The DHL Freight Customer Satisfaction Survey (CSS) is back – shorter and more focused than in previous years. This time, we are not only asking how satisfied you are with our services. Above all, we want to know which touchpoints would make the biggest difference to you if we improved them. That way, you set the priorities for our next steps.
We have redesigned the survey accordingly: we gather feedback on all key touchpoints, take a closer look at the areas where you see the greatest need for improvement, and follow up with customers who want us to get in touch.
Optimizing our product and service portfolio: What your feedback has changed
Before we look ahead, a brief look back. The responses from the CSS 2025 and from our ongoing surveys directly after individual interactions have fed into concrete projects. Four of them are immediately noticeable for you:
- A clearer product portfolio: EuroConnect, Eurapid and EuroLine have become Road Freight Standard, Road Freight Priority and Road Freight Direct. Three clearly defined products instead of a range that had grown over the years – which makes choosing faster.
- Customer service around the clock: With the rollout of ICE 2.0 and our digital assistant Viva, we answer questions about shipment status, complaints and products at any time of day or night. The rollout across all Freight countries is scheduled for completion this year.
- More digital self-service: We have continuously expanded our online shipping tools and system integrations. Booking, tracking and document access now run straight out of your own systems.
- Fewer emissions in transport: More than 1,700 trucks with low-emission and locally zero-emission drive systems are in operation across our network. Further investment is going into charging infrastructure and into technologies with a lower CO2 footprint that expand our GoGreen Plus offering.
These improvements have one thing in common: they all go back to points our customers raised with us. That is exactly why we keep asking. Our goal is to be your provider of first choice – and that is what this year's customer survey is about once again.
How feedback turns into action
Feedback is only useful if something follows from it. That is where First Choice comes in, DHL's group-wide program for our Continuous Improvement Process (CIP). More than 1,600 trained First Choice Advisors pick up feedback and see improvements through – from quick fixes to structural changes.
The principle behind it is deliberately simple:
- See it: We listen systematically – directly after individual interactions and once a year in the CSS.
- Sort it: We analyze the responses, categorize them and discuss them with the teams involved.
- Fix it: Anyone who spots a customer issue takes action – regardless of role or country.
One example from this year: during a regular review meeting, a customer raised the damage rate on their shipments, which in January 2026 did not meet their expectations. We looked into the causes together. After several adjustments to packaging and handling, we had brought the damage rate down to a satisfactory level by April.
Every piece of feedback counts
Our customers will receive an email invitation to the survey from September 1. If you are a customer and no invitation has arrived, it is worth checking your spam folder. Taking part requires around seven minutes and no preparation – just your assessment from working with us day to day. You decide whether to respond anonymously or to allow your feedback to be linked to your customer data. In the latter case, we can approach you directly and work through individual points together.
For us, the CSS is not a mood check but a working basis. It shows us which of last year's measures have reached you – and where we are not yet meeting expectations.
This year, the second part carries more weight. We want to put our resources where they have the greatest effect from your point of view, not where improvements come most easily.
Take the seven minutes. Your priorities help determine what we work on in the coming year – and for that, we thank you in advance.
