Australia Post - not happy

[toryglen-boy (Duncan)]

so, i calls Andrews on Tues, and orders a 2" GSO eyepiece.

"That will be sent next day delivery on Thursday"

"Ok" said I, a bit puzzled that it wasnt sent there and then next day delivery.

so, today Friday, 3pm, i calls Andrews

"Well we sent it, here is the tracking number"

so i call Australia Post

"Can you confirm the address"

So i gave him the address

"Ah ..." says the AP guy "Its got the wrong postcode on it"

so i said "are you telling me, the guys stopped outside of the building where I work, looked at the MATCHING address, thats on the wall, in 1m letters, couldnt even walk 10 metres to the front desk to ask for me, as the post code on his docket was in blue biro and written wrongly, and this is obviously the right address?"

"Yes sir thats right"

"So i ordered this next day delivery, Monday is a holiday in Canberra, and your telling me, i wont get this until almost a week after ordering?"

"Yes sir thats right"

"where is it now? >seeth<"

"At the delivery depot in Mitchell"

"Thats around the corner from where i live! can i go collect it?"

"certainly not"

needless to say, i am not a happy camper ... no 2" eyepiece goodness for me over the weekend, and a holiday weekend at that! i suppose the only saving grace is that the moon is growing, and i probably wouldnt get to observe as much as i normally would

[h0ughy (David)]

oh well thats life.... at least you know its not lost

[toryglen-boy (Duncan)]

Originally Posted by h0ughy

oh well thats life.... at least you know its not lost

Words of little comfort there fella

[h0ughy (David)]

Originally Posted by toryglen-boy

Words of little comfort there fella

well i had one that was supposed to have been delivered - thats what it said on the web after i put the number in - havent seen it yet so thats life (now humming the theme of back to the rafters)

did chase it up and i said show me the signature of the person who signed for it - it was scribble, could have been jack the ripper for all they knew. Since then I have had all of my deliveries go to a mates work - at least i know it will be safe there.

[Tallstock (Peter)]

You wanted "there and then" attention from a supplier ---- on an EP???
If you are certain you gave the supplier your correct postcode then isn't your gripe with who ever wrote the wrong postcode on the delivery envelope?
Why will AP deliver it on Monday if it still has an incorrect postcode?
Who has the authority to alter the postcode? The supplier, AP or you?

[Kevnool (Kev)]

At least it will be there for the last quarter.....cheers Kev,

[Ric]

I must admit I have never had a problem with deliveries.

Whoops, I hope I haven't jinxed myself.

[marki]

Originally Posted by Ric

I must admit I have never had a problem with deliveries.

Whoops, I hope I haven't jinxed myself.

Nor I. I have some stuff in the post at this very moment so .

[fwhong (Wai Hong)]

Australia Post contracts out some of their courier drivers to non-AusPost staff which includes private contractors. They normally drive vehicles that don't have any logos on it at all.

Some of these guys are more concerned with deadlines to meet than whether or not you get your parcel or Australia Post's reputation. We find that Australian Air Express do a better job 90% of the time, at a higher price of course. But their Next Day Delivery from Melbourne to Perth CBD or NT CBD is just unmatched service.

[marki]

I have always wondered why retailers prefer snail mail for small items. Large things like a complete telescope I can understand but an eyepiece? Is it an insurance issue??? I often choose overnight express in the further instruction box when ordering and find that the difference in price is not that great on small items. Of course overnight express to Perth usually means 3 days . Snail mail can take up 2 weeks depending on when you ordered (weekends etc) but usually turns up within 9 days.

Ciao Mark

[JethroB76 (Jeff)]

Originally Posted by fwhong

Australia Post contracts out some of their courier drivers to non-AusPost staff which includes private contractors. They normally drive vehicles that don't have any logos on it at all.

Some of these guys are more concerned with deadlines to meet than whether or not you get your parcel or Australia Post's reputation.

