A delivery issue....

D

dotti34

Nori Brick
Tackler
I know that this is about Australia and not about your neck-of-the-woods but I thought I would share with you my frustrations with yet another Government Department – Australia Post. I thought if I write my experience down it might make me feel a bit calmer. So here goes, please bear with me.

I live in South Australia, my youngest daughter lives in Victoria - quite close to Melbourne. I had a book I thought she would like so decided to post it to her. Handed in at my local post office on Thursday, 15th October, I was given a tracking number. I entered this on my computer and checked from time-to-time.

The first indication of where the parcel was showed that it had arrived in Melbourne on Tuesday, 20th October. On Saturday, the 24th October it had travelled to Thomastown (17 kms from Melbourne) and was there in the morning – onboard for delivery. I received an email that delivery would be that day.

Did it arrive - no! Instead it was shown to be at Preston on the afternoon of the 24th (6 kms from Thomastown) and was ‘in transit’ – but the delivery date had now changed to anywhere between Monday the 26th and Thursday the 29th October. Preston is closer to Melbourne than Thomastown, so it had been sent further afield only to come back a bit. It has been at Preston ‘in transit’ ever since.

By the way, the final destination is Brunswick which is 6.5 kms from Preston – but only 5.3 kms from Melbourne!!!!! (Are you still with me?).

On the 29th, with no sign of a delivery - the parcel not having left Preston, I started a ‘chat’ online with Chatbot, a computerised robotic ‘person’ (PLEASE, PLEASE, bring back real people). On the site I had read ‘chat with Chatbot or one of our live agents who can help’. As there was no indication of how to contact a ‘live agent’ I had no option but to use Chatbot. I typed in my comments and request for an explanation. The instant reply was ‘use shorter sentences and try again’.

So I did as instructed and the reply then was to tell me that the parcel was at Preston. REALLY! End of ‘chat’.

I was steaming with frustration, but by searching further I had found a phone number on the site inviting people to ring and have a chat with ‘our friendly staff’. So I did this. Turned out that the ‘friendly staff’ was again a computer. The ‘voice’ said that for all delivery and tracking information to go to their website….however I did listen to the rest of the message and there was no number to press to put me in touch with any friendly, or otherwise, staff but at the end of the message I got a thank you for calling…bah!!!!

I tried ringing Preston Post Office but by then they were either closed or not answering. I sent a message to my daughter who replied that I shouldn’t worry about it, she was not surprised at the delay because it happens all the time, they have had first-hand experience of this several times before, and that no doubt it would arrive eventually.

Today I logged on again to My Account. Now the information re the date is that it HAD been scheduled for delivery but, the ominous word stated, it is ‘delayed’. No reason why. It does state that most late items are usually delivered within 5 days of the expected delivery date. Not good enough. I might also add here that our normal post has been cut to every other weekday to enable them to keep up with the increased volume of parcel deliveries they are experiencing. Sounds a bit farcical taking into account my experience, doesn’t seem to be working.

By the way, a birthday card posted in a box near here took 8 days to get to the next suburb…and as for the length of time post from the UK to here takes just ask Margaret P….

…and am I calmer now I have written this, no comment, but at least I have had a good old whinge. Sorry about that.
 
Thank you, Cashy, for your understanding of why I feel like I do about it. I usually go with the flow but this time.....
 
Dorothy I could feel your pain, your frustratio, your anger...truly I could.
as you know I posted a card to you...at the beginning of July with the hope it would get to you by the 4th of august...an important day for you...this card did not arrive until the end of august...and airmile price for an overland service....a card taking six weeks to get to you...
And as you know I posrted a card for Daisy and her parents on her birth...that also took six ong weeks to get there...though I really feared she might be in Kindy by the time it arrived.
Customer service...there is't any....I cannot think of one company that I have dealt with recently where I have not had to number crunch...and them got through to an automated voice.
I read somewhere, that if you press 9 it takes you to a real person....I tried it last week when my other half got a message to say his e-mail address was going to be deleted(he never uses it..but i want to keep it as a recovery e-mail)...and on that occasion it worked.
Don't know if it would work for you Dorothy.
 
Thank you, Margaret, I might try that. It really is frustrating not to be able to actually speak to a real person - and extra frustrating when if lucky enough to do so (on very rare occasions) it is hard to understand what that real person is saying...or is it not politically correct to make that comment. Oops!
 
Have to add here that while service from this department is not as good as it should be, four executives were each recently given a very expensive Cartier watch in appreciation of their work, over $700,000 was spent on indoor plants for their offices, and the CEO last year received about three times the salary that the Prime Minister of Australia received.

I am really very thrilled for them...it made my day hearing about this.
 
It seems that poor service is rewarded.
You have only to look at our Test and trace Supremo...failed in every other post, but put into a position where she is clearly not suitable because of her previous disastrous performances.
Look up Dido Harding.
 
EUREKA!!!!! I have just been notified that the book has been delivered today....now waiting confirmation from my daughter that she has indeed received it. After all this I hope she enjoys it....

...and yes, Margaret, it IS a good job the post doesn't deliver babies but leaves that job to the stork.
 
After all the above, do you want to know something hilarious…..I have just had a message from my daughter to tell me that the book that has caused me so much angst re it’s delivery is actually ONE THAT SHE GAVE ME!!!!! In my defence I had had this a long time when I re-read it and had forgotten where I had got it from. Originally I thought it was one she had left here but she hadn’t recognised the title when I asked her, it was only when she received it that she remembered it….

…she said she will wrap it up and give it to me for Christmas, again! I’ve told her not to post it.
 
Anyway she hasn't previously read it, the book having been a present to me from my daughter, so that's something. Also it still doesn't excuse the time it took for delivery.
 
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