Skip to main content

My Bank Doesn't Understand Customer Service

My bank doesn't seem to understand the appropriate level of customer service for their industry.

It spent the best part of the nineteen nineties pushing their customers out in front of the ATM machines by reducing the number of tellers and charging fees for counter withdrawals.

They then spent the best part of the new millennium promoting their outstanding customer service by bringing back all the services they'd spent the previous decade cutting back on.

I walked into my bank today, like I have many times before, and was practically accosted by a man at the Customer Service desk, "Hello, how are you? Just going to the Tellers are we?"

"Errr... yes," I was somewhat taken aback. For a minute I thought I'd walked into the wrong place.

The guy realized I had no interest in him as I, like most people, know that to deposit a cheque, you need to head straight to the teller windows. I mean it's not a boutique clothing store where you expect assistance, it's a bank.

In a bank, if you're not making a specific transaction at a teller, there's usually only one other place to go - The Customer Service Desk. You don't need the customer service people to come to you because you already know that you can go to them for anything you can't achieve at the teller windows. Why can't my bank understand this?

I suspect my bank has been taking a browse through the fast food, Would you like fries with that, customer service handbook. Their Tellers, some time ago, started trying to interest me in other products like home loans. I've no idea why? Especially after they've probably just seen my laughable account balance as I deposit yet another modest cheque. If I wanted something else I would've asked, right?

Although I appreciate friendly customer service, in a bank, staff just should be there when you need them. They don't need to get in your face and they certainly don't need to be up-selling. My Bank shouldn't be giving me more reasons not like them (bank fees - don't get me started).

I can just imagine a robber running into my bank with a sawn off shot gun and a bag...

"Hello, how are you? Just going to the tellers are we?"
TET Life Topics:

Comments

  1. AnonymousJuly 25, 2008 10:31 PM

    Ha-Ha! I like that last quip - very funny!

    My bank (Westpac)a few years ago, used to have a desk at the door with a woman coming forward to greet you asking if she could help you, which I found a source of annoyance!

    This particular time, I had just gone into the bank to 'get myself sorted out' to put my money away and purse etc with other things in my hand, and didn't want to be doing it outside, and I told her this with a bit of annoyance in my voice!

    I don't often go into the bank these days, just using the ATM, but have done lately, having some small refund checks to put in (other stories0 or an Email Cash one once. (just sent for another $30 one, which amounted quickly this time, probably due to large points for some surveys!)

    They have put the desk back now, but it must just be for you to ask about anything or something special, because they have never bothered me when I've had to come in - thank goodness.

    I could have done with them when I just wanted to ask for a new transaction booklet to write my incomings and outgoings in. I decided to just stand at the Service Window for that, but she was on the 'phone for a customer standing there and the woman at the desk at the door was busy with someone in another area, so I just has to wait it out, as I wasn't going to the teller windows in a queue just for that!

    I would have liked the woman to have met me then to say, 'Can I help you?' but no luck when you want it!

    ReplyDelete
  2. TET (David Arandle)July 26, 2008 11:19 PM

    My bank currently has the customer service desk right at the entrance - which they've had there for ages - but this is the first time someone has actually spoken to me, from that desk, when I wasn't even going towards it.

    I'm sure if I'd actually needed something at the customer service desk they would've ignored me until I came up to the counter.

    Banks are funny like that.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Comments are moderated by an actual human (me, TET) and may not publish right away. I do read all comments and only reject those not directly related to the post or are spam/scams (I'm looking at you Illuminati recruiters... I mean scammers. Stop commenting on my Illuminati post!).

Buy Gifts and Apparel featuring art by TET.

Popular posts from this blog

How to Transfer Any Line Art to Your Griptape - Easy Skateboard Griptape Art Tutorial

Dog Star Griptape Art by TET Griptape art is once again gaining popularity amongst modern skateboarders. For those of us who have tried to create our own griptape art, using paint pens, you'll know reproducing your design onto the grip, without making any mistakes is incredibly challenging. Mostly because you just have to go for it and draw the design freehand, with paint pens, directly onto the griptape. You can make the odd mistake here or there but if you get the proportions of the design completely wrong, it can be very difficult to fix. Often you just have to live with the mistake. To address the problem I've come up with an easy way anyone can transfer a line art design to their griptape, removing almost all the anxiety of getting the proportions wrong. In fact, you could do this with any line art design, even if you have no drawing skill at all. Watch the video below to see my technique in action and/or skip past the video where I highlight the basic steps to get your de
Post a Comment
Continue Reading »

Guest Post: New Novel - Alias Jeannie Delaney - Book 2 - The Outlaw's Return

A lmost a year ago I featured Go West Girl , Book 1 of author, Kit Mackenzie's Alias Jeannie Delaney series. Now, the next book in the series,  Alias Jeannie Delaney - Book 2 - The Outlaw's Return , is soon to be released in August, and is available for pre-order on Amazon. If you love a powerful female lead in a traditional western packed with action and adventure, this is the novel for you. The story centers on Cowgirl Jeannie Morgan who grew up in Coyote Creek, Wyoming, where she became persecuted for her lethal gun and a sexuality that swings both ways. Tomboy beautiful and tough as the nails in a miner's boots, she is on the run with a bunch of boys who would die for her. Her snake strike gun, soul-slicing gaze and dangerous magnetism leaves a trail of intense emotions, killings and would-be death threats in her wake. Heading south, she finds herself becoming a legend. She's in deep trouble, but her home town demands her return and they pin a badge on her. It'
Post a Comment
Continue Reading »

