topic Re: WARNING to Australia Post Customers in Selling

WARNING to Australia Post Customers

moviemem — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 06:03:07 GMT

Although all packages that are sent within Australia are supposed to include tracking, the reality is that many of the Post Offices where packages are lodged do not scan the packages.

I sent an item out on Tuesday and paid the extra for Signature on Delivery. When I checked the tracking today, it shows "no events found". I phoned the Business helpline and they said that Post Offices do not have to scan packages at lodgement. They said that the only requirement for tracking is to scan the packages on delivery.

But what happens in transit? I gave the customer the tracking number and he is now worried because of the "no events found" entry.

The rep on the Business Help Line said that if you specifically want tracking from lodgement, you must ask the staff to scan the package despite the fact that they are not actually required to do that. That sounds to me like telling them how to do their job.

To me, tracking should mean that you are able to track the package from the point of lodgement to delivery.

Unfortunately, I cannot use Click and Send or eParcel because of the size of the packages I send.

Bottom line is that you should not assume that the parcel you send is being tracked. You need to physically check that the staff actually scan the package.

Re: WARNING to Australia Post Customers

rusty-shed — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 09:08:47 GMT

I always deliver my parcels to the post office and politely ask ( require) them to scan them in while I wait. They are all trained up now and do it automatically. I have a mail box 200 metres up the street, but don't use it for the scanning reason.

Re: WARNING to Australia Post Customers

patchoo78 — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 09:42:33 GMT

Where is the package going? If only going a short distance, quite often the packages won't get scanned until they make it onto the truck, then it gets scanned on delivery.. I have ordered a few things from another online company that came with a tracking number, but for all of those packages bar one nothing would show until it had arrived in my town and it would show "On Board with Driver for delivery today"

If the package is only going a short distance then the tracking would only show " In Transit" anyway which just means it's in the truck on the way to its destination...

Re: WARNING to Australia Post Customers

thecatspjs — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 09:46:18 GMT

I phoned the Business helpline and they said that Post Offices do not have to scan packages at lodgement. They said that the only requirement for tracking is to scan the packages on delivery.

How dodgy is that advice ??

With the introduction of the changes and price increases AP have promoted tracking on domestic parcels as a standard service.

The implication that a Post Office is not obliged to provide this standard service by scanning on lodgement is further laughable advice from an AP rep.

Re: WARNING to Australia Post Customers

moviemem — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 10:34:34 GMT

Where is the package going? If only going a short distance, quite often the packages won't get scanned until they make it onto the truck, then it gets scanned on delivery.. I have ordered a few things from another online company that came with a tracking number, but for all of those packages bar one nothing would show until it had arrived in my town and it would show "On Board with Driver for delivery today"

If the package is only going a short distance then the tracking would only show " In Transit" anyway which just means it's in the truck on the way to its destination...

The package was going interstate. It was lodged on Tuesday and still shows "no events found" in the tracking.

I spoke to another Australia Post rep today and he said that up until recently, staff had rarely had to scan packages so some are having problems getting used to having to scan them now.

I dont think Australia Post has sufficiently trained its staff to handle the recent changes.

Re: WARNING to Australia Post Customers

moviemem — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 10:39:16 GMT

How dodgy is that advice ??

With the introduction of the changes and price increases AP have promoted tracking on domestic parcels as a standard service.

The implication that a Post Office is not obliged to provide this standard service by scanning on lodgement is further laughable advice from an AP rep.

Well, I think that many staff are confused as to whether they should scan or not at lodgement. More than one AP rep in the Business section have told me that they are not obliged to scan at lodgement but you can ask them to scan the package.

If that is in fact the case then I really wonder how they can say they are offering "tracking" for all parcels.

Re: WARNING to Australia Post Customers

tonalidesigns — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 10:47:58 GMT

"I don't think Australia Post has sufficiently trained its staff to handle the recent changes".

Sorry - you are wrong - but if you leave out the word "sufficiently" you have it right!!

My observation is that the only "training" that has been done for most operators has been poorly thought through circulars which frequently tell staff to do things which don't yet work!

For example: there was a bulletin that went to staff at PO's about two weeks ago telling them that all they needed to do when customers brought in C&S parcels was to scan the barcodes - the system would recognise them and process them accordingly. My PO was waiting for me so they could try it out - it didn't work (and still doesn't two weeks later). In the meantime they have reverted back to the method we told them about (courtesy of another boardie!!!).

The THEORY behind the changes is great - the implementation has been woeful and amateurish.

Re: WARNING to Australia Post Customers

moviemem — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 10:57:30 GMT

Here's another thing. A rep told me today that when you ask the staff to scan the package you should make sure they do that BEFORE they print the receipt. He said that if they do that the tracking number will show up on the receipt.

Re: WARNING to Australia Post Customers

rusty-shed — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 11:05:28 GMT

Not sure if that ones right. The old style satchels show up, but my understanding is the new standard ones don't show on receipt.

Re: WARNING to Australia Post Customers

thecatspjs — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 11:11:07 GMT

IMO its a really sad state of affairs that customers should have to even ring HQ to clarify what should happen - sadder still that the advice is carp and questionable.....

Re: WARNING to Australia Post Customers

dylan11235813 — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 16:12:41 GMT

How do you "track" something with one point of reference?

Re: WARNING to Australia Post Customers

moviepostercentral — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 20:49:17 GMT

How do you "track" something with one point of reference?

Very good question! They need to scan every parcel at point of lodgement without having to be asked by the customer.

Re: WARNING to Australia Post Customers

chezzy — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 22:13:39 GMT

Customers shouldn't have to be stressing about how their parcels are being processed - there needs to be consistency and this seems to be lacking!!

Certainly customers should not have to ask for certain things to be done or showing AP employees how to do certain things.

Tracking should IMO be from A to B (or A to Z however you look at it). Not maybe scanned at point of lodgement if you are lucky or maybe scanned at the other end if you are lucky. Numerous times when I have checked tracking info online it has not been updated, not showing as delivered or worse still not showing at all.

Re: WARNING to Australia Post Customers

ringinthedingding — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 04:05:46 GMT

unfortunately this lack of internal communication and oversight etc is a product of corporatising and fragmenting AUS Post into more profitable bite sized chunks for the benefit of the power elite .. it will all work out okay as the only people falling between the cracks are the people who pay for the non-service but haha where else do they go .. AUSPOST is an effective working monopoly just like all the other government privatisation/corporatisation targets so all that dirty money flows into the right pockets which is only fitting as the Australian population are ready for the sheering .. baaaa .. baaaaaaa ... baaaaaaaaaah ..

Re: WARNING to Australia Post Customers

dotcomdotayu — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 08:46:11 GMT

AP customers shouldn't have to remind staff to do their job.

And it's happening more often.

Remind them to scan articles, remind them not to safe drop, remind them to scan the C&S code, the list goes on.

It's ridiculous.

People should start billing Australia Post for wasted time if it keeps up.

Re: WARNING to Australia Post Customers

davewil1964 — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 09:57:12 GMT

My little LPO/newsagent is brilliant.

They were trying to sell about 6 months ago. Thankfully, from my POV, nobody bought.

Re: WARNING to Australia Post Customers

ozstockman — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 10:12:15 GMT

I can tell you one more ridiculous thing about tracking. When you lodge a parcel that is under 500g you won't get a postcode for it on your receipt. It's a not a problem when you lodge only one parcel. Now imagine that you do 10-20-50 at the same time and you can start wondering which tracking # belongs to which postcode, especially when your customer asks for it.

There is one workaround that I have learnt in my LPO from great guys who work there. YOU CAN get a postcode on your receipt for parcels under 500g. It makes tracking information more valuable and you can give tracking # to your customers in this case. However you have to ask your local LPO guys to include postcodes for all parcels no matter whether they are less than 500g or over. I do not think many of them know how to do it. If they do not just ask them to press F5.

Re: WARNING to Australia Post Customers

dotcomdotayu — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 14:25:34 GMT

I can tell you one more ridiculous thing about tracking. When you lodge a parcel that is under 500g you won't get a postcode for it on your receipt. It's a not a problem when you lodge only one parcel. Now imagine that you do 10-20-50 at the same time and you can start wondering which tracking # belongs to which postcode, especially when your customer asks for it.

By PO guy will write the postcode next to each tracking number for me.

I agree though, it's ridiculous.

Re: WARNING to Australia Post Customers

*crikey*mate* — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 16:41:13 GMT

same here Dot, although my PO calls out the numbers to me and I write the postcode in and then he stamps and signs it.

But here's a classic for you. I posted 15 parcels on Wednesday. Was back late Friday and they told me that somehow they had missed the bag with a fair few of my parcels in it, and had not sent them off. So they have now been sitting at the Post Office since last Wednesday, and won't be sent off until Monday.

I'm not sure what their procedures etc are, but I think that's a bit rough. I'm expecting a few low DSR's over it, but I can't blame the customers as I don't think even I would believe that if anyone tried to explain that to me.

Re: WARNING to Australia Post Customers

viewmont1071 — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 19:05:15 GMT

I can tell you one more ridiculous thing about tracking. When you lodge a parcel that is under 500g you won't get a postcode for it on your receipt. It's a not a problem when you lodge only one parcel. Now imagine that you do 10-20-50 at the same time and you can start wondering which tracking # belongs to which postcode, especially when your customer asks for it.

There is one workaround that I have learnt in my LPO from great guys who work there. YOU CAN get a postcode on your receipt for parcels under 500g. It makes tracking information more valuable and you can give tracking # to your customers in this case. However you have to ask your local LPO guys to include postcodes for all parcels no matter whether they are less than 500g or over. I do not think many of them know how to do it. If they do not just ask them to press F5.

There are 2 selections on the operator menu for 500 gram and under packages

.... No...

,,,,,I do not know why....

I just know that there is I have shown the AP staff at all the POs I frequent and all bar none have said ..."well what do you know?? that will save the customers whinging"... or words to that affect

however the second selection (and near bottom on the list 6 or 7 I think) is entitled 500 gram package and under add postcode.

When this option is selected by the AP operator then the postcode appears on the receipt automatically....