Struggles of a NZ Post ParcelPod

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Nate001

607 posts

Ultimate Geek

#228931 30-Jan-2018 20:39

A bit of a warning for potential/current ParcelPod users...

I have previously used ParcelPod and everything has been fine, however this time time has been a different story. I have been waiting for a package, it was delivered to Victoria St on Friday noon, didn't receive a code to collect so waited patiently over the long weekend until today (Tuesday) hoping for the code to be sent via txt and email.

3pm rolled around and still nothing so I decided to leave work early and head to Victoria Street and collect it from Box Lobby, got there and the staff found it had been placed into the ParcelPod on Friday and I just didn't receive the code - Me thinking to myself "Great they can just grab it!" If only it were that simple.

Turns out the ParcelPods are locked on both the street side (customer side) and on the inside (NZ Post Size) and they cannot open it until the 2 working days have passed. They can only open it when the machine has decided it has been inside for too long, and gives them a unique access code.

So I asked if they could resend the code, nope. They said only a handful of people have access to the system, the external company who designed and installed it, and a few people within NZ Post.

Rang their national service centre phone number, they said everyone who could help had gone home. So currently my parcel is sitting in the pod, in limbo.

tl;dr - My parcel is in limbo, no one can get my parcel out of the ParcelPod. Not even NZ Post Staff.

tripp

3798 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1948927 31-Jan-2018 05:59

I ended up giving up mine because of to many issues.

I would have packages address to albany end up in newmarket, Victoria St and even the "old" albany box lobby (which is only open from 9am - 12pm weekdays, which is no good when one starts work at 5am and finishes at 2pm). Had issues with the upgraded system in albany with bluetooth locks not unlocking and standing around for 20 minutes while staff tried to work out how to open it.

When i first started to use it things were great, they would have processed the last shipment for the day done by 2.15pm and I would get a message on the way home to pick something up, this got later and later and would end up being around 5pm when I got the message (when they would send it, sometimes they would not even email you that there was something waiting).

Also had so many issues when using it with youshop. I had a oneplus phone sent to it that I had to pay GST on etc, it took me days to find the number I needed to be able to pay the GST as no one knew who would have it etc.

It's just not worth the money (even at $10 each 6 months). Just easier to get a card to call and go and pick it up from the same place that has the lockers for parcelpost.

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floydbloke

3175 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

#1948952 31-Jan-2018 07:29

Completely speculating here, but this sounds like one of those cases of something that was cool at the time but is no longer flavour of the month.

When it first came in the exec and senior managers would have been abuzz about a whizz-bang new product, staff are excited and get trained, contracts and support arrangements are in place.

Time ticks away, other stuff is now front of mind for the top brass, personnel turns over without handing over the skills and know-how, procedures no longer get followed, support agreements expire and don’t get re-newed, all the while the corporation keeps milking the asset. Never mind the customer.

After I was born, I didn't talk to my parents for two years.

Nate001

607 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1949018 31-Jan-2018 08:13

tripp:

I ended up giving up mine because of to many issues.

I would have packages address to albany end up in newmarket, Victoria St and even the "old" albany box lobby (which is only open from 9am - 12pm weekdays, which is no good when one starts work at 5am and finishes at 2pm). Had issues with the upgraded system in albany with bluetooth locks not unlocking and standing around for 20 minutes while staff tried to work out how to open it.

When i first started to use it things were great, they would have processed the last shipment for the day done by 2.15pm and I would get a message on the way home to pick something up, this got later and later and would end up being around 5pm when I got the message (when they would send it, sometimes they would not even email you that there was something waiting).

Also had so many issues when using it with youshop. I had a oneplus phone sent to it that I had to pay GST on etc, it took me days to find the number I needed to be able to pay the GST as no one knew who would have it etc.

It's just not worth the money (even at $10 each 6 months). Just easier to get a card to call and go and pick it up from the same place that has the lockers for parcelpost.

Thankfully I haven't had any issues like that.

It was interesting talking to the lady yesterday who puts the parcels in the pods. She said the pods often get clogged up with parcels that people don't pick up straight away and/or expire before they're picked up. Until its removed no new parcels can be placed in, so a back log of parcels sit there waiting to be placed in. I think that could explain why your parcels got processed later and later. I doubt they would bother going to load parcels as they were removed, but wait for a couple to be freed or at certain times.

I got the ParcelPod as trying to get to the Vic St Box Lobby before 5pm to pick up a parcel with a card to call can be difficult, this lets me access the parcels after hours when it works properly so I don't need to rush. But so far its proved slower than getting a card to call.

richms

26418 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Subscriber

#1949023 31-Jan-2018 08:27

You can go to box lobbys in the morning to collect parcells with a card to call from when they open for PO Box users to get theirs, its 7am for the one at birkenhead where most of my parcels seem to end up.

The problem is the bigger ones that go back to albany, that place is a PITA, and has really stupid hours. Last order from an idiot place that wouldnt take a PO Box as an address that went there I just gave up on and told them to refund me as the couriers have failed to do as instructed. The more times the problem is put back on the senders of stuff, the more likly the crap service will get addressed.

Richard rich.ms

MikeAqua

7619 posts

Uber Geek

#1949106 31-Jan-2018 10:39

Advice for life: Avoid dealing with NZ Post if you can.

Mike

Nate001

607 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1949192 31-Jan-2018 12:14

MikeAqua:

Advice for life: Avoid dealing with NZ Post if you can.

Sadly they are already better than some other post companies. Don't ever try to get a package using fastway in Auckland CBD. That was a never ending nightmare.

Someone from NZ post replied to my email about my situation, didn't explain anything or apologise. Their solution to this problem? The parcel will be re-placed in the pod when it comes out, I certainly did not ask for this to be done.