My first PSU banking experience as an adult
I had no plans of opening an account in a PSU bank. Somehow, all my salary accounts so far have been in private or foreign banks and I've been so happy with their service that I never thought of a PSU bank. I had almost no option this time. I need a loan and my tax advisor advised me to go to a PSU Bank and I thought it was a good suggestion. So, I went down MG Road to a well-known PSU Bank and the experience has been, well, unpleasant.
Me: "Good morning. Can you please give me an account opening form?"
Gentleman at counter1: "Go to Counter no.5 madam."
At counter no. 5 I asked, "Excuse me, may I have an A/c opening form please?"
Gentleman at counter no.5: "Please come after some time madam. I'm very busy right now"
Me: "Sir, just give me the form. I will come back later if I need any guidance"
Counter 5 guy muttering to himself: "They come at whatever time they feel like..I am so busy..what all I have to do..."
And handed the form very gingerly to me. I'm aghast. I never knew new customers could be such a pain to poor 'old' employees. Oh yes, the ones in this branch are all above 40 and just not interested in 'customer service'.
I filled up the form and went to the Deposits Manager to seek his advice. (was there any information missing, what else should I do, kind of questions). The manager was busy with other people. I waited. He got free in 10 minutes and gave a quick glance and said, "Take it to counter no.5". So began one more trip to counter no.5. There was another person sitting there instead of my 'friend' and he was worse than the previous one. Without looking at the form he said, "Take it to the Deposits Manager, he has to attest". I told him he himself had asked me to come here and this man says, "Sorry, unless he attests, we can't take it up further". Sigh!
Deposits Manager was busy again. After another 10 minutes he looked at me as if asking what I was doing there. I explained the situation and he attested. But I was wondering why he didn't do that in the first place...?
Back at Counter 5, I handed the form and the 'gentleman' there said, "What ma? This form is incomplete! You need to attach X, Y and Z only then we can process it" I told him that everything was there and the Manager has finished attestation but he wouldn't budge. Sigh!
I went back to the Deposits Manager and asked him what is the confusion and he said, "You haven't read the form fully Madam? Unless you give us all these attachments, we can't do anything further!" Why didnt he tell me that earlier?
By now I was really frustrated and exasperated. I yelled, "Sir, what were you doing when I asked you to check? How come you attested if you knew there was something missing? Blah blah" I might have as well yelled at the walls coz this man ignored me and walked away. But I needed to complete the job, so I went back home, got all the stuff and more and cooled down on the way. I finally submitted the form and went back to Counter no.5 asking him what next. He asked me to stand in the queue right in front of him and said, "Fill up the challan and pay the money. You can collect your pass book, etc. around 4 pm today". I did what I was told. Oh wait, I almost forgot, that guy made me stand in the wrong queue! I had almost reached the counter when I was told by another customer that I need to go to the next counter which had a really long queue!! What was that man at Counter 5 thinking when he asked me to stand in the wrong queue? I glared at him unable to say anything.
After almost an hour, I finished paying up and took the counter foil to Counter.5. Asked him: "Sir, is 4pm is a good time to come? Will my pass book be ready?" He looked like as if I was bugging him badly "Come at 4pm and not later"
All this happened on 7th and 10th (8th and 9th being a holiday) Today is the 15th and I've made many trips to the bank for my pass book, I am given a new reason everytime. Did I do the right thing by coming to this bank? Are all PSU banks like this one? How come I am willing to put my hard earned money here and still don't get any respect? I wish private banks were more reliable...
Me: "Good morning. Can you please give me an account opening form?"
Gentleman at counter1: "Go to Counter no.5 madam."
At counter no. 5 I asked, "Excuse me, may I have an A/c opening form please?"
Gentleman at counter no.5: "Please come after some time madam. I'm very busy right now"
Me: "Sir, just give me the form. I will come back later if I need any guidance"
Counter 5 guy muttering to himself: "They come at whatever time they feel like..I am so busy..what all I have to do..."
And handed the form very gingerly to me. I'm aghast. I never knew new customers could be such a pain to poor 'old' employees. Oh yes, the ones in this branch are all above 40 and just not interested in 'customer service'.
I filled up the form and went to the Deposits Manager to seek his advice. (was there any information missing, what else should I do, kind of questions). The manager was busy with other people. I waited. He got free in 10 minutes and gave a quick glance and said, "Take it to counter no.5". So began one more trip to counter no.5. There was another person sitting there instead of my 'friend' and he was worse than the previous one. Without looking at the form he said, "Take it to the Deposits Manager, he has to attest". I told him he himself had asked me to come here and this man says, "Sorry, unless he attests, we can't take it up further". Sigh!
Deposits Manager was busy again. After another 10 minutes he looked at me as if asking what I was doing there. I explained the situation and he attested. But I was wondering why he didn't do that in the first place...?
Back at Counter 5, I handed the form and the 'gentleman' there said, "What ma? This form is incomplete! You need to attach X, Y and Z only then we can process it" I told him that everything was there and the Manager has finished attestation but he wouldn't budge. Sigh!
I went back to the Deposits Manager and asked him what is the confusion and he said, "You haven't read the form fully Madam? Unless you give us all these attachments, we can't do anything further!" Why didnt he tell me that earlier?
By now I was really frustrated and exasperated. I yelled, "Sir, what were you doing when I asked you to check? How come you attested if you knew there was something missing? Blah blah" I might have as well yelled at the walls coz this man ignored me and walked away. But I needed to complete the job, so I went back home, got all the stuff and more and cooled down on the way. I finally submitted the form and went back to Counter no.5 asking him what next. He asked me to stand in the queue right in front of him and said, "Fill up the challan and pay the money. You can collect your pass book, etc. around 4 pm today". I did what I was told. Oh wait, I almost forgot, that guy made me stand in the wrong queue! I had almost reached the counter when I was told by another customer that I need to go to the next counter which had a really long queue!! What was that man at Counter 5 thinking when he asked me to stand in the wrong queue? I glared at him unable to say anything.
After almost an hour, I finished paying up and took the counter foil to Counter.5. Asked him: "Sir, is 4pm is a good time to come? Will my pass book be ready?" He looked like as if I was bugging him badly "Come at 4pm and not later"
All this happened on 7th and 10th (8th and 9th being a holiday) Today is the 15th and I've made many trips to the bank for my pass book, I am given a new reason everytime. Did I do the right thing by coming to this bank? Are all PSU banks like this one? How come I am willing to put my hard earned money here and still don't get any respect? I wish private banks were more reliable...
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