Under The Angsana Tree: Spate of SingPost 'service failures'

Update 12 Jun 2019: Netizen whacks SingPost for yet another delivery failure

In a Facebook post yesterday, netizen Jonathan Ong griped about how Singapore Post, commonly known as SingPost, allegedly left a note for a failed delivery attempt, despite Ong being at home during the time of delivery.

Ong wrote, “Received a small note from Singapore Post about a failed attempt for a parcel earlier today. I was home at the said time, but my intercom didn’t ring at all”. “How come other delivery services have no such issues? Missing mail, errant postman throwing away mails, now don’t even bother to knock for registered mail?” he added.

Ong is not the only one frustrated with SingPost’s poor service. Others have also taken to social media with memes and comments about failed deliveries.

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Trackable letterbox mail, postman rating and specialisation among new SingPost measures

Staff at SingPost's distribution centre in Eunos Road. SingPost said it is in discussion with government agencies about several upgrades that will make receiving mail more efficient. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG

Singapore could be among the first in the world to roll out smart letterboxes nationwide, with features such as identity authentication for mail retrieval.

SingPost is in "deep discussion" with government agencies on such smart letterboxes and other infrastructure upgrades that will make receiving mail and parcels more convenient and efficient, said its Singapore head and chief executive of postal services Vincent Phang.

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You’ve got mail: SingPost’s new local head hopes to win back public confidence with new measures

Singapore Post's recently installed chief executive officer (postal services and Singapore) Vincent Phang is candid in admitting the company needs to address some customer complaints

Singapore Post’s (SingPost's) new chief executive officer of postal services and Singapore was frank in readily admitting to the company’s shortcomings, which has seen it coming under fire from the public in recent months for a series of service lapses.

“Some of them are clearly service issues, and I’ll be the first to admit that those are things we should look into,” said Mr Vincent Phang, 45, during his first media interview on Friday (May 31) since taking on the job on April 1.

However, the postmaster is also determined to turn the ship around and chart a new course for the national postal licensee.

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Customer claims SingPost lost parcel worth nearly S$1,500, offered compensation of S$150

When a parcel is lost, who should receive compensation?

A SingPost customer was left perplexed by the postal company’s rules on compensation for missing parcels. Fatah Kent shared his experience on Facebook on May 27. According to him, he bought an item from Australia that cost AUD$1,551.57 (S$1,479.11) on April 10.

The parcel was shipped on April 30 — so far so good. Then, according to Fatah, it arrived in Singapore on May 2, at 6:38am. But when he checked SingPost tracking service on the same day at 12:04pm, the status of his parcel read: “Unsuccessful delivery. Identification document not ready.”

Fatah contacted SingPost through their live chat, and was informed that there was a “mishap” on their end and that “no attempted delivery” was made.

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Singaporean blasts SingPost for offering to refund just $150 of lost package worth nearly $1500

Asking for a full refund, Fatah Kent sent all the relevant documents and invoice for payment but after nearly a month SingPost told him that he would only be reimbursed with a maximum of $150

Another complaint against Singapore Post (also known as SingPost) is going viral online. Yesterday, Facebook user Fatah Kent decried how “absolutely disgraceful, dishonest” he feels about how SingPost operates as he revealed that the postal services company offered to refund just $150 for a package worth nearly $1,500 it had purportedly lost.

Kent recounted on social media that he made a purchase from Australia that cost AUD $1,551.57 (about SGD $1479.37) on April 10. The seller shipped the package on 30 April and the tracking number showed that the parcel reached Singapore and came into SingPost’s possession on May 2 around 6.30am.

Hours later, at around 12pm, Kent checked SingPost’s tracking service for the whereabouts of his parcel and was puzzled to see that the status was “Unsuccessful Delivery. Identification document not ready.”

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SingPost under fire again after another stack of mail is left behind at HDB void deck

This time, a 49-year-old Tampines resident found a stack of 78 letters on the ground floor of Block 708, Tampines Street 71 on 16 Apr

Singapore Post (SingPost) is under fire yet again after another stack of undelivered mail was found lying on the ground floor of a HDB block.

This time, a 49-year-old Tampines resident found a stack of 78 letters on the ground floor of Block 708, Tampines Street 71 on 16 Apr. The resident, a security officer, watched over the mail as he contacted SingPost and waited for them to collect the stack of letters.

He told the Chinese daily: “They got the letters back in about two hours. I found a total of 78 letters, including letters from the government.”

