Australia Post and my 'lost' item.

[RooFlyer]

Post and courier 'lost' items

In November, I posted a bunch of books around the country, using trackable overnight mail satchels. I noticed one hadn't been delivered by mid December, so I phoned in a query. Yesterday (OK, they are pretty busy over Christmas) I got a call that I missed and then an e-mail. The gist of their investigation:

* Item was not scanned at the local Delivery Centre (that much was obvious);

* The institution I was posting to has all their mail collected at the Delivery Centre by a courier, so the courier delivered the item;

* Therefore they cannot investigate further - case closed.


I immediately called them back and after a long hold, pointed out some basic flaws in their 'investigation':

* as the item was not scanned at the local Delivery Centre, there is no evidence that it reached that far and no evidence that a courier collected it;

* an obvious next point of investigation would have been to contact the courier (who picks up for the client every single day) to see if they scanned the item into their system (it would have been there +/- 2 days, like the other 15 items I posted);

* or, failing that, simply contact the destination and ask if they received this book (I had tried this but before Christmas they were all on hols).


I asked for the case to be re-opened and escalated and investigated properly. I also asked to lodge a complaint. However you can't do that on the phone - only lodge 'feedback'. if you want to lodge a complaint, you have to go on-line. This is one way AusPost management boasts a low level of 'complaints'.

Anyway, within 30 mins I got a call from an AusPost 'manager' who straight away conceded that the previous investigation was inadequate and offered compensation of the value of the postal satchel, and the book (which I had previously declared). I thanked her, but asked if they would try to find my item but contacting the courier or the receiver. No - they had decided it was 'lost' and would compensate me. I took the money - fortunately the book was one I just had printed and one going astray isn't a big deal.

Judge for yourself AusPost's performance - or rather the execution of its policies, as laid down by management, which decides the type and extent of 'investigations'.

 

[Pushka]

Same thing happened to me. It's totally reliant on the scanning process and my experience is that it rarely happens. There is no accountability whatsoever on individuals to do that and they can't get found out. Months after I had an issue I received another envelope. Big deal. As if that makes up for it. The goods were lost.

 

[liamsal]

At least they offered your compensation!

I posted an iPhone a few years ago interstate and while at the post office asked what the best way to send it was as I rarely send anything. Showed the clerk the phone and he recommended registered post with signature on delivery as it would cover any issues during the delivery process. Stupid me assumed this included insurance (but was never offered it either) - anyhow phone was 'lost' and I was told too bad you didn't purchase insurance. Tried to argue the inadequate customer service I had received and was offered $50 as a gesture of goodwill. Gotta love Australia Post.

 

[blackcat20]

I had a parcel that spent over a month bouncing between vic and nsw sorting centres. No they wouldn't go in and find it, but as it wasn't lost they also wouldn't compensate me. I got a free satchel and some 5 weeks later it snuck out and was finally delivered.

 

[opusman]

Couple of years ago I posted a computer (mini-tower case) from Melbourne to Adelaide. Registered post, insured for $1000. Somehow managed to "disappear" so I claimed on the insurance. They offered me $600, I said "but it's insured for $1000" and they said "ok, here's $1000". No attempt made that I could see to actually find out what happened to it.

 

[RB]

In 2016 I was waiting on an order I had purchased on ebay & had a tracking. Never looked like moving out of Sydney. Our local PO supplied me a 1300 number to call & advised that only the receiver could lodge a complaint. The 1300 person advised they only deal with the sender! I contacted the sender who advised that many items just rumble around at Chullora. The sender (to their credit) simply resent the item & the replacement arrived safely in a couple of days. I notice there are quite a few posts re problems at Chullora on "Whingepool"!

 

[love_the_life]

I had a parcel that spent over a month bouncing between vic and nsw sorting centres. No they wouldn't go in and find it, but as it wasn't lost they also wouldn't compensate me. I got a free satchel and some 5 weeks later it snuck out and was finally delivered.

So it finally arrived. At least that's something. I remember when you said you had a problem with the parcel (fabrics?).

 

[clazman]

What I hate about courier companies is they always have a Teflon answer, and never take responsibility for their poor service

I urgently needed a delivery of some IT equipment from the east coast, so rang up and was told purchase "overnight delivery" and you will have next day.
Package arrived 3 days later, after multiple phone calls to see where it was, the investigator told me I had sent it wrongly and I should have sent it on the "guaranteed overnight" service. WTF

 

[RooFlyer]

What I hate about courier companies is they always have a Teflon answer, and never take responsibility for their poor service

I urgently needed a delivery of some IT equipment from the east coast, so rang up and was told purchase "overnight delivery" and you will have next day.
Package arrived 3 days later, after multiple phone calls to see where it was, the investigator told me I had sent it wrongly and I should have sent it on the "guaranteed overnight" service. WTF

Well, if we are extending to couriers, then that opens up a whole new thing

I think my best was when I was expecting two cartons, about the size of shoeboxes to be delivered to the [major Australian] courier company depot in Hobart. After a week of calls / promises / non delivery / not scanned in following the promised delivery date, I went into the depot office to bang the desk.

