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Thread: A wish list for your bank

  1. #1
    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    A wish list for your bank

    This evening I attended a customer forum organised by my bank (in chief, at least). What they were looking for was ideas on how they could improve.

    What came up was quite interesting. Topics included teller and information queue management, meeting customer relations consultants and managers, call centres, statement handling, online banking, auto-tellers, parking, credit application procedures... There was still a steady stream of suggestions from a group of customers who, as it turned out, were very satisfied with this branch of the bank.

    It made me think of two things:
    • Just how much valuable feedback you can get from happy clients, and
    • What would an unhappy group of clients have said.

    So here's my idea.

    Make a post saying whether you are a happy or unhappy client of your bank, and what suggestions you have for your bank to improve.

  2. #2
    Platinum Member Marq's Avatar
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    I don't think you have any takers here, Dave.

    Main reason, is that we do not have enough time to compile long lists, that no one will do anything about to resolve - certainly not the banks senior employees, who couldn't give a toss about their customers, that they see as a hindrance getting in the way of their next golf game.

    I have been offering my bank, (and yours I believe) suggestions for a number of years at odd times as problems arise, without any success - they keep doing the same thing, which is typical of a bureaucratic sluggish monster run by inept employees.

    I am still waiting for the local branch manager to come round and visit us, as she promised to do three years ago. I have no idea whether she is still there as the manager - That says it all for me.
    The only reason I knew she existed, was when I was trying to help them with fraud problems that they had no idea on how to handle. She appeared like magic at our informal meeting, said a few words that meant nothing and wafted off back into the corridors never to be seen again.

    Your post says it all:-
    • organised by the bank (of course)
    • who have happy customers (Never met one yet)


    Spin Doctoring BS I thinks.

  3. #3
    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Marq View Post
    I am still waiting for the local branch manager to come round and visit us, as she promised to do three years ago. I have no idea whether she is still there as the manager - That says it all for me.
    One of the issues raised was related. In fact there was quite a lot said about account managers/relationship managers/whatever.

    There is a steady flow of account managers and we only "discover" a change when we want to see one. I'm one of those nutters who likes to sit down with my manager once a year and run over options, even if I'm not really looking for any finance. It makes a big difference to me as to whether I'm talking to someone for the first time, or someone who has already been briefed on our suit of businesses.

    Managers are allocated to accounts, and I suggested it would be useful to drop a note to the account holder when their account manager changes. They were pretty receptive, particularly in respect of doing this for business accounts.

  4. #4
    Platinum Member Marq's Avatar
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    We will see if this ever becomes a reality.

    I believe the turnover of these so called relationship/business/makeupyourownname/managers is too high for them to implement a notification story. You will be getting a new note every month.

    An idea could be a personalised email from 'your local branch team' every now and again allowing for a back and forth correspondence could work. Not the 'we are telling you stuff - if you have a problem phone our useless helpline call centre'. Initially there may be a lot of stuff but this would smooth out and the main line would be in place should you feel the need to 'talk' to your bank.
    Simple, Basic, Involved

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    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Marq View Post
    I believe the turnover of these so called relationship/business/makeupyourownname/managers is too high for them to implement a notification story.
    I asked if that turnover rate was policy (keep everyone moving to stop mischief), but apparently not. If a post comes up as available, anyone can apply and hence the musical chairs.
    Quote Originally Posted by Marq View Post
    Simple, Basic, Involved

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    just me duncan drennan's Avatar
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    One of the things that FNB offers which I quite like is the option for a paperless credit card statement (which I make use of). They only send me an email then, which I find more convenient than the paper version (even if you print it out, at least it saves on all the transport).

    I'd like to see the other banks offering this for all of their statements, etc.

    For instance, Absa constantly sends us change to bond instalment notices every time we move money out of our bond (there is a fair amount of in and out as money flows in and out). I wish they could just send me those electronically - it would probably save them a lot of money (and be more efficient for everyone).
    Last edited by duncan drennan; 26-Apr-08 at 02:40 PM.
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    Platinum Member Marq's Avatar
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    Standard Wank changed their web pages for payments recently.

    All I want is a printout of the payment to send to the customer as it was before. Can only find a print of the web page itself - not an individual payment story as we had before.

    I thought I would ask the bank itself but, hung up after waiting for the useless help line 'customer care' to answer after 10 minutes. The FAQ has about 4 questions none related to this problem. Blood pressure 1 - Standard wank 0.

    The thing is - I do not believe that I am the only one with this problem or the only one that has a problem with their so called customer care line, which has been a battle for many a year now. If they really wanted to resolve their relationship banking problems, they should start by listening to the rude comments on their taped recordings - I would imagine there are many suggestions as to where they could put themselves but if they look to the source of the frustrations and fix them - problem solved. Similar to doing an audit at the enquiry windows of major branches and listen to the problems and stories there.

    So back to your customer forum Dave, as organised by the bank. I think that that was just an empty meaningless marketing ploy with no intention of resolving anything but rather just keeping you on board.

    If the management of all big organisations just got into the engine room on a regular basis, listened to their customers, applied some basic logic and left their ivory towers and warm offices, they might just solve their problems. This would bypass having to set up forums, committees, task teams, panels, meetings, projects and groups of useless time wasting individuals that have no intention of making the business world a better place.
    Simple, Logical, Involved

  8. #8
    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Marq View Post
    All I want is a printout of the payment to send to the customer as it was before. Can only find a print of the web page itself - not an individual payment story as we had before.
    You will see there is a tab for multiple payments and single payments on the payments screen. If you pay via the single payment mechanism, you get a better print out for the payee without showing off all the other bills you have paid. However, it does also show your account number although that isn't the end of the world. You also have the option of the bank sending payment confirmation, but I see that is a VAS.

    I agree with you though. That multiple payment confirmation screen needs links to individual confirmations like the old system had.

  9. #9
    just me duncan drennan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave A View Post
    You also have the option of the bank sending payment confirmation, but I see that is a VAS.
    This particular issue with STD and Absa irritates me. With FNB I can send a payment confirmation via email for free (SMS or fax you pay for). It seems so silly to charge for sending an automated email.

    Thanks to FNB for providing this for free. Absa and Std, time to catch up.



    With Absa I have an issue that I can't get the payment confirmation again after I can left the final screen of the make payments process. If I click print then, the I get a nice PDF with all the info for that payment. If I leave that screen I have absolutely no idea how to get that single payment's info again. I can pull a list of the last few payments to that beneficiary, but not an individual payment.

    I'd appreciate it Absa could fix that.
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    Moderator IanF's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dsd View Post
    With FNB I can send a payment confirmation via email for free (SMS or fax you pay for).
    Duncan
    Thanks for that tip, I normally get the PDF and email that as I thought you paid for it.
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