears regularly in Link.