I was waiting in the little office till one of them got off the phone and I happened to look down. There, between the office and where the trucks come in and consignments are stacked. were my two boxes, propping the door open! I'm not making this up.

They hadn't been scanned, and therefore lost because some idiot thought they would make good weights for the door.

Sheesh.

 

[Milboo]

I had a courier fail to deliver a $220k bank guarantee! They claimed to have attempted delivery at address on envelope but were told no one there by that name (company). My number was on it as was the recipient but no call placed.

Said envelope then lived in limbo land for a week within their depot as I was frantically trying to get it returned to me. Told multiple contradictory stories...finally got it back.

Clearly lacked reading skills as the envelope was addressed exactly as it should have been and company confirmed they did not turn away a courier.

 

[jukebox333]

We sent an important piece of pipe laying equipment back to Germany from Perth, using DHL.

I watched the progress as the palette made it's way from PER via HKG... oh, wait, it's just sitting there.

And that was as far as it went, for two weeks: "Arrived HKG, cleared incoming check-in" (or words to that effect)

It was needed back in Germany urgently - had be rented to us here....

Phone calls to DHL did nothing. They acknowledged it was in HKG but could do nothing.

Then, as quickly as it stopped, one day it started moving again, and made it back to Germany after about three weeks.

No apology. No compensation.

I will never use DHL again as a result.

 

[blackcat20]

So it finally arrived. At least that's something. I remember when you said you had a problem with the parcel (fabrics?).

Yes it finally arrived, and yes, fabric, that I wasnt able to replace either.

 

[Denali]

Got confirmation that a box I ordered was at the post office for pickup, went to post office and was told it couldnt be found. Went back to the office, made a few more phone calls and back to the post office to force the issue. Eventually found out they were using the box to stand on to reach the highest PO Boxes in their rear sorting office. Footprints on the box confirm this.

We had a PO Box for years at Suburb A and hated dealing with the morning guy (box stand guy) for pickups, he was a miserable sod and lazy. So we moved to Suburb B and much happier with the service. Found out a few months ago that miserable sod was arrested and charged with multiple gift card/cash stealing offences.

 

[blackcat20]

The one time the post office couldnt find a parcel that Id been carded for, was because they had filed it under the senders surname and not my own....

I love our local post office. It changed hands just over a year ago and the previous owner taught the new owner to look after me well, including not needing to sight ID to collect parcels. Plus if I drop in to post stuff, he always lets me know if there is something there for me to collect.

 

[love_the_life]

The one time the post office couldnt find a parcel that Id been carded for, was because they had filed it under the senders surname and not my own....

I love our local post office. It changed hands just over a year ago and the previous owner taught the new owner to look after me well, including not needing to sight ID to collect parcels. Plus if I drop in to post stuff, he always lets me know if there is something there for me to collect.

Sounds like it's a small suburban one or is it attached to another shop like a newsagent? It's great to have such customer service.

 

[blackcat20]

Sounds like it's a small suburban one or is it attached to another shop like a newsagent? It's great to have such customer service.

Yeah, suburban LPO. Our suburb doesnt even have its own postcode...

 

[Bundy Bear]

Generally use TNT most of the time, and had an 83kgs pallet sent from Amsterdam to Brisbane,

The shipper in Amsterdam had the old street address and so a recent change to the driver in our area meant the new guy didn't know we had moved so return the parcel to the depot.

The Depot then promptly lost it for 3 weeks, and supposedly everyone went on holidays they couldn't find the parcel, Pretty much everyone came back to work on Monday and it was found with the labels removed.

Comedy of errors.

Rooflyers door opener was probably the worst.

 

[Denali]

Sounds like it's a small suburban one or is it attached to another shop like a newsagent? It's great to have such customer service.

My PO Box is at a small shopping centre/franchise.

They know our names, know our habits, dont ask for ID, they even put comments on our parcel pickup cards that are in the box (Big or Heavy/need trolley) so I can grab a trolley from coles/woollies. Hubby hated going to the old PO Box because of Mr Grumpy Mail Stealing postal worker, he really likes the new PO BOX staff.

 

[blackcat20]

My PO Box is at a small shopping centre/franchise.

They know our names, know our habits, dont ask for ID, they even put comments on our parcel pickup cards that are in the box (Big or Heavy/need trolley) so I can grab a trolley from coles/woollies. Hubby hated going to the old PO Box because of Mr Grumpy Mail Stealing postal worker, he really likes the new PO BOX staff.

The post office at my work is one to be avoided. Even if I say a cheery good morning, I get a scowl in return. He always weighs my letters and tells me they are overweight but wont let me see the weight (and my own scales have shown them to be under). So I put them in the post box out front and have never had a problem. I refuse to give him any of my business now.

 

[OzEire]

Re: Post and courier 'lost' items

To add to the list of unhappy customers... Sent mortgage documents (sensitive personal financials) to a bank via ExpressPost. Online tracking showed delivered but the bank said that they never received it; and hence bank said "not our issue, check AusPost".

AusPost "investigation" simply parroted the info on the tracking screen. Wouldn't lift a finger to do anything more, even after I rang the PO that did the delivery. AP said they had delivered so their job was done.

Poor response from both PO and Bank, will be reluctant to trust either in future.