Listening Beyond The Anger: Lessons From My Time At A Parcel Depot
Discover how I handled a daily torrent of angry callers, in today's Connector.
Some jobs teach you more about life than you ever expect. One of my first jobs was at a small parcel delivery company, in west London, where I spent my days on the phone with people who, without any exception, were angry, upset, or a bit stressed.
At first, it felt overwhelming—like stepping into a raging storm every time I picked up the receiver. But over time, I learned something invaluable: anger is rarely about you. Often, it’s about frustration, unmet expectations, or simply a bad day. And if you’re willing to listen, you can turn even the most heated moments into something meaningful.
My primary role at the company was to answer calls from customers who had missed their parcel deliveries. Our drivers worked round the clock, delivering between 8am and 5pm, but if a recipient wasn’t home, the parcel would be brought back to the depot, and a card left behind. The card instructed recipients to collect their parcels in person—a process that was, understandably, inconvenient for many.
When callers phoned in, they were furious! Why couldn’t we redeliver? Why did they have to come to the depot, especially if they didn’t drive? Why couldn’t we store their parcel indefinitely until it was convenient for them? All fair questions, sure, but our policies were firm. As a small operation with just seven drivers and limited storage space, we couldn’t accommodate everyone’s requests.
In The Eye Of The Storm
The frustration I heard on the other end of the line was rarely about me or even our policies. It was about life itself: a mistimed errand, a forgotten delivery, or the stress of juggling work and daily living.
I quickly realised—in my first week, actually—that people just needed someone to hear them, to validate their frustration. So, I made a point of listening. I’d let them vent, calmly acknowledging how inconvenient or stressful the situation was. I’d empathise with their predicament, drawing on my own experiences of missing parcel deliveries myself in the past. I commiserated with them, too, the chore of taking the bus to reach the depot (which I had to do every morning).
By the end of most calls, the anger would fade, replaced by something softer: relief that someone had listened, gratitude for a simple explanation, or even a laugh when I cracked a joke to ease the tension.
Faces Behind The Voices
Some interactions stood out more than others. I remember a woman once accusing me of making up my name, Thomas Wong, because it “didn’t sound real.” Another caller demanded to speak to my boss, dismissing me as “his underling.” There were moments when people’s words stung, but I always tried to remind myself that their frustration wasn’t about me.
Interestingly, many of those same callers would later ask for me by name when they came to collect their parcels. “Thomas, can you come down to the front desk and handle this customer for us, they only want to work with you,” my manager would sometimes ask me. Meeting them in person was a rewarding part of the job. I remembered their names, even their previous frustrations. Seeing their relief when I handed over their parcels—and occasionally hearing an apology for their earlier tone—was heartwarming.
One woman, after yelling at me on the phone, showed up with her baby in tow. She smiled shyly and said, “Sorry about before. I was just stressed, and the baby wouldn’t stop crying.” Moments like that reminded me that behind every angry voice was a person with their own pressures.
Peace In The Little Things
What could have been a draining job turned into something I absolutely enjoyed doing. I got to speak with people from all walks of life, hear about the excitement for their parcels—new clothes, toys, office gear, even food—and help ease their worries, even if just a bit.
My office was perched at the top of a scaffold tower overlooking the depot floor, giving me a bird’s-eye view of the comings and goings of our vans. It wasn’t glamorous, especially when I had to climb down every time I needed the bathroom, but it gave me a different perspective, quite literally!
I also learned a lot about myself during that time, such as my ability to stay calm under pressure, and being able to listen without judgment. My manager gave me some helpful tools as well: I could warn rude callers before hanging up, and I had the option to pass repeat harassers or racists directly to my manager. These safeguards allowed me to handle challenging interactions with grace.
The Lasting Impact
Looking back, that job taught me lessons I still carry with me. It showed me the power of listening—really listening—even when someone is upset. How a little kindness can go a long way.
I often wonder about the people I spoke to during those days and the small role I played in their lives. Whether they were collecting something special or just trying to deal with a frustrating situation, I was glad to be there to help.