Customer experience at Australia Post seems to deteriorate by the day.

Earlier this week I needed to send two large letters interstate. As it was lunchtime, and there was a growing queue, I chose to use the self-serve counter. First mistake.

After weighing each item, and confirming that they were indeed large letters, and yes, I had scanned all items, but no, I didn’t want a digital receipt, although yes, I did want to pay an extra 50c per item for “priority” mail. Second mistake.

Then the complications really set in. I deposited my cash (I had just been to the ATM, so I only had a $50 note). Apparently, the new “priority” stickers have to be retrieved by a member of staff from a locker next to the counter, as they are separate to the postage label (why didn’t anyone think to incorporate the “priority” QR code into the paid-postage label???).

Next, machine melt down. It just froze. It wouldn’t allow me or the staff member to proceed. It wouldn’t print the labels. It wouldn’t give me my change or return my cash. It wouldn’t print a receipt.

So, the member of staff had to get normal stamps plus the additional “priority” stickers and put them on the letters, give me my change, and then ask a colleague to print a manual receipt.

When I asked about lodging a complaint about the poor self-serve counter experience, I was told I had to ring a customer service number, or queue up and get a “green form”. Previous experience told me that calling up was a waste of time, because the call centre does not have access to the digital teams – there is no communication between departments. And I didn’t have time to queue up as I had already spent far more time than necessary.

Welcome to digital world of Australia Post….