Account Management – Postbank creates free account for most customers from – Süddeutsche.de

This means millions of customers that they have to pay a fee for account management in the future for the first time.

From Meike Schreiber , Frankfurt

Many financial institutions have increased in recent months the fees. Now follows with Postbank one of the biggest: million customers have future first pay a fee for their current account. As of November 1, the basic account costs 3.90 euros a month at Postbank. Until now it was with 5.90 euros more expensive – but the fee matured only for customers who have received less than 1,000 euros a month. The majority of customers will therefore continue at all pay the first fee.

“We have to get out, have been cross-financed from this world into the current accounts,” explains Postbank Board Susanne Klöß in SZ interview conversion. The current Free Culture have Postbank even co-founded, but in the meantime the frames have changed completely. In a world with higher interest rates, a bank was able to still create the deposits of checking account customers and therefore waive a fee for account management. “Of course we are concerned also about the income,” Kloss said. Postbank have employees and shareholders, which they must meet. “We need a sustainable business model”

In addition to the basic account offers the Postbank, which is by the savings banks and the biggest retail banking in Germany , continue to be a premium account with broader services, further costs 9.90 euros per month. From a content input of 3000 euros, it is free; This limit was previously at 4000 Euro. One new proposal an online account, which costs 1.90 euros a month.

The center is the future for the first time asked to pay

For customers with fewer than 1,000 Euro salary input the account is cheaper after the new fee model so – 3.90 instead of 5.90 Euro per month. Klöß estimated their number at around one million. Even for customers with 3,000 to 4,000 Euro salary input it is cheaper – they can also use the first free premium account. All in between, ie those with a content input between 1000 and 3000 euros, paid in the future for the first time a fee

On the question of whether to pay the new fee model most customers more, says Kloss. “Yes, that is so.” But they got something for it: the complete account management, online banking, more than 1,000 branches, 9,000 points for cash supply. “If you park one hour in Frankfurt, will cost 2.50 euros,” says Kloss, “discussed this no man. Here we are talking of 3.90 per month, and since I set not for two hours of an automobile from, but get real value in the form of a service. “

Overall, Postbank performs 5.3 million checking accounts. After their number in 2015 has stagnated, it has risen again in the words of Klöß the first half of 2016th “. But clearly, some will reorient now I am not naïve,” she said

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Read Now the full interview – with SZ Plus:

“of course we are concerned also about the income”

Postbank manages the free checking account for most of their client companies. Board Susanne Klöß justified the step with the low interest rates – and provides a comparison with the parking fee for the car. From Meike Schreiber more …