Neither Rain nor Snow….

For those of you in the US, you know the expression…Neither rain nor snow can stop the US Postal Service. Not sure if a similar adage holds true in Germany, but I will let you know later this winter.

I am beginning to figure out the complexities of the German postal service. Not that I have all the answers yet, but some of the puzzle pieces are starting to fall into place. I can now buy stamps, mail packages and letters, fill out customs forms, pick up packages that are stopped in customs (oh yea, I have that one down!). Still, each visit to the local post office brings a new revelation. It certainly keeps me on my toes.

A little background: Apparently, the German postal service has recently been deregulated and partly privatized, opening up the opportunity for competition. With this deregulation comes a few hiccups along the way. While Deutsche Post (the primary and only real option for mail service in Germany) has not yet quite mastered the concept of differentiating their business on low cost strategies, let alone a customer service mindset, I suspect they will get there eventually, particularly as new companies enter the market.

What Deutsche Post has mastered, however, is the art of “re-branding”. Everywhere you look, Deutsche Post is advertising, flinging its yellow and black colors and messages onto billboards, tram and bus advertisements, newspapers, etc. I am familiar with this type of marketing strategy in the US - tell ‘em you’re new and improved, so therefore, you must be. Not that I would know how the “old” Deutsche Post operated, but I can see that their marketing budget has received a major cash infusion.

Other observations:

· Walk or ride? – Most mail carriers deliver mail to residences and small business by foot. Carriers walk their routes, pushing a three legged cart (think: pull golf cart used by golfer who walks the links, but attach a yellow and black mail bag.) There are a few varieties on this theme. Some mail carriers use a three wheel bicycle, with the mail bags attached across the back. Not sure why some carriers have to walk and other gets to ride, but perhaps that has something to do with the distance covered.

· Cute yellow vests – Yes, there appears to be sort of dress code for mail carriers, but it is not universally applied. Can’t explain why, as some carriers wear the official Deutsche Post shirt and others do not. They do, however, wear cute little yellow and black vests (again, think crossing guard vest, but in yellow and black).

· We like our mail carrier – Yes, it’s true. Our mail carrier who delivers our mail is outstanding: on time (like precision, he is here at 10 am Monday through Saturday), pleasant and courteous, and quite helpful. The employees working in the actual post office close to our apartment, though, have the same beaten down manner that “us Yanks” often see in our post offices in the States. I think I even see them cringe as I approach the counter .

· Hours of operation – Monday through Friday (9-4), and Saturday till noon. An improvement from Taiwan where post offices were closed on Saturday.

· Air mail letter – Now, hold on to your socks. I mailed a Mother’s Day card (normal Hallmark card size and weight) via airmail. The cost? 3.15 euros. Gang, that is close to US$3.50. It was more than the cost of the card. I guess Christmas cards are out this year…