Skip to main content

Australia Post blasted on Facebook


The comments after the article are rather fucking pointed.

But you see, while the title of this story is rather good, the facts are that the Customer Relations Care Team at Australia Post, are SO busy drowning all feedback on their Facebook page, that like for every 2 lines of feedback, there are like 10 Happy Times Australia Post advertisements, smothering them.

It sort of negates the title of the story a bit...

Not that the title isn't accurate, but all the complaints are buried in deliberately placed advertisments, spread over hundreds of pages of festive crap.

It's kind of like trying to find the shit in the swimming pool, after it's been fed through a blender....

Denial, Denial, Denial - cover it up, delete it, bury it, obscure it, really fuck around and piss off already really pissed off customers....

Yeah, yeah, yeah - trump the social media team... by putting the couriers on speed dial, instead of wasting your time on their face book page, telling them to go fuck themselves..

Sack them and their managers.


http://www.smh.com.au/small-business/managing/australia-post-blasted-on-facebook-over-christmas-delivery-failures-20151207-glhxub.html

    Australia Post blasted on Facebook over Christmas delivery failures

    Date

    Nina Hendy

    Australia Post chief executive Ahmed Fahour is the federal government's highest-paid chief executive but complaints about the postal service continue to mount. Photo: Luis Ascui
     
    Australia Post is copping angry abuse from small business owners before Christmas over slow postal delivery times.

    While Australia Post's own website puts estimated letter delivery times at between one and four days, growing numbers of businesses are taking to Facebook to vent about letters taking weeks to arrive, or not arriving at all.
    You make your customer service channels such a nightmare to use, it's no wonder people are so dissatisfied, and everyone is looking for alternative services.
    Mitchell Ryan

    Two-week delays

    Complaints about Australia Post on the postal service's Facebook page.
    Sydney entrepreneur Oscar de Vries runs subscription razor business Oscar Razor which turns over $1 million a year. Packs are light enough to send via letter post, which is cheaper for customers. But it's taking up to two weeks to arrive at their intended destination, and his regular customers are complaining.

    He's noticed a dramatic decline in service times from Sydney to Canberra taking a week, Newcastle nine days, Trinity (near Cairns) taking 12 days and the Gold Coast 14 days.

    "We're having to express-mail replacements to customers. Unlike Australia Post, we stand or fall with our customer service."

    Paul Davies, director of Sydney life insurance firm Jarickson, has lost count of the number of times letters go missing. 

    "We require original signatures from people for life insurance policies, which means posting out paperwork with reply-paid envelopes included," he explains.

    "We sent out the same letter to a client in North Queensland three separate times, and none of them arrived. The fourth time, we paid to have it posted express, and it arrived. The first letter was returned to us and the delivery address was right, so we're not sure why it was returned. It's a common problem."

    Community Service Obligation

    Australia Post says it has a Community Service Obligation (CSO) to deliver 94 per cent of letters on time, or early.

    "While we certainly see increased volumes across our network at Christmas time, we don't expect any delays to letter delivery, and we continue to meet our CSOs. Our first quarter YTD service performance is currently 94.5 per cent," communications manager Michelle Skehan says.

    Australia Post recently has hired an additional 55 customer service employees in the Australia Post Customer Contact Centre. It has also hired an additional 100 call-centre staff to help keep the lines of communication open with customers, Skehan says.

    However, a disgruntled customer posted on Australia Post's company Facebook page that his daughter recently waited to speak to a customer service representative for 50 minutes, with no answer.

    "Now, that's a great way to get rid of troublesome customers – just don't answer the phone," David Moodie posted.

    Mitchell Ryan posted on the company Facebook page: "It looks like you've got a pretty bad reputation, just scrolling through looking at the feedback on your site. You make your customer service channels such a nightmare to use, it's no wonder people are so dissatisfied, and everyone is looking for alternative services."

    First company-wide loss

    Australia Post reported its first company-wide financial loss last financial year. It will offer 1900 voluntary redundancies over the next three years from metropolitan centres.

    To rub salt into the wound, company chief executive Ahmed Fahour​ is the federal government's best paid employee, pocketing nearly $4.8 million in the year to June 2013, which compares to the Prime Minister's $507,000 pay packet.