Skateboard Trick Tips: Two Ways to Ollie North (Ollie One foot)

You have to be quick to see my Ollie Norths! Ollie One Foots, otherwise known as the Ollie North, is one of those skateboard tricks you learn and then tend not to do very much as more interesting trick challenges grab your attention. However it does look really cool if you learn how to kick your front foot well past the nose of your skateboard. Still shot from Braille Skateboarding's Ollie North tutorial. I was inspired to make my video below, showing two different techniques to achieve a successful Ollie One Foot, when I not only saw that Braille Skateboarding's Tutorial used a different method to the one I had learned but also, when I looked at various other video tutorials, I discovered yet another technique, with no one using the method I had originally learned. Braille's method is to simply Ollie and drag your front foot past the front of your board. The second method I came across in several video tutorials is to Ollie, drag your front foot and tap your
Post a Comment
Continue Reading »

I'm Joining the Illuminati Brotherhood By Personal Invitation of Hiltom Rothschild... Wait, What?

How special am I to have finally come of age (53 years young) and am now eligible to participate in building the world alongside other members of the Illuminati Brotherhood... Yes I've received the call by way of an email, which I'm sure is real because I had to translate it from the Dutch language and it was personally written by Hiltom Rothschild, one of the non-existent members of the Rothschild family (or perhaps deep undercover because Google has never heard of them?). A Transcript of the email below: To: etourist From: Illuminati Brotherhood  Subject: Illuminati Broederschap (Illuminati Brotherhood) I am Hiltom Rothschild, a member of the Rothschild family, one of the 13 families of the Illuminati brotherhood. I'm here to let you know that you've come of age and are eligible to participate in building the 🌎 world. It is a calling and a privilege to honor him with pride and gratitude as not everyone will ever be chosen by the LIGHT, many are called but few are ch
1 comment
Continue Reading »

Robot Uprising Update: Robot Waiter, Fasta Pasta, South Terrace, Adelaide CBD, South Australia

On the second evening of my partner, Enigma, and I's weekend stay in Adelaide we decided to have dinner at Fasta Pasta . Strangely enough our hotel staff, at the Alba, had not mentioned Fasta Pasta as an option for an evening meal while their restaurant is closed for refurbishment, even though it is literally next door on the corner of South Terrace and Pultney Street. You may be aware that Fasta Pasta is an upmarket Italian restaurant franchise with its beginnings in Adelaide. Currently they have 19 restaurants Australia wide (with the majority in South Australia - we even have one in Gawler, our home town). I've never had bad food at a Fasta Pasta, and their food never looks like a franchise meal. You always feel you're at a restaurant that's a little bit more quality than your typical hotel/motel meal. Maybe it's because you don't see as much pasta based meals on an Aussie pub menu. Despite the name, it's not all pasta. I went with a basic plate of fish a
Post a Comment
Continue Reading »

Four Years into a Post Pandemic World and Secondary COVID-19 Might be a Thing?

Social distancing 2020 style. A fter not being too far from COVID-19, potentially patient zero in Australia back in 2020. Four years later my partner finally tested positive for the virus. Then I inevitably caught it as well. You might think, so what, but I'm honestly surprised we've lasted this long. My partner works at an aged care facility that has fought off numerous outbreaks over the years, and continues to do so. Workers at her facility take RAT tests daily so you know pretty quick if you test positive. Workers then have to isolate at home for at least seven days until they're clear. COVID-19 symptoms can vary in intensity and you may not get the full range (at least to my knowledge and experience). My partner seemed to get it fairly bad with tiredness, aching joints, loss of taste and smell, along with cold and flu like symptoms (sore throat, congestion etc). While we did try to social distance, keeping our distance, hand washing, and not sleeping in the same room
Post a Comment
Continue Reading »

The First US Presidential Debate 2024 - America You're Standing In It

M ost of the time I get my fill of American political news from clips of The Daily Show , which I know many people accuse of being more political left leaning than balanced with its humour. As such it was my first port of call when looking for commentary on the recent, first US Presidential debate for 2024. I say first because I don't know if they'll do another one. I'd strongly advise they don't. Getting your news from a comedy show isn't ideal, even one as arguably intelligent as The Daily Show, because they're focussed on what can be laughed at, more than serious analysis. As such their coverage very well could be making both candidates look more foolish than they may actually be. As such I decided to watch the full replay of the debate so I could get more of a sense of who both candidates are and how they come across in, what should be, their ideal platform - debating the opposition. Before Donald Trump became President I was a fan. I watched every season o
Post a Comment
Continue Reading »