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Postbank closure in Unterschleißheim: Seniors in sight!
The closure of the Postbank branch in Unterschleißheim by the end of 2025 primarily affects seniors and is causing great concern.
Postbank closure in Unterschleißheim: Seniors in sight!
The closure of bank branches is a trend that is also gaining momentum in Unterschleißheim. The Postbank branch on Rathausplatz will be closed by the end of 2025 at the latest, and this will have far-reaching consequences for the local population, especially older people. According to a report by Mercury After the closure, customers have to drive either to Dachau or Garching, which is at least ten kilometers away.
The closure is part of a larger plan in which around 230 of 550 branches in Germany will be closed. Consumer advice centers strongly criticize this measure. They speak of a “sheer mockery” for customers and demand a legal minimum level of equipment at branches and ATMs daily news reported. Many seniors who rely on personal services feel disadvantaged by these developments.
The concerns of seniors
“I have already helped around 20 seniors switch to other banks,” says Brigitte Wagner, a 73-year-old VHS lecturer who can well understand the concerns of the older generation. These people are often not digital experts and may have difficulty navigating online banking. The city of Unterschleißheim and the owner of the post office building are therefore looking for solutions for this group, which should still have access to banking services.
But digital banking has gained momentum in recent years. Like an analysis of TH Cologne shows, the number of branches in Germany has more than halved since the 1990s, and this is not just due to the post-pandemic adjustment of banking business. Customers are less dependent on branches and many now use online banking for their financial matters. Almost 80% of checking account holders access their accounts via websites or apps.
Technical hurdles and complaints
But digital transformation is not without challenges. Recent IT problems during the migration to Deutsche Bank meant that around twelve million Postbank customers had difficulty accessing their accounts. Between January and September, 1,700 complaints were received, which is almost three times as many as the entire previous year. Such accessibility is anything but satisfactory for many customers, and that annoys those affected as well daily news reported.
It should be noted that after the closure of the Postbank in Unterschleißheim there will be no replacement locations or self-service terminals. Although the free cash supply remains available via machines at the Hypovereinsbank and in supermarkets, this still means a real loss of service for many older people.
The discussion surrounding the closures shows that banks have to have a good hand in meeting the needs of their customers. Simply closing without offering alternatives will not work in the long run. The future of banking must find a balance between digital solutions and personal contact. This is the only way to successfully deal with the decline in branches.