    De Vries has lodged complaints over delivery times with Australia Post, to no avail. "There's a 100 per cent guarantee that the CEO of Australia Post will get his hefty payslip every week, yet we and our customers have no guarantee that they will receive their order within the time frames Australia Post stipulates on its own website.

    "It's utterly soul-destroying as a small business to be at the mercy of a monopoly that has such scant regard or consideration for its customers," he says.

    Reputations suffering

    De Vries fears his company's professional reputation is suffering as a result. "Frankly, if Australia Post continues like this, we might have to shelve our subscription-based business."

    Davies agrees. He has adopted digital signature software in a bid to avoid Australia Post altogether.

    "It's a massive inconvenience for mail not to arrive, not to mention the potential loss of business. We don't even bother complaining [to Australia Post] any more because you never get a response anyway."

    Australia Post says Christmas places huge pressure on businesses and their customers.

    "Christmas is definitely the busiest time of year at Australia Post, and this year we expect to deliver a record 1.3 million parcels each day this month powered by online shopping. We are also processing around 1 million letters each business day.

    "We advise our customers to remind their customers to get their orders in early. If people are leaving orders to the last minute, we recommend using our Express post service."
    • It's not just businesses also residentual. I live in an apartment in Melbourne CBD, I hardley ever get mail. I've had parcels stolen before from the drivers as well. Terrible experiences.
      However, I don't rely on letters anymore, I just arranged everything to come through via email now which is better for the evironment anyway.
      Commenter
      The Other Guy1
      Location

      Date and time
      December 08, 2015, 1:52PM
    • Many readers mention carding, the huge latest complaint issue, how it goes is this, as I investigated it in depth. Mail sort divisions are sending mail over the size of letter box compliance to local postie rather than to van drivers, the postie says too big so cards it before going on their rounds. ACCC laws breached, you did not get the delivery you paid for, and they wont re-deliver so parcel at bigger loss gets returned to sender interstate who has to resend it again only to meet the same fate, ombudsman refuses to reply about proven missing mail, I let my last item play tennis, it must keep going back and forth, many months not delivered, no tracking number so they say they cant find it but refuse to rectify it. Also no consumer law warning to people in flats that they refuse to deliver to flats these small parcels the bike postie rejects. All easy fixed, even challenged post ombudsman to suggest these fixes but refused, asked the minister and met silence. Aus post is out of control but has the highest paid chief in the world.
      Commenter
      anti CEO
      Location
      Melbourne
      Date and time
      December 08, 2015, 10:58PM
  • Fully agree. And I have found that you can no longer call your local post office if you have received a card to collect something - you have to try to call Aus Post central customer care line and HOPE that you call actually gets answered and HOPE that they can assist. Of course, it doesn't help at all that most post offices are only open during 9 - 5 when their customers are also working, and that unless you have a PO box, early collection isn't available.
    Australia Post has to look at why it's loosing customers - and it's not because people aren't sending letters and parcels!
    Commenter
    Megan
    Location
    Brisbane
    Date and time
    December 08, 2015, 1:10PM
    • I found the number of my local GPO when a driver carded my house while I was home without knocking, set a pickup collection for two days away so he had no liability to drop back at the post office that day, and almost ran me down when I ran outside and caught him he was trying to get away so fast.
      Their response? How did you get this number, call the 13 number and hungup on me.
      13 number? Can't do anything, they claim to do something if they get three complaints on the same driver, but I doubt it.
      Commenter
      Daniel
      Location

