This is the story of a bank, its employees and a customer.
There is Lady 1 who sits beside Lady 2 at Jayanagar IVth block branch of ICICI bank on the ground floor.
Recently ICICI put across an ad which shows exclusive service to privileged customer. So feeling privileged I venture into the branch, a confident and happy walk, not knowing that in an hour the walk out would be similar to running away exasperated.
What service I wanted to avail today?
Make part payment of home loan.
I walk in and Lady 1 looks at me and gestures me to sit down. I state my need and she reconfirms "Is it prepayment or part payment". I part the remark again.
Based on previous experience, I enquire "If I make part payment now will it reflect from the next EMI". There was some confusion in last experience so I had sent email using ICICI online portal. Yes, there is no way you can create any other request beyond what is available on the site, still I dared to use a previous reply on another query to reply to my bank manager. "I have made part payment in first week of feb and it will reflect in the EMI from april, so I lose almost 2 months of interest".
Generally, part payments are not small amounts and so may get some good interest. There was a call from somebody from bank based on my email. I asked him to raise a complaint to address my concern, he prompty forgot after the call. But he said if you make payment after 15th of the month it gets reflected in next month EMI. If you make it before 15th of the month it gets reflected in next to next month EMI. I said it was crazy and he said that is how it is.
So, this time around I went armed with this know how. Lady 1 said it is always next to next month EMI. I was surprised. I said I wanted to complaint, she gave me a white sheet. She said a form needed to be filled for part payment and said another challan need to be filled if cheque is from another branch. She got busy in call.
Another gentleman employee was hovering around so I asked him and he promptly got me the form. He said he did not know where the challan was there. Lady 2 called a boy and asked him to get photocopy of complaint and some challan forms from first floor. Yes, the privileged customer section has more space for customers to hang around and less for utilities to fasten his queries.
The boy went, stopped over security for some chit chat. Lady 1 also disappeared with some guys into another section of bank. I was waiting, knowing not what to do next.
About 20 minutes later I enquired Lady 2 who sits beside Lady 1 and was serving customers that "Did Lady 1 went for lunch?" Last time around Lady 2 was on lunch when I was waiting for her to come and complete my request.
She said "No". I said I needed a challan. She promptly game me one from her side of drawer. Another surprise. If I had not asked her she would not have given me the challan till end of time. I filled the challan.
Lady 1 and the boy appeared with photocopy of complaint and some challan forms. I said I had already filled one and got it from other lady, she gave a blank look.
I said "How will I track the complaint?". She was clueless, now she asked her friend Lady 2. Lady 2 was in her elements, she said the branch cannot take complaint, nor can it send on behalf of customer.
Lady 1 had given be received marked photocopy. Lady2 said "You gave customer received letter without knowing that branch cannot raise complaint, say sorry to him."
Lady 1 must have tears in some corner of her eye and she sat still. I get uncomfortable when ladies sit still in silence. It means either you are going to get back or there would be deluge of tears. Here it was unlikely that I would get so I quickly stood and rushed out after reconfirming that the forms filled and challan were alright.
There is Lady 1 who sits beside Lady 2 at Jayanagar IVth block branch of ICICI bank on the ground floor.
Recently ICICI put across an ad which shows exclusive service to privileged customer. So feeling privileged I venture into the branch, a confident and happy walk, not knowing that in an hour the walk out would be similar to running away exasperated.
What service I wanted to avail today?
Make part payment of home loan.
I walk in and Lady 1 looks at me and gestures me to sit down. I state my need and she reconfirms "Is it prepayment or part payment". I part the remark again.
Based on previous experience, I enquire "If I make part payment now will it reflect from the next EMI". There was some confusion in last experience so I had sent email using ICICI online portal. Yes, there is no way you can create any other request beyond what is available on the site, still I dared to use a previous reply on another query to reply to my bank manager. "I have made part payment in first week of feb and it will reflect in the EMI from april, so I lose almost 2 months of interest".
Generally, part payments are not small amounts and so may get some good interest. There was a call from somebody from bank based on my email. I asked him to raise a complaint to address my concern, he prompty forgot after the call. But he said if you make payment after 15th of the month it gets reflected in next month EMI. If you make it before 15th of the month it gets reflected in next to next month EMI. I said it was crazy and he said that is how it is.
So, this time around I went armed with this know how. Lady 1 said it is always next to next month EMI. I was surprised. I said I wanted to complaint, she gave me a white sheet. She said a form needed to be filled for part payment and said another challan need to be filled if cheque is from another branch. She got busy in call.
Another gentleman employee was hovering around so I asked him and he promptly got me the form. He said he did not know where the challan was there. Lady 2 called a boy and asked him to get photocopy of complaint and some challan forms from first floor. Yes, the privileged customer section has more space for customers to hang around and less for utilities to fasten his queries.
The boy went, stopped over security for some chit chat. Lady 1 also disappeared with some guys into another section of bank. I was waiting, knowing not what to do next.
About 20 minutes later I enquired Lady 2 who sits beside Lady 1 and was serving customers that "Did Lady 1 went for lunch?" Last time around Lady 2 was on lunch when I was waiting for her to come and complete my request.
She said "No". I said I needed a challan. She promptly game me one from her side of drawer. Another surprise. If I had not asked her she would not have given me the challan till end of time. I filled the challan.
Lady 1 and the boy appeared with photocopy of complaint and some challan forms. I said I had already filled one and got it from other lady, she gave a blank look.
I said "How will I track the complaint?". She was clueless, now she asked her friend Lady 2. Lady 2 was in her elements, she said the branch cannot take complaint, nor can it send on behalf of customer.
Lady 1 had given be received marked photocopy. Lady2 said "You gave customer received letter without knowing that branch cannot raise complaint, say sorry to him."
Lady 1 must have tears in some corner of her eye and she sat still. I get uncomfortable when ladies sit still in silence. It means either you are going to get back or there would be deluge of tears. Here it was unlikely that I would get so I quickly stood and rushed out after reconfirming that the forms filled and challan were alright.
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