This morning I received a new message from DHL Vietnam. Not a reply to my open letter. Not an explanation for the wrong paperwork, the impossible compliance demand, or the four phone calls.
No. It was an auto-reply.
“DHL Express Vietnam will be closed on Vietnam National Day holiday from Monday, 1 September 2025 until end of Tuesday, 2 September 2025. Our skeleton Customer Service team will be on duty and ready to assist you — by phone.”
In other words: your shipment may be confiscated, but please enjoy the long weekend.
Why this matters
This is not about national holidays. Of course staff deserve time off. The issue is that after weeks of silence, avoidance, and phone-only tactics, DHL’s automated message reads like parody.
- I set a 24-hour deadline. They missed it.
- I asked for written replies only. They offer phone hotlines instead.
- I asked for accountability. I got a “peaceful holiday” wish.
The pattern continues
Dead inboxes. Boilerplate refusals. Impossible demands. Calls and WhatsApp instead of email. And now, auto-replies that push customers back to phones — the very channel designed to leave no trace.
This isn’t service. It’s avoidance dressed up as cheerfulness.
Lesson for leaders
In normal times, an auto-reply about holiday closures is harmless. In a crisis, it becomes another insult. Leaders must see every communication through the eyes of the customer’s context.
DHL’s email wished me a “peaceful holiday” while my shipment sits in limbo. The message wasn’t wrong in itself — but delivered at this moment, it reinforced the perception of evasion and indifference.
The leadership lesson? Context transforms communication. A cheerful note in the wrong moment can inflame rather than reassure. Leaders need to ensure automated messaging is aligned with customer reality, not just the calendar.
