Does anyone remember?

[Ragged Robin]

Following the "for the oldies" thread:

Does anyone remember when in the UK:

if you had a problem or complaint you wrote to the owner of the company concerned, or the Managing Director, and got a response, if not actually from the top, from someone with in authority with responsibility who actually investigated. Instead of a guard of semi literature teenagers armed with word processors primed with a set insincere stock phrases?

"Customer care" wasn't an oxymoron?

Bank managers were pompous little men in bowler hats, who nonetheless had a sense of honour and responsibiltiy. actually appeared in public, and sorted out customers' problems ...................or am I getting into the realms of fantasy here?

[Dalartokat]

Complete fantasy

[sophie]

Not fantasy, just a more civilised way of banking. I can clearly remember going with my Mother to see her Bank Manager (Lloyds) when I was about 6, she was offered a glass of sherry and a short bread biscuit before discussing business and I was asked if I would like a glass of "pop" and a ginger biscuit, plus given an Enid Blyton book to read in the secretarys office. It's not as if she had a fortune either, just a more polite way of doing business.

[kaiserphil]

Following the "for the oldies" thread:

Does anyone remember when in the UK:

if you had a problem or complaint you wrote to the owner of the company concerned, or the Managing Director, and got a response, if not actually from the top, from someone with in authority with responsibility who actually investigated. Instead of a guard of semi literature teenagers armed with word processors primed with a set insincere stock phrases?

"Customer care" wasn't an oxymoron?

Bank managers were pompous little men in bowler hats, who nonetheless had a sense of honour and responsibiltiy. actually appeared in public, and sorted out customers' problems ...................or am I getting into the realms of fantasy here?

The aim of the Call-Centre philosophy is to keep you away from the people who might actually be in a position to help you. You are a nuisance that they want to ignore.

Take "MyCSP", a prime example. "Someone will call you back within 36 hours". Oh no, they won't!

[kaiserphil]

And the other feature of modern business I detest is the "queue".

"Your call is important to us".

So ruddy important, in fact, that we have reduced our number of operatives by half in the hope that you will give up and go away!

[Owl Lady]

If you are lucky enough to get a reply, you say" I am sorry I did not understand you.Can you speak English? only to be told." I am, but I'm in Bangladesh!"

[mokfey]

Yes indeed Owl Lady!!!

Mujibar was trying to get a job in India .

The Personnel Manager said, 'Mujibar, you have passed all the tests, except one. It is a simple test of your English language skills. Unless you pass it , you cannot qualify for this job.'

Mujibar said, 'I am ready.'

The manager said, 'You must make a sentence using the words yellow, pink, and green .'

Mujibar thought for a few minutes and said, 'Mister manager, I am ready.'

The manager said, 'Go ahead.'

Mujibar said...........
........'The telephone goes green, green..............

.............and I pink it up...........

.....and say, Yellow...............

.........this is Mujibar.'



Mujibar now works at a call centre. No doubt you have spoken to him.

[Dalartokat]

Not fantasy, just a more civilised way of banking. I can clearly remember going with my Mother to see her Bank Manager (Lloyds) when I was about 6, she was offered a glass of sherry and a short bread biscuit before discussing business and I was asked if I would like a glass of "pop" and a ginger biscuit, plus given an Enid Blyton book to read in the secretarys office. It's not as if she had a fortune either, just a more polite way of doing business.

Local branch Managers are more like Customer Service representatives who are responsible for setting and achieving targets on products sold, whilst motivating and leading staff. They spend a lot of time working with customers and knowing their competitors.
They have to market and sell the bank's products and services, i.e. mortgages, loans, share dealing and will writing, something his/her staff also have to know.
Usually, about half their time is spent out of the office, visiting business customers, attending head office meetings and conferences. In some branches there is a separate business manager who visits business customers.
A far cry from the old old days of a Manager sitting in an office drinking tea and eating biscuits, and children reading Enid Blyton that’s why it’s fantasy. Banking is a fast moving technological industry. We’re used to it in the UK.

[jofra]

And in those old, old days, how many of the ordinary working classes actually had bank accounts? People in the main got their wages in cash, paid for everything with cash, and what (very) little they had left over was saved in a tin, drawer or similar for the once-a-year holiday, Christmas or similar event.
Nevertheless, those who were able to amount to even a tiny bank account were treated with courtesy and respect by the Bank Manager - not like today, where you are just a marketing target....

[Ragged Robin]

And in those old, old days, how many of the ordinary working classes actually had bank accounts? People in the main got their wages in cash, paid for everything with cash, and what (very) little they had left over was saved in a tin, drawer or similar for the once-a-year holiday, Christmas or similar event.
Nevertheless, those who were able to amount to even a tiny bank account were treated with courtesy and respect by the Bank Manager - not like today, where you are just a marketing target....

"Just a marketing target" - you have hit the nail on the head Jofra.

They spend so much time motivating their staff to sell products, regardless of of what the customer needs, they forget that those who entrust their hard earned savings to them are entitled to a service in return: they would do better to teach their staff basic economics and how to write an informative and intelligible letter.

I had a phone call from my bank "marketing" something I didnt want, and when I asked why she was making an expensive overseas call at peak rates, rather than using my landline she said "Don't worry, the Bank is paying" The concept that it was customers' and shareolders' (not to mentioned UK taxpayers') money she was wasting was quite beyond her. No wonder there was a financial crisis! And they dont know their customers, that is the point, and why there has to be legislation to stop them lending for criminal purposes

[Ragged Robin]

I must admit I have never been offered sherry and biscuits by a Bank Manager, not even a cup of coffee. But a little less than 20 years ago, when I had a problem with lost Credit Card the head of the dept. concerned spent time and trouble sorting it out, and when I moved abroad the Deputy Manager spent a long time arranging transfer of my funds etc.Both were experienced officers who actually knew their subect. Trouble is he advised me to transfer to their overseas branch and I have never had anything like that service and the people I speak to are not knowledgeable or helpful. All they can do it trot out trite phrases that obviously come from some manual or are part of a word processing set letter.