The Voice (Francistown)
18 March 2008
Francistown — I was listening to one of those consumer programmes on the radio last week. You know, the ones where those up-front commentators tell it like it is.
And basically how we, the easy going consumers, only get what we deserve because most of the time we are not prepared to stand up for our rights and hence the service we receive is predictably shoddy! Well, of course, I agree with that-which is why after years of complaining about banks I have now decided to use two and then compare the differences and see what value I might be getting from both. However, this approach is fine except I've really come to the conclusion that there's not much difference except some are good at this while others are bad that!
Take staffing for example. I have often said that these days many folks in banks find it difficult going the extra mile that we, the customers, might expect. Chasing up queries can be stressful because these days even with computerisation nothing can really be done in a day. And there is that old excuse that my computer is slow?
Why should that be the case in an institution filled with modern electronic conveniences? But without mentioning names I should add that my one bank is making a big effort in providing the right personnel.
We all know that young attractive faces help sell goods and services, be it cars washing machines or even packets of biltong! How much better is it to be told that your account is overdrawn by a smiling teller of the female kind rather that those middl-aged middle managers who are on secondmant from head office and have long forgotten all about their over the counter service?
So well done my bank with that aspect of the business-getting people through the door is important but then making them happy while they are there is also rather essential.
Now I come to my other bank where I mentioned that here other things are an issue. Take the idea of bank stationary. I don't know about you but I'm discovering that when I send folks to the bank to do business they occasionally come back with excuses like "sorry I could not get help because they had run out of stationary?"
Am I hearing this correctly I ask myself. How can an international corporate business empire run out of paper? After all these are the kind of things I use to hear in government CJSS's where the bursar or the storekeeper with the only key to the office, had been on maternity leave for the past two months and so nothing was done! But then we all know that government folks only order when things have run out but surely this is not the case in banks?
Or am I sadly mistaken? Is this what our friends in the consumer business programmes are telling us about? We get only what we are prepared to accept!
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