Vote C for Crap!!

My phone buzzed the moment I switched it on, on Saturday morning.

It was an SMS from the World's Local Bank.

"Your feedback 200xxxxxx6 has been resolved. Please rate the complaint resolution by typing A for Good, B for Satisfactory or C for Needs Improvement to 5676717".

The invite was enticing, but I wasn't aware of what the said resolution was.

Almost two weeks ago, I had called their helpline about a particular transaction. I wasn't sure if that was my transaction, so needed more details about the vendor's location etc. The nice guy at the other end asked me to give him "a couple of days to get some more information about the transaction".

When I called later that week, I was accidentally disconnected by the helpline.

The next attempt was answered by a guy who didn't seem too helpful. With little or no chance of making any progress with him, I asked to speak to his supervisor. He expressed his inability to do so despite my repeated request, and hung up after wishing "have a nice day, Sir".

Angry, I made my way to the World's Local Bank's local branch. Now, there is something funny about this branch. On each visit - and I have made more than a dozen thus far - I have only been dealt with by women employees.

No, not because they like me or want to calm me down. The men are mostly "Wealth Managers" - and even when there are no customers wanting their wealth to be managed - they prefer to loiter about aimlessly. For as long as 30-40 minutes.

"This could be because it is girls who are mostly in the customer-facing roles," a woman employee offered an explanation. She was referring to the receptionist, the cashiers and other similar roles.

I wondered what the thinking behind this was. Every customer walking in through the main entrance is a potential customer for a Wealth Manager. The logic is simple. Like your bank, and you'll trust them more with your money.

OK, it isn't that simple, but this is generally how it goes. Not for the Wealth Manager here or even the Branch Manager.

Anyway, that wasn't my concern. My concern was finding out where that particular transaction was conducted. The nice lady provided me two A4 sheets - one to provide my feedback about the Call Centre and the other about the transaction.

I need an acknowledgement of this feedback, I said handing her the sheet. She nodded in agreement.

Within minutes, I had a photocopy of my feedback with a reference number and bank stamp.

Later that evening, the World's Local Bank sent as SMS too - "Dear Customer, we acknowledge the receipt of your feedback. Please quote feedback reference number 200xxxxxx6 for any follow-up enquiry".

That was the last message before the interactive offer received on Saturday morning.

A visit to the bank today revealed what the resolution was. A senior member of the team had a word with the member of staff at fault. Fantastic. Amazing. Original.

Hang on, didn't I ask for a written response to my feedback? They very obviously hadn't read my feedback and were banking on me getting enamoured by the option to vote A, B and C.

Guess I should respond to them saying It Needs Good Improvement to be Satisfactory. Don't you agree?