Agree with this.
If the drivers in our area are busy they'll just put the "we missed you" note in the letterbox without even coming to the door to see if you're there or not - often at Christmas time, which is obviously real handy.
Then you have to do their job and go and pick the parcel up, except you can't go and pick it up until after 4:30pm

[GrahamL]

Well I don't think that guy you talked to you is right .. Granted its been a long time since I worked for aus post but somethings like wrong postcodes don't change much ..through the system if the postcode is way wrong it will likely cause a delay with delivery .. If no one corrects the error it can go round in circles for some time .. If its a little wrong it can still be delayed by getting delivered to the wrong sub office or contracters delivery depot.. meaning again its got to go back through the system .
Once at its point of delivery the postcode dosn't matter the parcels leave the office and are delivered as adrressed.. mostly.

The delivery guy is often dammed either way when the customer stuffs up an address.. The expectation is you should of known that package didn't belong at the wrong addy as it was addressed to , or conversely it should of been delivered as addresed ...Are you new to this area ? .. as most of us knew the names initials ect of most people who regularly got mail on our patch , no street names , suburbs you mostly found the right place .. best I saw was a letter mailed to P..K the old posty on a run of maybe 2000 residences picked the owner straight away in a large unit block as well.


Neuman on sienfeld used to crack me up.. as I can so identify with the jaded postal worker .. and some of his antics with the mail were so very,very close to the truth

jethro .. or "possibly" the missed you note is slipped to the postman before his mail run starts .. and despite you anxiously waiting for that parcel contracter to come up you street with your package you just don't see him at all

[Davekyn (David)]

Regardless of a few errors here and there...I'll always choose Australia Post over TNT. If the retailer can not send it any other way (ussually due to wieght), I'll spend the extra elsewhere or arange for private courier.

At least when you get it through AP...you have more chance of recieving it in one peice...that's just my experiance when compared to TNT is all.

[Jen]

trip postie over next time he goes past
after u have got your eyepiece

[Dog Star (Phil)]

As someone who has worked as a courier driver, I wouldn't mind putting in my two bobs worth.
I always thought that my job was to deliver the freight to the customer.
Wrong!!
As a courier driver, you are given a run of (say) 20-30 drops to do in a morning before smoko. The boss instructed me that to spend more than 2 minutes per drop was unacceptable!
You rock up at an address and people are either not home (at work or down the pub or whatever) or still in bed or out in the back yard where they can't hear you knocking at the front door.
I was told to knock once and wait 15 seconds (!) for a reply. Knock again and if no reply, then leave a card and get on to the next drop.
As silly as it may sound, this is how a courier business must, not should, be run.
Time is money, money is time!
Not saying that this is how it should be run, just saying that this is how business must be run.
Please don't take it out on the poor old driver who is trying to keep both the customer and the employer happy.
Glad I don't do that crap for a job anymore.

[Chippy (Nick)]

Don't know what you are complaining about. The address was wrong. You will get it. Not AP's fault. If anything blame Andrews.

My experience with AP has been very good over hundreds of deliveries. Occasionally they are slow (by a few days) but I'm yet to not receive something. I don't even bother with registered post, etc - never had a problem.

Now Telstra... don't get me started

[matt]

The only comment/observation I'll make about Australia Post is they used to be very good....but the service appears to have declined in recent years.

Maybe I've just been particularly unlucky...but I've had so much stuff go MIA (at various residences)....I've almost given up on them as a lost cause.

Just my 2c worth.

[Geoff45 (Geoff)]

Originally Posted by h0ughy

oh well thats life.... at least you know its not lost

Well, not yet anyway! Lots can happen over a long weekend.

[Dennis]

Originally Posted by Dog Star

I was told to knock once and wait 15 seconds (!) for a reply. Knock again and if no reply, then leave a card and get on to the next drop.

Hi Phil

That pretty much sums up our experience of courier deliveries.

After the 1st door bell ring, I sprint to the door (and I’m a good runner!), fling it open and usually discover the delivery driver half way down the front steps heading back to his van!

Cheers

Dennis

[Ric]

The contract postie out my way is just plain weird. He always put the mail in the wrong RMB and is more concerned with doing doughnuts in his Smartcar. Hence a PO box for us

I'm waiting for the car to tip over.