A day at a local bank.....
I "was" having a small personal saving account in a local bank situated behind my office. Initially, I found it very convenient to operate the saving account. I have ATM card where I can withdraw small cash from any ATM machine, I can use the Internet banking facilities to pay my bills and conduct inter-banks funds transfer, and I can also use the Internet banking to do my monthly investment in unit trusts. Needless to say, it was so paperless, I don't even bother to keep my saving account book.
Since two months ago, I can't use the Internet banking facilities to conduct my usual banking transactions. I was later told that I need to go to my branch to update my hand phone number to my account profile. I was told it was for security reason that I must provide my hand phone number. What the heck, I went to the Bank's branch to enquire.
I was directed to the "Customer Service Counter". The customer service personnel, passed a form to me and said "FILL this form".
"Fill this Form ?" I asked
"YES. FILL ! FILL !" She commanded impatiently. Perhaps, maybe the way I dressed is not up to her standard. I should have put on tie, dressed smartly, put on my Rolex watch, and flashed all my platinum cards to her.
Nevertheless, my emotion is still in controlled. I took a few minutes to fill the form and passed it back to her.
"IC ! IC!" She said impatiently.
I took out my Identity Card and handed it to her. Trying very hard not to be annoyed with her ill manner.
She photocopied my IC, then insert it into a small black box. "My card reader can not read your IC !" She said.
"Can not read my IC ?" I asked.
"READ IT YOURSELF !" she threw the card reader and my IC on to the table in front of me expecting me to pick it up and operate the faulty card reader.
"Can I give you my Driving License for verification ?" I asked. Still trying not to be annoyed.
"NO ! Go home and get your Birth certificate to show it to me !"
"Why do you need my Birth Cert ? Can your card reader read my Birth Cert ? " I asked
"This is my bank Auditor's requirement." She said without looking at me.
"Can I talk to your Manager ?" I requested.
"NO. He is not IN." She said and proceed to the next customer.
Never mind about the rude treatment. I have more important things to do for the day. I am not going to display my emotion and waste my breaths on this insufficiently educated person. I went back to the office and call the Bank asking to speak to the manager. The manager told me, if the card reader have problem reading my IC, Driving License is good enough for verification purpose. He asked me to go back to the bank and he will talk to the clerk to get it done for me.
I guess I have enough of being push around. I told myself, no more further business with this bank.
The next morning, I went to another foreign bank, told them my requirements, within less than 15 minutes, I was served coffee, given a Gold Credit Card, and a Priority Banking Account. The most important thing is, they served me with enthusiastic SMILES and are always very patient with my enquiries. Now this is what I called "Customer Service" !
After completing my transactions with the new bank, I went back to the old bank to close my unit trusts account and saving account. This time, another clerk in the "Customer Service" counter asked me "Mr XXX, why you want to closed your account ?" If she was the Customer Service Personnel that served me yesterday, I would not have to take the trouble to open a new account elsewhere and closed my account here. Too bad, enough is enough. I am not going to subject myself the future risks of customer abuses.
"It is a bit inconvenient for me to maintain my account here." I replied with couldn't care less and polite manner. "I might even want to close all current accounts related to me in this bank later."
I am not expecting the bank to treat me like his royal highness, the majesty. But at least, be polite and put on a fake smile. I guess I do have my limit, this is not the first time the same "customer service personnel" being very rude to me. If she felt that I am giving her too much work by being a customer in her bank, I will go elsewhere to other bank who is willing to do business with me.
Since two months ago, I can't use the Internet banking facilities to conduct my usual banking transactions. I was later told that I need to go to my branch to update my hand phone number to my account profile. I was told it was for security reason that I must provide my hand phone number. What the heck, I went to the Bank's branch to enquire.
I was directed to the "Customer Service Counter". The customer service personnel, passed a form to me and said "FILL this form".
"Fill this Form ?" I asked
"YES. FILL ! FILL !" She commanded impatiently. Perhaps, maybe the way I dressed is not up to her standard. I should have put on tie, dressed smartly, put on my Rolex watch, and flashed all my platinum cards to her.
