POAAL Podcast

Victorian Small Business Commissioner Lynda McAlary-Smith

POAAL spoke with Victorian Small Business Commissioner Lynda McAlary-Smith about her office's role in assisting small business owners, in particular in resolving disputes.

We discuss:

• Overview of the role of the Victorian Small Business Commissioner
• Small business dispute resolution, including for owner/drivers
• Resolving contractual disputes and disputes relating to unpaid invoices
• Termination notices for owner/drivers
• How alternative dispute resolution works through the Victorian Small Business Commissioner’s office
• Low-cost dispute resolution, including mediation
• Success rates of dispute resolution via the Victorian Small Business Commissioner
• Understanding how mediation works
• Retail leases, including dispute resolution
• Key issues in retail leases, including unpaid rent, repairs and maintenance, and making good the premises

 

Australia Post EGM Retail Josh Bannister

Josh Bannister, Executive General Manager Retail, Brand & Marketing at Australia Post, is the senior Australia Post executive with responsibility for Licensed Post Offices. In this discussion, Josh covers:

• Key highlights from Australia Post's 2023/2024 financial results
• Pushing last posting dates closer to Christmas
• Extended opening hours at post offices, including LPOs
• Christmas-themed parcel cards
• Pop-up parcel collection locations
• Parcel sub locator tool for storing and retrieving carded parcels
• Recruiting Christmas casuals
• Availability of stock
• Passport applications and renewals
• The New Delivery Model

 

Carded parcel planning and management

POAAL recently surveyed Licensees on how they manage carded parcels in their LPOs. POAAL Director Bob Chizzoniti discusses some of the main themes of the survey, including:

• Impact of large parcels on carded parcel storage
• Planning parcel storage as local population grows
• Demands on parcel storage during the Christmas peak
• Sending reminder notices to addressees
• Encouraging customers to collect their parcels quickly

PO Box management tips

POAAL's Bob Chizzoniti discusses PO Box management tips, including:

• Managing keys
• Effective filing of PO Box applications
• Basic PO Box maintenance

Reminding customers to collect carded parcels

POAAL's Bob Chizzoniti discusses the results of POAAL's recent survey on carded parcels, in particular reminding customers to collect carded parcels:

• Phoning addressees to remind them to collect their parcels.
• Pressure to manage storage space
• Sending text message reminders to customers
• Encouraging earlier parcel collection
• Sending reminder notices
• Improving parcel management processes ahead of peak season

 

Amazon Delivery Service Partner network in Australia

Amazon is launching its Delivery Service Partner (DSP) network in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Under the DSP model, Amazon engages contractors who will operate delivery fleets ranging from 20 to 40 vehicles.

Amazon operates the DSP model in the USA and some other countries. Parcel delivery consultant Dean Maciuba, Managing Partner USA at Crossroads Parcel Consulting, joins the POAAL Podcast to share some insights into how Amazon's DSP model works in the USA.

We cover:

• The US delivery market, including the US Postal Service, FedEx, UPS, and regional carriers
• How Amazon partners with DSPs to deliver in the USA
• Amazon's share of US delivery volumes
• Why Amazon has set up a DSP network

 

Managing carded parcels in the LPO

POAAL's Bob Chizzoniti discusses tools and work processes to help manage carded parcels in the LPO:

• Outlet Parcel Overview Tool
• Monitoring carded parcel volumes in the post office
• Issuing second notices
• Digital second notices
• Contacting customers to encourage faster parcel collection
• Being proactive in managing carded parcels
• Encouraging customers to sign up for the Australia Post mobile app
• Parcel Locator tool
• Returning uncollected carded parcels
• Getting on top of managing carded parcels before the Christmas rush

 

The Australia Post app

POAAL's Bob Chizzoniti discusses the Australia Post mobile app.

• Why consumers would be interested in the AP app
• Tracking parcels via the Australia Post app
• Carded parcels and the app
• Managing parcels in transit
• Selecting delivery options
• What benefits there are to Licensees in customers using the AP app
• Promoting the AP app

 

Storing carded parcels at the post office

POAAL's Bob Chizzoniti discusses different ways of storing parcels awaiting collection at the post office.

• Storing by street address
• Storing by name
• Storing by PDO / Contractor / PO Box
• Advantages of storing by street address
• Reorganising parcel storage to create efficiencies
• Storage of parcels for PO Boxes
• Clearing out the back office
• Keep parcels off the floor
• Second notices
• Parcel locator

 

Some EOFY tips for your LPO

POAAL's Bob Chizzoniti shares some end of financial year activities for Licensees to do to reflect on their business, including:

• Reducing costs, including overheads such as power and phone
• Tips on how to review your staffing levels
• Ensure staff are being paid the correct award rates
• Being paid correctly for delivery points
• Self-paying daily
• Fit-outs and parcel storage, including free shelving
• Promoting PO Boxes
• Discounting slow-moving stock