The Future of Mail Delivery in the Digital Age
Interview with Oliver Fischer, Managing Director of A&O Fischer GmbH & Co. KG
In a world that is becoming increasingly digital, one might think that the classic letter is obsolete. But far from it: Mail delivery is undergoing a transformation that makes it not only more relevant but also more sustainable and innovative. Companies like A&O Fischer GmbH & Co. KG demonstrate how traditional communication tools can be modernized through digital technologies and environmentally friendly approaches.
A&O Fischer GmbH & Co. KG demonstrates how tradition and progress can be successfully combined. With a deep understanding of their customers' needs and a strong focus on future developments, the company remains a pioneer in the field of modern mail delivery.
Continuous Development
The history of A&O Fischer began three decades ago. Together with his brother André Fischer, Oliver Fischer founded the company, driven by the desire to become self-employed. What started as a small business is now a company with 60 employees, an annual turnover of around 19 million EUR, and a steady, double-digit growth. A decisive turning point was the year 2015: "With the launch of our online portal LetterXpress, we laid the foundation for our position in digital mail delivery," explains Managing Director Oliver Fischer.
LetterXpress allows business customers to upload their letters digitally. A&O Fischer handles the printing, enveloping, and shipping – completely automated and highly efficient. With nearly 25,000 business customers, the portal has become a central component of the company. Over the past few years, A&O Fischer has expanded its portfolio through targeted acquisitions. In 2022, the company acquired the platform letterei.de, which offers innovative solutions for letter dispatch. Additionally, onlinebrief24.de complements the service as a subsidiary, adding more standardized online letter services.
Diverse Solutions
A&O Fischer serves a wide range of customers, including housing associations, energy providers, and private consumers. "Our strength lies in being able to offer both standardized and customized solutions," explains Oliver Fischer. While platforms like LetterXpress focus primarily on efficiency and ease of use, A&O Fischer’s individual service allows for addressing specific customer needs.
The range of services extends from selecting various types of paper and materials to including physical inserts and data verification. Particularly impressive is the daily capacity: Approximately 220,000 letters, including many transactional documents such as invoices and contracts, are processed by A&O Fischer each day. The entire process, from data transmission to dispatch, is ISO 27001 certified, ensuring the highest standards in data protection and security.
A special highlight is the so-called hybrid approach: Customers send their documents digitally to A&O Fischer, where they are printed, enveloped, and then sent out physically. "This method combines the benefits of the digital and analog worlds," explains Oliver Fischer.
Another aspect that sets A&O Fischer apart from the competition is its commitment to sustainability. Currently, each letter is sent carbon-neutral through the Deutsche Post's GoGreen program. Additionally, the company utilizes recycled materials certified with the Blue Angel label. "We have also installed our own photovoltaic systems to further reduce our CO2 footprint," reports Oliver Fischer.
"Starting next year, we also aim to achieve the ISO 14001 certification to further reinforce our environmental standards." Sustainability is not just a trend for A&O Fischer, but an integral part of the company philosophy. "Our customers increasingly value environmentally friendly solutions, and we want to show them that mail dispatch and sustainability can go hand in hand," Oliver Fischer continues.
Team Spirit and Innovation
Behind the success of A&O Fischer stands a strong team. With 60 employees, the company fosters a partnership-oriented work culture. "We see ourselves as a homogeneous team, where everyone pulls together," emphasizes the managing director. "Without our employees, we would not be where we are today."
Another factor of success is the innovation power of the company. To be flexible in responding to market changes, A&O Fischer has fully integrated online marketing and product development in-house. This enables the company to respond more quickly to new trends and meet customer needs in real-time. "The market for letter mail is still very lively despite increasing digitalization. We benefit from the diversity of our distribution channels and gain more customers every year – also from abroad in Europe," explains Oliver Fischer.
This combination of team spirit, joy in innovation, and market proximity enables A&O Fischer to successfully assert itself in a dynamic market. Here, it is also immensely important that both production and customer service are fully integrated into the operation and no external providers are necessary.
The future of letter mail, according to Oliver Fischer, increasingly lies in the digital arena. "We need to learn to think beyond the classic letter and develop new products that meet the needs of our customers," he says. "At the same time, maintaining a focus on customer proximity remains a central part of our company strategy. It is important to speak the language of our customers and understand their needs precisely. We want to remain curious and creative to be able to offer the best solutions to our customers in the coming decades."