Postbank closes branch in Eckernförde: What's next for customers?

The Postbank branch in Eckernförde finally closes its doors on Monday, January 20. Before the branch, a line of customers who worried about their banking business was formed at the end of last week. Older customers in particular feel affected by the closure, such as Horst Zachow, an 86-year-old customer who explains that he switched to Förde Sparkasse because he is not familiar with online banking.

Tina Rathjen, the Postbank branch director, reported that so far only a few customers have terminated their account. In the course of the closure, customers will continue to be looked after by phone, online or in a closest branch. Several consultants from Eckernförder Postbank are to move to Schleswig, although layoffs are not planned.

background for branch closing

The Post partner branch has moved its location to Kieler Strasse 58, where it is easier to reach. In the new partner branch, postal transactions are done by one to two employees. Postbank customers can withdraw cash on ATMs from Cashgroup (Deutsche Bank, HypoVereinsbank, Commerzbank). In Eckernförde there is a Commerzbag automat in the memory passage and a German ATM at Kieler Straße 65. In addition, Postbank customers can use the SB area of ​​Deutsche Bank in Eckernförde. The Postbank branch in Schleswig is available for personal concerns.

The owner of the former Postbank branch, Eckernförder Bank, is looking for a new anchor tenant. Postbank's closure is part of a larger trend because Deutsche Bank plans to close up to 250 out of 550 branches at Postbank. This was announced by Claudio de Sanctis, the private customer boss of Deutsche Bank.

The campaign encounters increasingly violent criticism: consumer advice centers describe the closures as "bare mockery" for customers. The latest IT problems at Postbank and DSL-Bank had also led to considerable difficulties in which customers had no access to their accounts at times. From January to September 2023, around 1,700 customer complaints were counted via Postbank and DSL-Bank, which was almost three times as many complaints as in the entire previous year. Consumer advocates require a rapid solution to the problems and unbureaucratic compensation for affected customers.