Complaints at record levels
Network agency threatens Post with “financial consequences”
January 14, 2024, 1:02 a.m
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The record number of customer complaints about postal and parcel service providers in 2022 was not an outlier. According to Netzagentur President Müller, the number of complaints in 2023 was similarly high. The head of the authorities also has advice on how companies could get the problems under control.
The President of the Federal Network Agency is threatening the postal service and its competitors with financial consequences if they do not comply with “legal quality standards” in the future. “Complaints from consumers about postal and parcel services last year were at a similarly high level as in the previous record year of 2022,” said network agency boss Klaus Müller to the newspapers of the Funke media group. According to Müller, there were around 43,000 complaints at that time, three times as many as the year before.
Referring to his authority’s new legal options, Müller announced a tougher approach. “If legal quality standards are not met, there should be financial consequences,” he said. “A raised finger is not enough.” So far, the Federal Network Agency has been limited to speaking to postal service providers or carrying out event-related checks. But the new postal law, which the federal government introduced into the Bundestag, provides more powers for its authority.
“It’s about smiling children’s eyes”
Müller sees a need for action in the industry, among other things, in preparing for the Christmas business. “Families want to see the presents under the Christmas tree on time. Many companies make their main profit during this time and rely on reliable delivery,” he said. It’s “about smiling children’s eyes and a sensible Christmas business. You can prepare for that.”
Müller cited the lack of staff as the reason for the problems. Companies would have to respond to this with flexible work deployment. “Companies must look for seasonal workers in good time to cope with the Christmas business.”
Müller also commented on a possible increase in postage for postal mail on January 1, 2025. He assumes that the postal service will submit a new application for a postage increase at the turn of the year, i.e. after the three-year approval period has expired. It remains to be seen whether this would then be approved, said Müller. The network agency will decide on this “when we know the Post’s figures”.