Nevertheless, my emotion is still in controlled. I took a few minutes to fill the form and passed it back to her.
"IC ! IC!" She said impatiently.
I took out my Identity Card and handed it to her. Trying very hard not to be annoyed with her ill manner.
She photocopied my IC, then insert it into a small black box. "My card reader can not read your IC !" She said.
"Can not read my IC ?" I asked.
"READ IT YOURSELF !" she threw the card reader and my IC on to the table in front of me expecting me to pick it up and operate the faulty card reader.
"Can I give you my Driving License for verification ?" I asked. Still trying not to be annoyed.
"NO ! Go home and get your Birth certificate to show it to me !"
"Why do you need my Birth Cert ? Can your card reader read my Birth Cert ? " I asked
"This is my bank Auditor's requirement." She said without looking at me.
"Can I talk to your Manager ?" I requested.
"NO. He is not IN." She said and proceed to the next customer.
Never mind about the rude treatment. I have more important things to do for the day. I am not going to display my emotion and waste my breaths on this insufficiently educated person. I went back to the office and call the Bank asking to speak to the manager. The manager told me, if the card reader have problem reading my IC, Driving License is good enough for verification purpose. He asked me to go back to the bank and he will talk to the clerk to get it done for me.
I guess I have enough of being push around. I told myself, no more further business with this bank.
The next morning, I went to another foreign bank, told them my requirements, within less than 15 minutes, I was served coffee, given a Gold Credit Card, and a Priority Banking Account. The most important thing is, they served me with enthusiastic SMILES and are always very patient with my enquiries. Now this is what I called "Customer Service" !
After completing my transactions with the new bank, I went back to the old bank to close my unit trusts account and saving account. This time, another clerk in the "Customer Service" counter asked me "Mr XXX, why you want to closed your account ?" If she was the Customer Service Personnel that served me yesterday, I would not have to take the trouble to open a new account elsewhere and closed my account here. Too bad, enough is enough. I am not going to subject myself the future risks of customer abuses.
"It is a bit inconvenient for me to maintain my account here." I replied with couldn't care less and polite manner. "I might even want to close all current accounts related to me in this bank later."
I am not expecting the bank to treat me like his royal highness, the majesty. But at least, be polite and put on a fake smile. I guess I do have my limit, this is not the first time the same "customer service personnel" being very rude to me. If she felt that I am giving her too much work by being a customer in her bank, I will go elsewhere to other bank who is willing to do business with me.
5 comments:
Interesting encounter. IMO you did the right thing to stop business with the bank. The fact that they didn't care enough to put the right staff at the front desk tells you the couldn't-care-less attitude of the bank towards its customers. You may already know that in Malaysia, the customer-facing staffs are usually one of the lowest paid in the whole organization.
i guess customer service in malaysia is not up to the standard as it is still based on individual judgements instead of giving fair service to all customers.
in aussie, from my observation even a guy who is on the dole would be given the same treatment as those who wears a suit!
christine
local bank staff never learn. They are "chassing" away clients. Cause partly because of "mentality". Work hard also same "gaji".
I am an ex-bank staff. I took VSS in 1997. To my suprise, some of my clients even went to the extend of getting me a job even before I left the bank.
May be "Karma" ???
Foreign bank ah?...gee..you are rich....when want to belanja bak kut teh?
But you know, must give people a chance mah.
We all need people to give us a chance sometimes so why can't we give to other's?
Why the fire still so hot la, cool down and take a ice coffee ok?
No wonder those days my grandmom kept all her money under the bed.....hahahaha.
Stay well my friend.
I am not rich. That is why we all need a service and caring bank to help us to make our life easier.
If the little clerk chai thinks I am making her life miserables by making enquiries, then let it be. In my case, I just go to another bank to conduct my transactions. NO ISSUES, LESS DRAMA, & LESS STRESSFUL.
I wouldn't even want to bother making a complaint to the bank. Why waste my breathes ?
As it is, I think it is a WIN WIN situation ? She has less work to do, and I am happier with other bank.
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