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Banking on the human touch

Even if it meant delay, one did value the face behind the bank counter. Computers surely cannot substitute for that human touch

Machines may be efficient, but they can't make small talk.

REMEMBER THE days when you strolled into the bank, queued up, made small talk with the staff and strolled out after finishing your business? Today, a machine does all that, and efficiently too, only you don't make small talk to an ATM machine. You could curse it though if it doesn't cough up the precise sum you asked for.

I'm a bank employee of the pre-computer savvy generation. We smiled and made small talk and enjoyed what we did. Today's faces behind the counter are impersonal.In our days, we served faces and personalities. These days, they serve mere numbers and IDs.

"That's not true. I feel the younger generation enjoys this computerised atmosphere because we need not waste time on routine calculations. Moreover, sanction of loans becomes more objective, because it is decided not on the basis of our interaction with the customers, but on records," says Radha, a young executive in a multinational bank, who sanctions loans for customers abroad.

I remember how our seniors used to offer personal service to celebrities and be well appreciated and admired. Their day would be made. Never mind the meagre increments, faulty fans, uncooperative employees, irate customers, long working hours, and delayed promotions.

We would feel proud when customers recognised us and spoke to us long after we had left a branch.

Personal touch

People like Radha believe that there is still the personal touch as far as old customers are concerned. "In fact, people of my generation really want to get things done faster wherever we go and prefer not to interact with moody counter clerks. We would rather be happy to get things done with the press of a button and get out. Maybe the older generation would miss the personal contact and banks have to have a different strategy to serve such customers."

However, not all customers love this machine-run world. Vaidyanathan, retired director of BARC, differs on this: "I do love to be recognised and served personally. Employees today think machines have replaced humans. But that's not true. Machines have been provided only to make mundane work easier and have to be considered complementary. Computers can never do what a human being can do. A smile, a greeting, and concern really matter."

Cordial atmosphere

In fact, there were certain branches where retired persons loved to spend two to three hours to enjoy the AC, the cordial atmosphere and to meet their friends! We were trained to treat such senior citizens with respect and make them feel at home as much as possible between our busy work schedule, at least by just smiling and nodding our heads, because they just want someone to listen to them.

"Computers have really improved the efficiency of the banks and other service-oriented institutions. The railways, where reservations can be made in minutes, is a good example. We used to stand in long queues for hours together at the railway counter and the clerks had a terrible time looking into details of various routes, connections, timings, days, fares, and concessions. However, in banks, I really miss that personal touch. I used to enjoy days when employees remembered us by our names and faces and served with a smile and concern. Maybe they need a bit of training to retain that human touch even while using computers as aids," says Raghavendran, a chartered accountant.

Not better service

"Things have to change. Computers are inevitable. The problem is not with computers, but with the people operating them. It is an attitude problem. Whether a person is aided with computers or not, unless he decides to do his work sincerely and with devotion, there is no use. We cannot claim that our service has become better just because of computerisation. We still find customers complaining about service in nationalised banks, employees working for 10-12 hours a day and some managing to lead a happy easy life!" says Jitendra, former manager of a nationalised bank who opted for VRS.

SUDHA NARASIMHACHAR

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