Oa ek fa os eR RCE & Business How’s your bank treating you? Judging from reader mail, you probably have fewer complaints than you did five or 10 years ago. Financial institutions have come a long way since Canadian humor- ist Stephen Leacock wrote his famous piece about getting rattled when he walked into his bank. Next week, I'll look at some of the most common problem areas that still persist, and what at least one place is doing to solve them. But today, I thought I’d turn the tables and find out what we as customers do that irritates banking staff — things that might well contribute to some of the problems we then complain about. I asked Vancouver City Savings Credit Union, Canada’s largest credit union (175,000 members, 24 branches, $2.3 billion assets) to conduct a staff survey. Wayne McKay, senior vice- president of marketing and mem- ber services, responded by organ- izing a comprehensive survey of about 500 staff members. (It takes courage for a financial institution to say anything critical about cus- tomers; many places I have con- tacted in the past preferred not to comment.) Those who come in three minutes before closing with an hour’s worth of complex transactions — and fhen want cash with the last transaction’ Because we weren’t constantly involved with banking the way those who work in the business are, we often don’t realize the effects of some of our actions. See if you recognize in yourself any of the following customer habits that annoy VanCity’s — and probably every other financial institution’s— staff members. “The most frequently registered staff complaint concerns those customers — often long-time ones — who don’t know their account number or refuse to give it,” said McKay. “The teller then has to take time to look up the number, which contributes to slow-moving line- ups — the biggest customer com- plaint.” McKay said tied for second place are rude customers, and those “who want us to balance their chequebooks.” He said people who are rude and use foul language have usually been drinking. “It’s tough for a staff member to bounce back and UNIQUE GIFTS CRAFTS SIDEWALK SALE a July1&2 — __LANDMARK BLDG _ If it’s News Call the Review 656-1151 What the us be completely relaxed and pleas- ant after dealing with somebody like this.” Some customers don’t keep their chequebooks up to date. “They expect us to tell them whenever a cheque arrives and there aren’t sufficient funds in their account,” McKay said. “Others expect us to know what cheques haven't cleared yet. This includes looking up entries for customers who have forgotten them or were too lazy to record them.” A problem arises when a cus- tomer tries to cash a cheque made out to a third party, which has not been endorsed correctly, or a — Failing to mention their account is at another branch. — Blaming others for their credit problems. — Asking, “How much will you give me?”’ when their loan is declined. : — Not revealing information on creditors when applying for a loan. — Allowing children to run amok in the branch. — Using their wealth as a weapon or threat. — Refusing to deal with a woman, or dealing only with a woman. — Allowing their realtor to insist ON sitting through an inter- view for a mortgage loan. — Dropping names, or playing one employee against another. Fair enough. After all, banking personnel are human, too, and in every other situation are customers just like the rest of us. Next week: Slow lineups, on- the-blink computers, “new faces” and other customer complaints. Mike Grenby is a Vancouver- based columnist and independent personal financial adviser; he will answer your questions as space allows in his column — write to him clo The Review, Box 2070, Sidney, B.C. V8L 3C5. cheque made out to ““Mr. and Mrs.” which doesn’t have both signatures on the back. Delays can occur, especially on busy days, when a customer wants a passbook updated for the first time in several months. “Last-minute customers” are another problem, to quote one manager: “Those who come in three minutes before closing with an hour’s worth of complex trans- actions — and then want cash with the last transaction’”’ when every- thing has been closed down. (I can relate to that scene. I never mean to wait until the last minute to do my banking, but now Kamloops wins Kamloops is a clear winner in the government’s attempt to decentralize important health ser- vices. 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