      Date and time
      December 08, 2015, 3:57PM
  • Lets be fair. The delivery drivers are paid so little that they have no time to actually try and make the delivery to the receiver. Then they have no incentive to leave it at the most convenient location for the customer. I have a Post Office 500 meters from my home, but it is on a busy intersection so it is very difficult for the driver to park. There is a parking spot the Post Office could rent right next door to the store, off-road and often unused, but, the head office won't allow them to do it. So any deliveries which are too large for my mailbox are dropped off at the business centre, very convenient for the driver, not so convenient for me. Not sueprising that the business is going down the gurgler.
    Commenter
    Les
    Location
    Fitzroy
    Date and time
    December 08, 2015, 2:52PM
    • Parcels are always taken out - posties can get anything 3kg & under...and we have to fit them on our bikes: at this time of year, this is very difficult- we have to reload our bikes many times. I'm on a pushbike -the maximum weight I carry is 32kg. It's not uncommon to deliver 80-100kg of mail at this time of year. The only parcels we can leave are ones that say "authority to leave if unattended" and if I can't fit it in the (often tiny) letterbox or safe drop it, I have to card the item for collection. I attempt all deliveries- unless there is no access or a vicious dog on the premises.
      We also can't leave our bikes unattended- because people are pinching bikes, vans, articles from depot bins... So if I can't see my bike and your flat is upstairs and has no intercom, this is why you will get a card awaiting collection.
      Commenter
      Another postie
      Location
      Melbourne
      Date and time
      December 09, 2015, 6:09PM
  • Oh I agree Megan! If only Australia Post would take on this feedback and make changes. I can't get to post offices during 9-5 either, and my pet hate is when the delivery person ignores my instruction to leave the parcel at my front door.
    I'm interested to see how Officeworks' new delivery service gets on.
    Commenter
    P-Off
    Location
    Melbourne
    Date and time
    December 08, 2015, 3:12PM
  • Australia Post has decimated its mail sorting staff, and is spending $millions on new generation sorting equipment with the stated aim of zero human sorting of all mail items by the start of 2017.
    At the moment, if you send items like Oscar Razor does which are too small for the parcel sorting system, but too large for the regular envelope sorting, its going to rely on the remaining skeleton staff of sorters, hence the added time. These items are the outlier few % that AP aren't fussed about since they're still well within their 94% overall on-time rate.
    Commenter
    Postie
    Location
    Sydney
    Date and time
    December 08, 2015, 4:00PM
  • I've had a registered parcel sent to Australia Post's own Melbourne HQ go missing.
    Commenter
    wilcirrus
    Location
    Melbourne
    Date and time
    December 08, 2015, 4:25PM
  • The $5 million dollar man MISSING IN ACTION put the broom into the management now THEY ARE A BIG JOKE.
    Commenter
    oldfella68
    Location

    Date and time
    December 08, 2015, 5:15PM
  • Yes,what is it with these drivers that fail to knock on the door( and the address is attended at the time) or ring the bell.It's now happening on a regular basis with cards stuffed in the letter box to pick the item up from an LPO.
    And don't get me started on the items that are supposed to require a signature but are either shoved folded in th letter box or just left at the door,once again no knocking or bell ringing.If you try to ring the hot line to complain,you wait 50 mins for assistance and then are given the stock answer for at least the last 18 months that Aust Post is taking on more CSO's to reduce waiting times.Yes sure they are.
    Commenter
    Graeme
    Location

    Date and time
    December 08, 2015, 5:47PM
  • Due to Australia Post's inability to provide a good quality service we have resorted to using courier services instead. Of comparable (or cheaper) cost to Parcel Post and more reliable.
    Commenter
    Small Business Owner
    Location
    Sydney
    Date and time
    December 08, 2015, 6:12PM
    • I had a computer sent from Queensland via courier. Cost half the price and took half the time Australia post quoted.
      Commenter
      Di Keller
      Location

      Date and time
      December 08, 2015, 11:49PM
  • There are loads of innovative options out there for retail delivery. The best solution for express door to door I have seen thus far for retailers is MeeMeep.com.
    Commenter
    MeeMeeper
    Location
    Melbourne
    Date and time
    December 09, 2015, 3:20PM
  • And yet I can get an air express small parcel delivered to my door for under $15 in less than 5-days from the United States...
    Commenter
    Sir Rex
    Location
    Turramurra
    Date and time
    December 12, 2015, 12:28PM
  • Australia Post is Finished !! Its only a matter of time. We spend $250,000 a year with them and they lose and damage thousands of dollars of products with no recourse. They think they are a business but they are still a Government Department with no accountability for their actions.
    In today's on line market place fast efficient tracked delivery is essential !
    Like many on line sellers we are looking at alternatives as Australia Post simply don't perform and frankly they don't care !
    Commenter
    Peter
    Location
    NSW
    Date and time
    December 13, 2015, 9:04AM



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Fuck the Australia Post National Crawl Center

Post Offices + PO Boxes = Pffft.

Australia Post gets a Snake Oil Salesman as it's new CEO.