This year there were again many complaints from customers about Deutsche Post, for example about lost packages. As in the previous year, according to the Federal Network Agency, there will be over 40,000 again.
Especially right before Christmas, people are waiting for a particularly large number of letters and packages. And similar to last year, delayed or lost shipments still cause a lot of trouble, with citizens turning to the Federal Network Agency. It is already foreseeable that there will be well over 40,000 complaints by the end of the year, according to the Bonn authorities. Last year there were more than 43,500.
Therefore, with a view to the Christmas season, the President of the Federal Network Agency Klaus Müller appeals to the postal service providers – especially to Deutsche Post: “We ask and call on you to take all measures to ensure a reliable postal supply. Defects must be eliminated quickly .” Of course, this applies above all to Christmas packages, but not only to them, “but of course also to all letter shipments throughout the year,” said Müller at an online press conference today.
The company points to high levels of sickness
At the post office, given the total of 15 billion items, there is a small proportion of complaints. The reason for delays is currently not only high shipment volumes, but also, among other things, a high level of sickness among employees.
But the Federal Network Agency does not accept this. Christmas doesn’t come as a surprise. That’s why network agency boss Müller is also relying on fines, which could become possible with an amendment to the postal law. Because we also know from other regulated markets that this is the measure that ultimately really motivates board members and managers; that “problems for consumers, but also for self-employed people – companies that use the services – are only really solved when there are financial consequences.”
“We need postal reform now”
Jürgen Kühling, chairman of the Monopolies Commission, is convinced that the parcel business has shown that more competition can bring about a lot of movement in the market. Amazon has developed into serious competition there within just a few years. The online retailer is now in second place in Germany in terms of the number of packages behind the market leader Deutsche Post. That’s why Kühling is calling for more competition in the mail market – despite the continuing decline in the number of letters.
“We need the postal reform now. And this time please in the middle of the legislative period and really a reform and not a small reform like we experienced in the last legislative period,” said Kühling. “A major reform started, and in the end a small reform came out, which, according to our calculations, ultimately even favored the top dog.” According to Kühling, Deutsche Post DHL is still clearly dominant with an 85 percent market share in the mail sector.
Praise for the fiber optic expansion
The Federal Network Agency at least admits there is good news at the post office to the extent that the branch network is slowly being expanded again. Where the law requires it, there were still more than 170 branches missing in January. By October at least 100 new ones had been added.
There is significantly less criticism from the Federal Network Agency and the Monopolies Commission in the telecommunications sector than in the letter and parcel market. The expansion of the networks there is making good overall progress thanks to increased investments, says network agency boss Müller. “It is also positive that as of mid-2023, almost three quarters of households can book a gigabit connection. The cable networks have so far made the largest contribution to this. But fiber optic expansion is also making great strides.”
However, relatively few households have used this so far. Only one in four customers who could book a fiber optic connection actually takes advantage of this offer. According to the Federal Network Agency, this could not only be due to the costs, but also because many people are still satisfied with the network speed they have used so far. Nevertheless, a sustainable network is needed – and this is possible, especially with the expansion of fiber optics.