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Stacks of mail found near letterboxes at Tampines HDB block overlooked by new postman: SingPost

Facebook user Joanne Li, in a post on Apr 25, said that she found several letters and parcels addressed to various units inside a "wastepaper ditch" next to the letterboxes. PHOTO: JOANNE LI / FACEBOOK

2 stacks of mail found near the letterboxes at a Tampines Housing Board block's void deck on Thursday (Apr 25) were overlooked by a new postman after the bundle toppled over the letterbox ledge, said SingPost on Friday.

Ms Joanne Li, 30, a manager in the engineering industry, said in a Facebook post on Thursday night that she found several letters and parcels addressed to various units inside a "wastepaper ditch" next to the letterboxes.

The Straits Times understands that the affected block was Block 862A Tampines Street 83.

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Netizen questions SingPost as she finds 2 stacks of letters and parcels in a ditch under letterbox at Tampines

Singpost has been in the hot seat lately for such errors, only last month the postal company was called out for their poor service when letters in the mailbox were left completely exposed

Singapore – A surprise was waiting for a Tampines resident when she saw two stacks of letters and bundles in a ditch under a letterbox.

On April 25 (Thursday), Facebook user Li Joanne posted the following regarding her discovery.

“Saw these letters/parcels belonging to various units being thrown at the wastepaper ditch at the letter box. Not sure what happened but for sure we have some lost parcels here. But fret not, these are in good hands with me. Singapore Post I am not redistributing these two stacks for you. Pls contact me to get your letters back and do a thorough investigation on what exactly happened.”

related: SingPost investigating after woman finds stacks of mail tossed in wastepaper

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Li Joanne 25 April at 08:30

(Update 26/4 930pm) - I have handed over the mails to two SingPost staff. Sorry I ended work late so could only arrange to meet them just now. Want to know if your mail was inside? Open your letterbox now 🙂 Anyway I just hope this would not happen again and the the service quality would be improved. If it really has to happen again (touchwood), I don’t mind helping you all keep your mails. Goodnight.

(Update 26/4 830am) - SingPost has gotten in touch with me and informed that their colleagues will get in touch with me to retrieve the mail.

All, there could be various reasons why this had happened, but honestly it should not be happening. Packages aside, there are letters that are of private and confidential nature that you don't want them to be lost just like that. There could be people who may make use of your info and do malicious things. If you ever have the same encounter, pls be kind to our mails.

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New postman 'overlooked' mail bundle found at Tampines void deck: SingPost

A new postman had "overlooked" a bundle of mail that was found at a void deck in Tampines, said Singapore Post (SingPost) on Friday (Apr 26).

"The postman overlooked the bundle of letters placed on the ledge of the letterbox ditch after it toppled over," a company spokesperson told CNA.

Two stacks of letters were found by Facebook user Joanne Li, who posted about it on Thursday, saying that she found them "thrown at the wastepaper ditch at the letter box".

related: Stacks of mail found at Tampines void deck, SingPost investigating

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SingPost apologises for 'overzealous' Bras Basah employee who 'scribbled' on woman's parcel

A woman paid $54 for a parcel to be delivered to her sister -- who had a 'rude 'shock' upon receiving the gift as its packaging had 'ugly scribbles' on it.

In a Facebook post on March 27, Ms Eliza Ong shared the unpleasant experience she had at SingPost's Bras Basah Complex Post Office.

Ms Ong had visited the post office on March 19 to mail a parcel containing "mainly snacks and beauty products" to her sister in New Zealand.

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Eliza Faith Ong 27 March

Someone at Singapore Post needs a beating

1.5 weeks ago, I went to the Bras Basah Complex branch to mail a package to my sister who lives 5,297 miles away from me. In the parcel contained mainly snacks and beauty products I bought on my trip to Japan. So when it was my turn at the counter, i told this grumpy old man that i wanted to mail it to New Zealand. Then, he started interrogating me about what's inside the box. I told him that it's dried snacks and beauty products and then he started warning me that no liquid products allowed. I said multiple times to him that there are no liquids, i even signed the declaration form. But even after so, he continued to incite that my parcel has got liquids. But nevermind, i was in a great mood after a great cheap lunch at the nearby food center so i left after paying a whopping $54 expecting that the problem ends there. Now here's the main reason why I want to complain. Noticed the ugly scribbles in blue ink on the package? I spent $1.50 to purchase the kraft papers and spent another 10 mins to wrap my box up nicely simply because this parcel is supposed to be a gift. And your staff went to vandalize my property without my permission to do so. My sister received the parcel with a rude 'shock'. Is this the desired standard imposed by Singapore Post to your staffs? If i knew i was going to pay so much to have someone accusing me of things that is untrue and even vandalizing my stuff, i would just gone to other reliable courier companies. This is unacceptable behaviour and I deserve an explaination.

