When the best courier service fails

On 15 March, I went to Auspost to courier the Option to Purchase on our HDB flat to our real estate agent in SG.

Auspost recommended, and I accepted, the fastest and most expensive option: Express Courier International aka EMS.

Cost: about AU$38.

Expected delivery time was 2-4 business days.

By 21 March, the agent was emailing to ask why the documents had still not arrived. The intended purchasers were getting anxious.

So began my attempts to track said documents online and to contact EMS to follow up.

The tracking screen shows the following -

Tracking summary

Tracking ID: EA014808985AU
Status: Despatched

Product/Service: EMS

Origin Country: Australia

Destination Country: Singapore

Email Notification

Tracking details

Date/Time	Activity	Location
16/03/11 02:09	Processed - enroute to final destination
15/03/11 22:16	Received and ready for processing
15/03/11 09:21	Lodged by customer	WERRIBEE PLAZA POST SHOP

No updates beyond 16 March, which is disturbing.

Today, I spoke with customer service of EMS and was informed that sometimes letters get delayed at Customs or the post office of the destination country, e.g. if they are at the bottom of the pile and have not been attended to yet, and so the recipient has not scanned the barcode to acknowledge receipt, which would automatically be updated online.

The officer suggested I give the contact number of their SG counterpart [Speedpost] to my agent to follow up on her end.

Except when she called, Speedpost said they hadn't received the documents, and asked her to find out the flight number and despatch number!!

I have since also discovered online that I had the option of getting the documents insured for extra cover of up to $5k, which would have provided -

• coverage against loss, theft or damage of your international mail
• proof of posting
• secure handling
• a signature on delivery

My only defence is that Auspost did not even mention this option.

Can there be a better time to recall Proverbs 3:5-6...

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths."