I am returning a modem to my internet provider. I provided the number provided by the Internet company to Canada Post, they printed a label and provided me with a tracking number, including a QR code that I can scan to ensure that I'm correctly inputting the 22 digit number with all the hyphens in the right places, etc. However the following day, more than 24 hours later on a normal weekday when Canada Post should be having regular pick ups throughout the day ... when I scan and enter the code into the Canada Post tracking data field, it says: "Item Not Found" and lists a bunch of unrelated, illogical reasons such as: "Sender shipped this item through a service that doesn't include tracking" ???!!! Really??!!! Canada Post can't even recognize its own tracking numbers that it issues to customers itself??!!
Another illogical reason it lists to explain why the tracking number is not recognized: "This item was shipped over a year ago"??!! Really??!! Is Canada Post's technology so outdated that not only is it unable to recognize it's own tracking number that it has issued to a customer that has been entered into its own computer system, but it is also unable to distinguish between an recently issued tracking number and a number that was issued more than a year ago??!!
Other reasons it lists is that tracking number is incorrect, although I entered it directly from Canada Post's own QR code, and also manually entered it, just in case the QR code was faulty. Another reason on the list is that "haven't received this item from the sender" ... which is laughable because in order for Canada Post to issue a tracking code, the item has to first be entered into their own computer database. The very moment the item is entered and a tracking number is issued, the customer should be able to begin tracking the location of their item, even if it only tells them that the item has not yet been picked up from the original Post Office where the item was first processed (similar to the way tracking works on Amazon where customers can see whether or not the item has been shipped, including an estimated date of delivery).
The Tracking page suggested I also fill out a Canada Post survey, which I did, but all it asked is whether or not I received polite service and whether the post office was clean and tidy??!! The survey completely missed the point asking dumb questions geared to force the customer into giving them a high rating because my issue wasn't with the customer service nor whether or not the Post Office is tidy ... it is regarding their outdated, archaic ridiculous malfunctioning tracking system, where not only is it unable to recognize and track numbers issued by Canada Post itself, but it then offers up an absurd list of illogical unrelated reasons worthy of a Saturday Night Live skit, to further aggravate and frustrate the customer!
The Canada post clerk scanned the QR code, which generated a shipping label. Easy peasy. However she told me I need to bring my own tape to tape this label to the package. Canada post doesn’t provide tape.
This seemed weird to me so now I have to go home and tape the package and return to the post office. I didn’t want to buy some probably overpriced tape.
Isn’t the whole point of having a QR code at the post office to make things easy and efficient? I guess I’m keeping a roll of tape in my car now.
Seems highly inefficient. Is it just me?