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SingPost apologises for 'overzealous' Bras Basah employee who 'scribbled' on woman's parcel

A woman paid $54 for a parcel to be delivered to her sister -- who had a 'rude 'shock' upon receiving the gift as its packaging had 'ugly scribbles' on it

In a Facebook post on Mar 27, Ms Eliza Ong shared the unpleasant experience she had at SingPost's Bras Basah Complex Post Office.

Ms Ong had visited the post office on Mar 19 to mail a parcel containing "mainly snacks & beauty products" to her sister in New Zealand.

According to her, an employee at the counter started "interrogating" her about the parcel's contents and warned her that liquid products were not allowed.

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Livid Singaporean blasts SingPost staff for “vandalising” international parcel

When she reached the counter, a male counter staff allegedly "started interrogating" Ms Ong and warned her that she could not post liquid items

An irate Singaporean has blasted Singapore Post (SingPost) for defacing an international parcel that she had sent to her sister overseas.

Facebook user Eliza Faith Ong wrote on social media on Wednesday (27 Mar) evening that she had visited the SingPost branch at Bras Basah complex to mail a collection of items from Japan as a gift to her sister who lives overseas. The package allegedly contained dried snacks and beauty products.

When she reached the counter, a male counter staff allegedly “started interrogating” Ms Ong and warned her that she could not post liquid items. Ms Ong said that she reassured the staff repeatedly that the package does not contain liquid items and signed a customs declaration.

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SingPost responds to case of parcel crammed into Sengkang letterbox

A Stomper staying at Compassvale Road in Sengkang found the packaging of the items she had ordered at an online store crammed inside her letterbox at 4.20pm on Sep 26.

She had ordered a bluetooth speaker and a makeup palette from online fashion and cosmetic retailer website ASOS.

The bluetooth speaker and makeup palette in the packaging were not damaged but the box containing her bluetooth speaker was dented.

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Residents’ confidential data left exposed after SingPost mailman leaves letterboxes unlocked

The letter boxes had been left wide opened but upon further investigation it was found that the door had a faulty locking mechanism

Singapore Post (SingPost) has been called out for poor service yet again, after a Singaporean found that the door to a group of letterboxes had been left wide open. The mail in the letterboxes, that could have contained residents’ confidential information, was left completely exposed.

Criticising the postal service company, which is an associate company of Singapore Telecommunications Limited (SingTel), Facebook user Ridhwan Sudni shared a picture of the exposed mail and wrote:

“Singpost Wake up your idea. On many occasions, you left a note on my door to inform me to pick up my packages at the nearest post office, even when my family is at home.
“Now, unlocked letter box door. Important letters with resident’s credentials is left exposed. Looks like your postman really wants to get the job done fast to head back early.”

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Postman arrested after Ang Mo Kio resident reports unopened mail found in rubbish bin

An Ang Mo Kio resident says she found unopened letters and a parcel in a rubbish bin. (Photo: Facebook/Alyce Kathlyn)

A postman serving areas in Ang Mo Kio has been arrested after a resident said she found unopened mail in a rubbish bin.

Singapore Post (SingPost) said on Tue (Jan 29) it was investigating images circulating online of unopened letters in a rubbish bin, including some from government agencies.

"Following the findings from internal investigations, we have referred the case to the police," said the national postal agency in an update. "The postman serving the affected areas was arrested in relation to the case."

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SingPost fined S$100,000 for not delivering mail on time in 2017: IMDA

Accepting the fine, SingPost announced measures to improve its service, such as hiring 100 additional postmen and extending mail delivery slots to weekday evenings and on Saturdays

Singapore Post (SingPost) has been fined S$100,000 for not meeting the service standards for delivering local basic letters and registered mail in 2017, the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) said on Thursday (Feb 7).

Under IMDA standards, SingPost is required to deliver 99% of local letters to addresses within the Central Business District (CBD) and 98 per cent of local letters to destinations outside of it by the next working day. IMDA said SingPost failed to meet that standard in May 2017.

The regulator added that SingPost also failed to meet the requirements to deliver all local basic letters by the second working day in January, April, May, October and November 2017.

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SingPost fined S$300,000 for not meeting mail delivery service standards in 2018

Errant postman Liu Zhengang was also issued an advisory and barred from employment in Singapore, the regulator says

Singapore Post (SingPost) was fined S$300,000 for not meeting the service standards for delivering local basic letters, international basic letters and registered mail in 2018, said the Info-communications Media Development Authority (IMDA) on Friday (Mar 29).

