WARNING to Australia Post Customers

[moviemem]

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.

[rusty-shed]

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.

[patchoo78]

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... 

[thecatspjs]

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.

[moviemem]

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.

[moviemem]

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.

[tonalidesigns]

"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.

[moviemem]

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.

[rusty-shed]

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.

[thecatspjs]

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.....