PostNL Lost Package: What to Do When Deliveries Go Missing

Has your package gone missing after being shipped through PostNL, the national postal service in the Netherlands? Dealing with a lost or mishandled delivery can be incredibly frustrating. If you’re wondering “what do I do now?” after PostNL seems to have lost your parcel, this guide covers the recommended steps to try and track it down or receive compensation.

We’ll walk through the initial actions to take, tips for handling PostNL’s customer service, filing formal missing mail investigations, preventing future lost shipments with PostNL, and more. Let’s dive in!

First Steps When Your PostNL Package Doesn’t Arrive

PostNL shipment did not arrive on expected date, check delivery status online or via PostNL app using tracking code and recipient’s postal code.

Delivery status marked “Delivered”? This often indicates the package was misrouted or delivered to a neighbor. Ask any housemates, family members, or nearby neighbors if they accidentally received your parcel.

Status shows something else? Give it another day or two before escalating – PostNL aims to deliver domestic shipments within 1-2 business days. If it has been longer than that with no package, it’s time to contact the sender and PostNL customer service.

The sender should initiate the missing package claim with PostNL since they are the customer who paid for shipping services. As the recipient, you can also call PostNL customer service at 31-88-8686161 or send them a direct message on Twitter explaining the situation.

What if PostNL Says the Package Was “Delivered”?

One of the most common customer complaints is PostNL wrongly marking packages as “delivered” when they were clearly not received at the proper address. PostNL claims this sometimes happens when delivery drivers prematurely scan packages before attempting delivery.

If PostNL’s system shows your package status as “delivered” but it never arrived, immediately reach out to their customer service. Firmly state the shipment did not get delivered and demand proof such as showing you the delivery signature confirming receipt.

Pushback Tips for Dismissive PostNL Customer Service

Many customers report PostNL’s initial customer service responses are dismissive. Representatives often suggest simply waiting several more days in case the driver made a mistake on the delivery scan.

Be persistent! If PostNL keeps giving you the run-around:

• Politely but firmly reiterate the facts – the delivery did not actually occur
• Ask to immediately escalate to a supervisor or management level
• Follow up repeatedly, contacting PostNL through multiple channels like phone and social media
• Document all interactions with time, date, names, and summaries of what was said

Your persistence and documentation creates a trail that may prompt PostNL to take your missing package case more seriously.

Filing a Formal Missing Mail Search/Investigation

If your initial customer service contacts don’t resolve the situation, you’ll need to formally request PostNL open an investigation into the missing shipment. They should provide a case number to track status.

For domestic shipments within the Netherlands, PostNL states they respond quickly on missing mail investigations. However, for international packages from outside the EU, their process can take much longer due to customs checks in transit.

What to expect during a PostNL missing package investigation:

• They will attempt to trace the shipment’s journey and delivery scan data
• The last depot or delivery driver may be contacted about the package’s whereabouts
• Investigations can take 7-10 days on average to complete for PostNL

Keep following up firmly yet politely through all customer service channels until receiving clear answers if the investigation stalls with no updates or resolution. Outline timelines and lack of response if not getting adequate help.

Getting Reimbursement if Package Is Truly Lost

In cases where PostNL’s investigation confirms the package was indeed lost or mishandled irrecoverably, they should compensate you up to a maximum amount based on the shipping fees paid.

However, customers frequently complain PostNL tries to avoid reimbursing lost packages unless the sender paid extra fees to insure the shipment value. Their policy is to expect customers to pay additional costs for insurance against potential carrier mistakes or theft.

If PostNL refuses to reimburse for a legitimately lost delivery you did not insure, you may be able to dispute the charges as services not rendered with your credit card company or PayPal.

Prevention – How to Avoid Lost PostNL Packages

While dealing with a missing PostNL delivery is never fun, there are some precautions that may help prevent mishandled packages in the first place:

• Provide clear delivery instructions like indicating which door/apartment to deliver to or authorization to leave with a neighbor if missed
• Insure valuable shipments through PostNL’s insurance options, or use premium shipping services with automatic insurance included
• For truly irreplaceable items, consider shipping through premium carriers like UPS or FedEx which generally have lower rates of lost packages than PostNL

Is Package Forwarding or Local Pick-Up Better?

Some customers say they have fewer issues with local PostNL service points holding packages for pick-up rather than attempted home delivery. This way, misrouting or “delivered” scan issues are avoided.

You can set Delivery Instructions with PostNL to hold your package at a nearby service point rather than attempt home delivery. There are still sometimes issues with items not being properly held, but it adds an extra confirmation step.

Challenges with PostNL’s Performance and Service

PostNL has many customer complaints about lost packages, late deliveries, and poor customer service.

Many critics say these issues stem from PostNL being privatized and profit-driven rather than a public service organization. Unlike government postal services, they have economic incentives to cut labor costs and customer service investment.

How PostNL’s Policy Shifts Burden to Customers

Compounding customer frustrations, PostNL’s policies often shift responsibility to recipients and senders when mistakes happen. Their representatives frequently suggest:

• Waiting longer than their stated delivery window when packages are clearly delayed or lost
• Requiring additional paid insurance coverage to guarantee compensation for lost shipment value
• Recipients should track down packages themselves that were misrouted or mis-scanned as “delivered”

These tactics pass the burden to customers rather than fixing internal processes that lead to widespread mis-delivered or lost packages. Customers pay PostNL for reliable shipping, so these policy stances feel hugely unfair.

Conclusion

While dealing with a delayed or lost PostNL shipment is incredibly aggravating, being persistent and firm in following up is crucial to getting any resolution from their customer service. This may include:

• Checking delivery status online first and confirming the package truly never arrived
• Reaching out through all contact channels like phone, Twitter, and web forms
• Documenting every interaction and demanding missing package investigations
• Pushing back against dismissive initial responses suggesting just waiting longer
• Exploring reimbursement options like paid insurance or credit card disputes

Having a missing PostNL package is frustrating at every step, but your indignation as a customer is valid. Politely but persistently elevating cases and not backing down may sometimes be the only way to get PostNL’s attention.

Here’s hoping PostNL eventually improves internal processes and customer service to make situations like this less common. But for now, their shaky performance means determined effort is required when shipments go awry.