The regulator also completed its investigations of the case of the postman Liu Zhengang who had discarded returned mail and advertisement mails at Reflections at Keppel Bay in 2018, and issued an advisory to him after finding that he breached the Postal Services Act.

Under IMDA’s Postal Quality of Service (QoS) framework, SingPost is required to deliver 99 per cent of local basic letters to an address within the Central Business District (CBD) and 98 per cent of local basic letters to destinations outside the CBD by the next working day, the regulator said in a media release.

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SingPost fires postman who threw away mail

Screengrabs of a video circulating on social media show the SingPost postman being confronted by a member of the public

A SingPost postman has been dismissed after he was found to have thrown away returned letters and direct mail at a condominium, a SingPost spokesperson said in a statement on Saturday (Feb 10).

SingPost was responding to Channel NewsAsia’s query about a video circulating online in which a member of the public confronted the postman, claiming that he had thrown a stack of letters into a rubbish bin.

In the video, the postman can be heard admitting to throwing the mail away. He also complained that he was tired and treated unfairly.

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Business owner who paid $7000 for his flyers

Singapore Post (SingPost) staff were caught red-handed trying to fool a small business owner, who had paid a hefty $7,000 for flyer distribution, that they had distributed his flyers when they did not do so.

Local massage parlour owner, 32-year-old Mr Tan, told the Chinese daily that he spent $7,000 on SingPost’s Admail service, which promised to print and distribute flyers advertising his massage parlour to mailboxes in the Sengkang and Punggol areas.

Mr Tan, a Sengkang resident himself, waited patiently for a flyer to arrive in his own mailbox and was left confused when he did not receive one: “SingPost arranged for the flyers to be distributed between 26 November and 4 December. I stay in Sengkang, but after waiting and waiting I didn’t receive any flyer.”

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IMDA raises 'grave concerns' over service lapses by SingPost, will take firm action

The SingPost sign at a post office in Singapore. (File photo: Reuters/Thomas White)

The Info-communications Media Development Authority (IMDA) on Tue (Jan 29) expressed "grave concerns" over an incident in which mail was found discarded in a rubbish bin in Ang Mo Kio.

Singapore Post (SingPost) had said earlier that a postman has been arrested over the incident.

"Under the Postal Services Act, it is an offence for any officer, employee or agent of a postal licensee to destroy or throw away any postal article or anything contained therein," said an IMDA spokesperson in a statement, adding that the authority is investigating the matter.

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SingPost delivers apology for recent 'service failures'

SingPost on Mon (Jan 14) apologised to customers for its "service deterioration" in recent weeks, citing a "tremendously busy" November-December period as the reason for poor service quality.

"It would be fair to state that we have failed to live up to expectations in recent times," said the postal delivery service on its website and in a Facebook post.

In explaining the background to the service deterioration, SingPost said it delivered an average of 3 million mail items a day, but an increase in package volumes for last year's Nov-Dec period put additional pressure on its services.

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Singapore Post updated their status. 14 January

We hear you. And we should have done better

Dear SingPost customers,

You may have heard about our service failures in the past few weeks. First of all, we extend our most sincere apologies to everyone who has been inconvenienced by us in any way. We hear you, and agree that your experience with SingPost could have been better. We want you to know that we are taking a serious look at the issues that have surfaced recently and are finding ways to improve on them, immediately.

It would be fair to state, that we have failed to live up to expectations, in recent times. We would like to take this opportunity to explain some of the background for this service deterioration. SingPost processes an average of 3 million mail items a day, yet we believe that we are only as good as our last delivery and we treat every failure, seriously.

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Are SingPost’s lapses indicative of a deeper malaise in the company?

Those at SingPost have a heavy burden of fixing past issues after sweeping changes at the senior management level and hasty acquisitions made some years back, says NUS Business School’s Mak Yuen Teen

In a digital age where transactions, notifications and records have been digitalised, you would think the postman gets it easier.

But news of SingPost’s investigations this week after fresh images of mail found in a rubbish bin in Ang Mo Kio went viral & its subsequent update that it has referred the case to the Police have touched a raw nerve.

Last year, SingPost fired a postman after he was found to have thrown away returned letters & direct mail at a condominium, and a video of someone confronting the man and claiming he had just thrown a stack of letters into a rubbish bin had gone viral.

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SingPost to reduce postmen's workload in move to improve service standards