Dr. Asangba Tzüdir As reported in the Times Of India, only one fourth of the 51 banks in India are rated ‘high’ for complying with Banking Codes and Standards Board of India (BCSBI) codes, which focuses on fair treatment of customers. The objective of setting this Board is to promote good banking practices, setting minimum standards, increasing transparency, achieving higher operating standards and promoting a cordial banker-customer relationship. Of the 12 banks rated ‘high,’ only IDBI Bank, which is a public sector lender, featured in the list and the rest were private or foreign banks which included the following: PBL Bank, Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, DCB Bank, Induslnd Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, ICICI Bank, Yes Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, HSBC and Citibank. Now, looking at the aspect of ‘relationship’ between the banker and the customer, as a case, how would it feel to travel all the way from a village to a town, to go to a bank and just to end up being harassed by a banker? There have been reports of ‘harassments’ of their own customers by bankers, the SBI in particular, especially on pensioners. Pensioners are often made to feel like a ‘third class citizen in the eyes of the bank’ simply because they are there just to withdraw money and not to deposit and therefore (almost) a ‘liability’ for the bank. Irrespective of the kind of customer, the banks, inspired by the words of Mahatma Gandhiji have acknowledged in writing that, a customer is their most important visitor; and that the customers are not dependent on the bank, rather the other way; nor is the customer an interruption to their work; and that the banks are not doing a favour by serving the customer but the customer is doing a favour for the bank by giving an opportunity for them to serve. As such, based on these policies and therefore, the principle of the banks, the customers can expect at least a ‘moral minimum’ from the banks to be treated fairly. But sadly, beyond the writing, their policies seem to be found wanting for application. It is only attested by the many reports of unfair treatment. The fact that the objective of the bank is to ‘serve’ the people for their financial and economic needs makes them bound by duty to ensure that their needs are fulfilled as far as possible. A bank may not be always in a position to meet the needs of the customer but he or she deserves at least a courteous behaviour from the bank staff. Soft skills like communication are an important tool to make a customer feel good and valued. That, besides being efficient and timeliness, the three C’s of good communication – Correctness, Conciseness and Considerateness, needs to be followed in the interest of both the bank and the customer. Looking at the banking scenario today, besides quality service delivery, what has been largely found wanting is on the issue of ‘attitude’ of the bankers towards the customers. Of course, there are helpful bankers who help their customers according to the need of the situation knowing the fact that various new forms of knowledge and guidelines comes up almost every day. But it is difficult to understand when a bank staff gets irritated or angry even on being asked for account application form or a simple clarification matter. Soft skills may come in handy to rebuild relationship and trust, though such skills are only temporal and it needs to be developed into character so that such skills come out of the heart with true feelings. A simple yet precious act of smiling that conveys a message of willingness to guide and help can create a transformative effect and bodes well for the customer and also of the bank as a service institution.
(Dr. Asangba Tzudir contributes a weekly guest editorial to The Morung Express. Comments can be mailed to asangtz@gmail.com)