A SCENE AT BRANCH

A SCENE AT BRANCH 

C approaches O hoping to get some information on Housing Loan scheme of the bank. O motions C to sit. Ah! I am being noticed, felt C. C looks to his left. And to his right. And behind. And does a 360-degree turn and feels embarrassed. “it’s alright, but can I get some details on your housing loan scheme? C asks O once again. O suddenly realizes that C is still standing, his body arched. “Yes of course”, says O. Quick response, good, thought C. Then O looks around and yells for a chair for C. O clears the table filled with papers, files and registers. He pulls a drawer, rustles through some papers inside, and comes up with some. Looks at them for a few seconds and shoves them back! All this time, C is watching and waiting. O gripped the edge of the table and wheeled his chair to the table, both his arms resting on the table, body weight falling on to the back of the chair, both his legs stretched fully forward as though readying himself to watch a tense game of cricket! C is still watching. And waiting. The early joy of getting noticed & quick response is just about hanging there. After snugly seating himself, O’s eyes met C’s. C’s heart began to pound. It will start any moment now, thought C. “What is the rate of…., the telephone began to ring and there was no way C could complete his query. O had to answer the call. “Hello, yes, I am speaking (it was his way of letting the caller know that he has got hold of the right person), no, but the manager is….(begins to make a sound – to fill the gap, trying to find the right words). The sound stopped, apparently the caller interrupted. O is all ears as he listens, nodding at times, shaking his head and uttering an occasional ‘yes, yes, yes’ and a series of ‘no, no, no’s and ‘but you see’s…. never once able to complete what he wanted to say. His body turning and twisting awkwardly while he stuttered and stammered over the phone. And the poor C is helplessly watching and waiting, his patience running out. He begins to display signs of frustration, willing the conversation to end. Finally, O put the phone down. C heaved a sigh of relief, expecting O to start right away at his queries. To his utter disbelief, he saw O struggling to fish out something from his trouser pocket. Struggling, because he is unwilling to get up from his chair and locate it. Finally when he did, he took out the kerchief and began to wipe the beads of perspiration on his forehead. All this time, C is watching and waiting. His patience on the verge of collapse, yet just about managing to hold his composure. With seemingly nothing else to distract O’s attention, C hoped that the discussion would any way begin. He watched O tugging at the table and pulling himself up to the table, letting out deep breaths. O cast a glance at C suggesting him to go ahead with his queries. With child-like delight, C began: ‘what is the….He was abruptly cut short by a lady appearing from no where demanding O’s attention and seeking his authorization of a transaction, triggering a sequence of questions and answers and a series of arguments and counter-arguments between the lady and O as to why she should pick only O to authorize the transaction, particularly when he is so busy attending to the customer! O yielded, although reluctantly. C’s patience ran out. He desperately made an attempt to display his frustration at being stalled needlessly for an unreasonably long time. It was just then that the attender fetched a chair for C to sit! Just as well because it somehow helped C to control himself. He sat, watching and waiting and fuming with anger. O creased his forehead, adjusted his rimless glasses, scanned the pink slip and scribbled his signature. This time, before he could begin his by now routine manner of re-positioning himself in the chair, intercom buzzed. CM had summoned him!! O wheeled his chair back, got up, making a face resembling ‘apologetic smile’ at C. ‘I am very busy now’, O blurted as he rushed toward CM,s cabin, gesturing to C, half-turning, to come later. C felt humiliated.

C wants to open a Savings Bank account. Somebody directs him to the SB counter. For a moment, he thought he had been given the wrong direction. You know why? There was a deluge of people resembling a mad rush for the latest bollywood blockbuster! There was no way he could hope to come anywhere near the counter. C decided to wait. After nearly a half hour, he managed to sight the counter. Feeling relieved, he goes to the counter and requests the CL for application to open a SB account. ‘Come afterwards’, was the terse reply, without bothering to look up. C insisted that he wants to open the account now. With a glare that would put Allan Donald to shame, CL gives the form. C enquires about the formalities and requirements. Further enraged at having to answer, CL reels of the requirements a la ‘formula 1 commentator’ style. C could hardly understand. Yet he managed to fill up the form and returned it to CL. Where is the Introducer’s Signature? demanded CL. ‘But you did not tell me’, C said. ‘It is compulsory’, you should be introduced by someone having an account with us, CL hissed. C got the introducer’s signature on the form and returned the form. ‘There is no address proof’, grumbled CL. ‘But, Madam, you didn’t tell me’, C countered. After a few exchanges, C had to relent. He went back and brought the address proof and handed it over to CL. ‘You can collect your Pass Book at 4 O’clock in the evening, said CL without looking at C.

C had deposited an outstation cheque a week back and visited the branch to check the position. On enquiry, CL-1 asks him to get his pass book updated. ‘But I want to know if it is realized’ C persisted. ‘Don’t argue, go to the SB counter’, shot back CL-1. Annoyed at the response, C goes to the SB counter. Not surprisingly, C had to wait for his turn to get near the counter. Finally, when he did, he held out his pass book for updating. Even as he was handing over the pass book, he enquired if his outstation cheque had been credited. CL-2 glared at C, ‘for how long have you been coming to the bank? Don’t you know that you should enquire at the other counter? But, er, I have been directed to this counter by your colleague at the other counter, replied C. ‘You will get the information at that counter only’ said CL – 1, gesturing to the other counter. C rushes back to the other counter and repeated his request. ‘I told you to.. ‘but I went there, he asked me to enquire here itself’, C interrupted. Incensed at the reply, CL – 1 got up and started shouting at CL – 2. At first, they shouted at each other from where they were. As tempers began to rise, the decibel level shot up, attracting the attention of the people around. C stood there helplessly, watching and waiting.

All this indicates how unorganized we are in attending to our work. In the first instance, where C wanted certain details on home loan scheme, he was made to wait for an interminably long time. And even so, he did not get the information he wanted. Neither did O think it fit to find an alternative source of explaining the features of bank’s products. Bank has spent huge amount on brochures and supplied them in plenty to all the branches. You want to know why it was not given to C. They were all carefully misplaced. Never available when you need them the most. Well, so much for our professional approach.

Now on to the next scene. CL at the SB counter never thought it useful to have a check-list of documents / requirements for such a simple thing as opening an account. The less said the better about C’s last encounter. It takes the cake for rubbish behavior.

Amidst all this, we come across several Os and CLs who enjoy stretching that bit further and seldom lose an opportunity to surpass customer expectations. Let us admire them. And try to emulate them. Cs are quick to spot such Os and CLs and always look for them on entering the bank for all their work.

These few Os and CLs are overburdened as a result of their seemingly seamless enthusiasm. And we are unwilling to change the system, letting the guilty get away with mediocre attitude and willing and wishing these few Os and CLs to go on and on and on. All the while watching and waiting just as the hapless C did. Is it fair? Is it too much to hope for a change of scene? But then, who cares?

Help line:

C – Customer

O – Officer

CL – Clerk