How would you improve the Postbank app for customers whose local branch is closing?

Introduction

Postbank, Deutsche Bank's mass-market retail brand in Germany, has been reducing its branch network and moving customers towards mobile banking, with Deutsche Bank stating plans to close around 250 Postbank branches and make the brand mobile-first by mid-2026. Postbank's customer base is broad and older on average than digital-only banks, and the brand still carries scars from the 2023 IT migration onto Deutsche Bank's platform, when many customers faced outages and blocked accounts. The prompt asks how we would improve the Postbank app for customers whose local branch is closing. I'll clarify the context, segment those customers, map their pain points, generate solutions, prioritise them and define metrics.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (5 mins)

• Which branch services are customers losing?

• Hypothetical answer: Cash deposits and withdrawals, standing order changes, address updates, card replacement, and in-person advice.
• Why it matters: Each service needs a digital or alternative channel.

• Will customers still have access to postal outlets or partner locations?

• Hypothetical answer: Some Deutsche Post partner outlets offer limited services; cash is also available at retailers through cash-back schemes and at Cash Group ATMs.
• Why it matters: The app can route customers to physical alternatives.

• What does success mean?

• Hypothetical answer: Retain at least 95% of affected customers' primary accounts and move 60% of their routine transactions to the app within six months.
• Why it matters: Retention is the business goal; digital adoption is the mechanism.

• Are there brand or tech constraints?

• Hypothetical answer: The Postbank app runs on Deutsche Bank's shared platform since the Unity migration; changes need coordination with shared services.

• What is the timeframe?

• Hypothetical answer: Branch closures happen in waves across 2025–2026; we have about four months before the next wave.