Major Australia Post change coming that will affect how you get mail when you’re not home

Australia Post customers who have long complained about getting ‘Sorry we missed you cards’ left by postal workers who didn’t bother to check if the person was home will now have a new avenue to complain as the postal giant introduces a new system.

The dreaded cards that lead to a long trudge to a post office to collect the parcel that hasn’t been delivered are being replaced by a digital equivalent in the AusPost app.

Although customers will still have to go to a post office to collect the undelivered parcel, the digital format should make it clearer exactly which branch their goods are in storage.

Australia Post says it is responding to customer complaints, but many people don’t think the new system will work.

The start of the new system came about after a customer contacted Australia Post to say he couldn’t read the postman’s handwriting and so didn’t know when it would be ready for collection.

Australia Post will start using digital cards for missed deliveries, as revealed in a Reddit post (pictured)

The response was: ‘We hear you. That’s one of the reasons we’re moving to digital missed delivery cards in the AusPost app. so you get more accurate (and readable!) information.”

The customer was less happy with the response than the postman had hoped, posting on Reddit that ‘AusPost (is) switching to digital missed delivery cards.

“So now they can send you missed delivery cards without even going to your address.”

The hundreds of commenters below the post told their own stories about the problems with mail delivery.

“I caught one once when I was at home and they came to issue a missed delivery card,” one poster wrote.

She sheepishly said she had already marked it as a missed delivery and showed me the photo.

“I argued with her that I am here, and I have been this whole time. She ended up calling a supervisor who was okay with her giving me my own package. Very annoying.’

Another wrote that ‘One time they literally chased the delivery man on his bike with the card and had to ask for my package.

“I was waiting for it and he just put the note in the mailbox, he certainly didn’t miss me lol.”

Others wrote that they thought the new digital mapping system would be more trouble than it was worth.

“I can tell you it usually takes longer to do this. First you have to scan the thing to put it on a map. The scanners are equipped with GPS and log when the item has been scanned as a card.

‘The driver would also take a photo. And you have to waste time writing down the details on the card,” they wrote.

‘And most importantly, ESPECIALLY on the Honda CT110s, storage space is very limited compared to the three-wheelers, so it’s much easier to just deliver the goods.’

Some complained that delivery drivers taking a photo of the package being delivered also does not guarantee that they have the correct address.

“I had one where I filed a complaint because I didn’t receive my package even though it was marked as left on my porch,” one person wrote.

‘They sent me the photo the contractor had sent, to which I replied “that’s not my front door”.

“It never worked out where it left off, but Nespresso replaced my coffee for free.”

Some respondents to the original post became so agitated by the situation that they resorted to foul language.

Australians have criticized Australia Post for a frustrating and apparently common delivery error where postal workers fail to deliver parcels despite customers being at home

Some wrote that they thought the new digital mapping system would be more trouble than it was worth. A postman is depicted delivering letters

“Australia’s last mile delivery is a joke, and unfortunately it’s not just Aus Post,” wrote one.

Another wrote that after regularly failing to deliver their parcels, they were ‘harassing Aus Post until the (local) manager called me and listened to me’.

“And he didn’t care.”

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Australia Post for comment.