A story about Canada Post.
I have two parcels shipping from Vancouver to Toronto express – 2 day delivery. Unfortunately, the shipper accidentally sent one of the parcels via Canada Post and the other via UPS. The second I saw Canada Post I rang them and tried to stop them – but it was too late. Both had left the building.
In my mind, I just knew that the UPS parcel would get there just fine and the Canada Post “Express Post” parcel would have a problem. Sure enough, the UPS parcel was on time. 9AM at the doorstep. Where is the Canada Post parcel?
A quick check of the tracking website:
So I call. This is the condensed version of the conversation:
Me: “Why is my parcel at the post office, when I paid extra to have it delivered to my door?”
Her: “Because the shipper does not require a signature for delivery”
Me: “Pardon?”
Her: “Because the shipper did not click the box and require a signature for delivery, we do not deliver it to your door”
Me: “So, because they did not require a signature which means you can just drop it off because you do not have to make multiple trips to get that signature, you will not deliver it?”
Her: “Correct. Plus, it will not fit in your mailbox” (It is a 13lbs package).
Me: “Ok, but there is someone there. Right now. All day. And you guaranteed delivery so please deliver it to my front door just like UPS and FedEx. That is why I paid extra.”
Her: “I can’t without my supervisors permission”
Me: “You can’t make that decision”
Her: “No”
I feel bad for Canada Post employees – that they are not trusted to make the right decisions, for the benefit of the customer, at that moment. Certainly not the Four Seasons model.
They wonder why they lost $193M last year? It is pretty obvious to me.