1. The Deutsche Post spent thousands of Euro to build so-called Packstationen (packing stations) all over Germany. So if you are unable, on a regular basis, to come to your post office during office hours, you can authorize the Deutsche Post to deliver/accept your packages at these stations, all automated and with a minimum of fuss.
Problem: Even if you haven't given such an authorization and aren't home when a package for you is being delivered, it is automatically taken to the Packstation, and you're supposed to collect it there. Which would be all nice and well... if it didn't happen to be winter and freezing cold, and your package didn't contain any sensitive electronics. I, for one, don't intend to let a DVD I bought freeze to death in sub-zero temperatures for days on end while I happen to be away for a few days.
Further problem: There's no one you can contact and complain to, and no one who'd agree to go back to the former status quo and deliver your packages to the (nice, warm, heated) post office instead.
2. The Deutsche Post branched off into banking a long time ago, called Postbank, and you used to do your transactions by filling out the money transfer form and sending it to your Postbank in a blue envelope provided by the bank that you could put into any mailbox of the Deutsche Post, anywhere in Germany. That has changed.
Problem: Today, you're allowed the awesome total of 12 (!) envelopes a year; any other set of 12 costs 6,60 Euro. You're supposed to either use the great new boxes in the post offices (where you can refrain from using an envelope), or to do your transactions online. But the boxes in the post offices are only accessible during office hours. Duh. And online banking is kind of risky if you don't use a firewall, isn't it?
Further problem: Once again, there's no one to complain to or to rectify the situation. Evidently, they're still glad to take your money for zero interest and zero costs (apart from the above, that is), but service... no, service is no longer important.
You're unhappy with them? Too bad for you. The Deutsche Post is now verrrrrrrrry important worldwide, and is no longer concerned with its puny German customers.
I could cheerfully throttle the whole bunch. Idiots. I guess I'll have to find a new bank. Fuck.
- Mood:
pissed off
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And I'll call you if I need to come back to your offer -- you'll hold them, I'll inflict grievous bodily harm. *eg*
I just wrote a very angy e-mail, unfortunately only concerning a). Hmpf.
Thanks for your X-mas message, by the way. It was the first thing I got, and it made me smile. :-)))
your neighbor sounds just like mine. :-(
Not that he's done so yet (although I suspect him of taking my missing TV Highlights magazines!), at least not that I could prove it. But I wouldn't be surprised at all if he decided to keep a package addressed to me that the mailman was stupid enough to give to him. He hates me, and trust me, that's mutual. ;-)
Um... I assume you have discovered the "Kontakt"-Button on the bottom of their website (http://www.deutschepost.de/dpag?xmlFile=828)? It leads to a secure page with both phone number and email contact form. Not that that is likely to be of much help, I only just used it after the theft and asked if it is possible that they *always* take my mail back to the post-office if I'm not home and *never* give it to anyone else (and as they apparently can *always* bring it to a Packstation (alas there is none here), it can't be too complicated for the postman), but they just said it's in their terms of service that they will give the mail to a neighbour and if they sign for it, it's my problem.
Duh. Hate them.
And it's in their bloody terms of service to give your mail to people who clearly don't intend to hand it over to its righful owner later on?! Yeah, that's the Deutsche Post indeed. You've just got to love them. *groan*
Maybe we ought ot switch mailboxes?
unless I actually have that put on the parcel as the delivery address (which play merry havoc with most online delivery servies as they won't accept that format of address).
I didn't know that was even possible.
And I'm all for switching mailboxes! ;-P
As for banking. Hm, I use the Sparkasse and do almost everything online. Login is on a secure server and I don't have a firewall. Maybe I'm not cautious or careful enough but so far I had no problems except for my new ec-card that either was never mailed or disappeared in the post-nirvana. By now most banks demand fees when you want to do your banking with a person around though the Sparkasse offers you terminals within the Sparkasse (24-hour-service) where you can do your banking even at night and in some branches you can even put money into your account via the ATMs
One thing I like about the Sparkasse is that they have ATMs almost everywhere and no matter where in Germany I withdraw money, as long as it's Sparkasse I don't have to pay a fee.
Since yesterday, I have a working firewall (Sygate Personal Firewall), and tried online banking today for the first time. Just to discover that they've already charged my account with 6,60 EUR for a second set of 'free' envelopes that I haven't gotten or even wanted (so far). If I get them next week, I'll give them back at the post office with a very direct letter.
The BB Bank, the SEB and the SpardaBank also offer free checking accounts, but they don't have any branches or ATMs (not even considering the cashpool they belong to!) close to my parents' home. So, no, no switching banks for now. Unfortunately.
Sparkassen are everywhere, but they are not free. Perhaps I have Scottish ancestors. *eg*