Service, Service, Service

Service, Service, Service

Bank is a service organisation. Or so I thought. I had not walked into a bank for a long long time.

Two days back I walked into a Nationalised Bank branch with my friend a retiree and the Treasurer of our Residents' Welfare Association.

First we wanted to deposit some money into our Association account. The Cashier said Sorry - you have to wait because there is no connectivity!!

I pointed out to the Cashier that our account with the branch and we were in home branch. We were only depositing money. All she had to do was accept the money, affix the bank seal sign and return the counterfoil to us. She could enter the amount as and when she gets the connectivity. She looked hither and thither. Maybe she wanted to ask the Manager. After some blinking she finally accepted and gave the counterfoil.

Now comes the impossible. My friend had a self cheque against which he wanted to withdraw some money. The cashier said Impossible. I can't view your account. I can't do anything....

My friend said we should wait. I told him: Why should we?

Let us meet the Manager and ask him to allow us to withdraw.

As we walked into the Manager's cabin I shook his hand and introduced myself. He gave me a blank look as though I was from the ED. He didn't give out his name. My friend is a retiree and he is having his account in the branch for more than five years. As the Treasurer of our Association he visits the branch atleast twice a week if not more. But the manager didn't seem to recognize him!! Neither did he greet him!

I made the request and he said there is no connectivity. He said wait for five minutes. Then he disappeared. Maybe he went for prayers that nothing should happen to him if he permitted to withdraw the money.

After a while he came back and said why don't you give a missed call from your Mobile and get the balance? My friend said that he had already done that and gave his mobile with the message to the Manager.

The Manager stared at the screen. The balance was twice the amount of the money to be withdrawn.

Now he made a very bold decision. He asked the cashier to part with the money!! The cashier was delighted. Probably she thought that her name would appear in a Book of Records or something to that effect.

We have become slaves to the computer and sadly lost all of our thinking capacity!!

Now how is this Manager going to disburse loans??

God save this country!!