Rights of courier service customers

KUALA LUMPUR: Recently an entrepreneur, who wanted to be known only as Kak Nor, engaged a courier service provider to send several tins of hydrogenated vegetable oil to a customer.

When her customer failed to receive the goods within the specified period, Kak Nor went to the courier service company’s warehouse where she discovered that the tins of oil had been badly damaged and dumped into a trash bin.

“My goods were worth RM500 and I paid RM81 for the courier service,” she told Bernama.

The same company was also implicated in an incident where its employees were caught on video mishandling parcels and damaging them.

The employees were reportedly expressing their dissatisfaction over a decision by the company to reduce their commission.

These are just incidents that highlight the risks customers take by handing over items to a third party for safe delivery.

While courier service providers are liable for damage to or loss of goods in their care, there is scant relief for affected customers.

All courier companies are licensed under the Postal Services Act 2012 and come under the purview of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission.

It is wise for consumers to vet a courier company’s delivery terms and conditions to determine their rights and the steps to be taken to file a claim if the situation warranted it, lawyer Nor Zabetha Muhd Nor said.

While most terms and conditions are heavily weighed in favour of the service provider, there is room for consumers to protect their rights.

For instance, if a parcel received is damaged, it is best to lodge a complaint with the company within the specified time frame, which usually is 48 hours. Complaints can be channelled to the company via its hotline or email.

“A company has the right to reject a claim if it is lodged later than 48 hours.”

If the items are damaged or lost, the terms and conditions only enable the sender to file a claim for compensation. If the recipient wishes to file a claim, he must get written authorisation from the sender.

The claim must be furnished with proof of payment, delivery receipt, copy of identity card and other documents that the courier company may require.

Nor Zabetha said the sender should take photographs of packages before handing them over to the courier service provider as proof that the items had been properly packed. “For instance, if it is a breakable item, it should be wrapped well. The weight and nature of the goods should also be stated clearly,” she said.