யுத்தம் செய்

I recently visited a leading Nationalized Bank in Chennai to close the educational loan of my nephew. When I went in by around 10:30 AM, an hour after the Bank opening hours, I noticed a sparse crowd, a surprise to me after having worked in a South India based nationalized bank, where the first few hours will always be back braking - office going customers always in a hurry to complete their banking transactions. After accepting the closure cheque, the official concerned coolly asked me to come in the evening or the next day, to collect the closure statement. When I asked, why I could not get it immediately, he replied that he had other work to do !! I controlled my raising anger, quietly questioning within myself as to who I am- I am also a customer and have also other work to do. When I went the next day evening at the time specified, I was told that the concerned official has left for the day and that they are not aware of where the papers have been kept. After a bit of shouting and wanting to meet the Branch Head, the work was done after a wait of 30 minutes!! If I had to wait on the next day, then why was it I was asked to come again ??

With a different bank, when I requested for a Safe Deposit Locker, the Manager did not even have the courtesy to acknowledge my mail- this despite my repeatedly meeting the Manager on different days, as per his instructions. When I escalated to the next level, he called up and asked me as to why I am taking the issue to somebody- he does not even know that this "somebody" was his own boss at the Customer Service Dept. It is a pity that he is not even aware of his higher ups, to whom he is answerable. As for not responding to my mails, the Manager said that he checks his mails only twice a week and that he is not very comfortable with emails. Then, why is the Bank boasting of Internet Banking while its own personnel are not even updated with the technological trends, which have become common place in private banks ! 

Similarly, I had to call up and raise my voice to get a legitimate Interest certificate . The issue here is why is that you force the customer to resort to these means. It's because the organizations does not realize the value of others' time. Are they  aware of how much of a strain is for a Pensioner to come the next day and update his passbook? There are customers , who come on foot and some engage auto rickshaws- who is going to pay for these?  All these because the Institutions do not realize others' extra efforts or does not care about it. It is  time people take others' time seriously. They need to be taught to take each of these activities as an action item, to be completed within a specific period of time.

Since, I have the (un)enviable experience of working both in public and private sector undertakings, I guess my fumes are more. In the private sector, I can never imagine asking my customer across the globe, to call me next day for some of his expectations. There,  you halt on track,  retreat to your office , answer your customer needs and then trek back home !! When I pushed a builder with too many queries, he asked me to withdraw the booking made. I spoke to his apologetic boss that he cannot expect to survive the competition, if he is going to shun the customers and that his front office is undoing all the hard work he is putting in .

Bottom line is , it requires some raised voices, threats to approach customer service or escalation, to get your legitimate expectations fulfilled. All these at places, where you have invested and the guardian angels of your money is doing these nasty tricks. Then i was reminded of the caption ' யுத்தம் செய்" . Here, nothing seem to work , unless you fight for it- be it your country's independence or your own Bank statement !!

My only worry is it should not lead the public to the next famous step of "ரௌத்திரம் பழகு" !!