Australia Post’s New Point-of-Sale System Hit by Technical Glitches

Australia Post’s new cloud-based point-of-sale platform, POST+, has been plagued by several technical challenges since its launch, including system outages, missing transactions, and significant usability issues. Designed to replace the organization’s outdated 30-year-old EPOS system, POST+ was introduced with the aim of improving transaction processing and integrating more modern features. However, since its phased rollout began in December, Australia Post franchisees have faced regular complaints about missing or incomplete transactions, inconsistent reports, and system downtime. The outages have at times lasted up to 90 minutes, with franchisees struggling to reconcile their balances due to the discrepancies.

Australia Post disputes claims that transactions have disappeared entirely, explaining that “pending transactions did not originally appear in daily summaries,” a problem that was later corrected. However, the platform’s malfunctioning has nonetheless resulted in a range of issues for franchisees. Complaints about POST+ have been regularly escalated to the Australia Post IT helpdesk, with some franchisees raising concerns as early as January. These complaints were not only about transaction failures but also about the system’s clunky interface, slow reporting processes, and limited visibility into transaction statuses.

In response to these ongoing issues, Australia Post enlisted Deloitte to conduct a technical review of POST+. Deloitte was tasked with identifying potential errors in the platform’s frontend software and its backend cloud architecture, as well as evaluating performance bottlenecks in the end-to-end transaction process. The consulting firm also assessed whether POST+ followed industry best practices for system design and implementation. Deloitte’s review, completed in September, identified several technical challenges and performance issues affecting retail stores. These included login problems, issues with searching for services, difficulties in adding items to the cart, and repeated transaction failures. Despite these setbacks, Deloitte’s report concluded that POST+ had a “fit-for-purpose” architecture but recommended improvements to enhance performance and usability.

While the Deloitte review found that there were “no insurmountable” technical issues with POST+ and that it remained usable, it also pointed out that occasional incidents may still arise, and user interface and user experience improvements were necessary to address ongoing pain points for franchisees. The review recommended that additional resources and support be allocated to ensure the system’s continued improvement. Australia Post responded by confirming that the system had been independently audited and was deemed fit-for-purpose, though it acknowledged the need for further improvements.

The financial impact of POST+’s problems on franchisees has been significant. The Licensed Post Office (LPO) Group, which represents one-third of the 2,800 licensees operating under Australia Post’s franchise model, has expressed concerns about the system’s effect on business operations. LPO Group executive director Angela Cramp cited evidence showing that transactions had been missing or incomplete for nearly a year. Franchisees began keeping paper trails of transaction histories to mitigate the shortfalls and document discrepancies. A notable example is an outage in May that reportedly lasted for 90 minutes, costing licensees an estimated $200,000 in lost revenue.

Franchisees are paid based on the number of tasks they process, such as bill payments and banking services. When transactions fail to complete, the licensees are not compensated, adding to their financial burden. iTnews has learned that Australia Post’s IT helpdesk instructed franchisees to cover the shortfalls themselves, which mirrors the procedures under the previous EPOS system. However, Australia Post’s CEO, Paul Graham, denied claims that franchisees were required to make up the shortfall. He clarified that Australia Post provided reports for transactions that had failed to process. The company also denied the reported cost of the 90-minute outage, stating that it had waived technology fees for the affected licensees.

Despite these ongoing issues, Graham described POST+ as a “state-of-the-art” system and downplayed the complaints, attributing them to a “minority” of users. He acknowledged that the implementation of such a large-scale system would naturally result in some “teething problems” but emphasized that POST+ was designed to improve transaction security and enhance the user experience for both staff and customers. However, as of this month, bugs affecting cash flow and reconciliation were still being uncovered, indicating that the system’s problems are far from resolved.

Australia Post continues to defend POST+ by highlighting that it is a modern system built to replace the aging legacy platform. The organization has worked closely with stakeholders, including licensees and post office team members, throughout the design and implementation process. Regular meetings with licensees have continued, and Australia Post has committed to ongoing investments in the platform, aiming to improve the system in response to user feedback. The company also reiterated that POST+ underwent independent audits and was found to be fit for purpose, and they continue to collaborate with stakeholders to enhance the system further.

Despite these assurances, the ongoing technical issues and the financial strain on franchisees suggest that POST+ still has significant challenges to overcome. The platform’s integration with existing systems and its ability to meet the diverse needs of users remain critical concerns, as Australia Post works to resolve the bugs and improve the overall user experience.