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Customer Service...

BobblunBobblun
edited September 2008 in Everything Else
I went to the bank earlier today, because I needed change for the parking meter. I pulled $20 from the ATM, went inside the bank and waited in line. When I got up to the teller I asked her very politely to exchange my new $20 bill for some ones. With the most attitude I have ever heard she asked me if I had an account. I replied no. She then continued on about how this is a special occasion and how she normally can't help anyone without an account and how she doesn't want to see me again unless I have an account. I could understand her attitude if I were some trouble making punk kid, but I was wearing business attire and looked fairly professional. I think the next time I go in and I get the same response, I will open an account, turn around in a circle and immediately close it and ask for my money back in quarters. Any thoughts?

Comments

  • MrRobotoMrRoboto
    If you are not a customer, the bank is not obligated to exchange any currency if they don't want to, as they are spending minutes on someone that doesn't return a profit.
  • RochelleRochelle
    As a bank teller in a former life, I can understand part of her position.

    As a teller, you are trained and instilled with the fear of possibly losing your job if you end up taking too many losses. These losses include but are not limted to depositing/cashing bad checks, losing money in your till, and taking counterfeit money.

    Yes, there are ways you can tell whether or not money is counterfeit, however I have seen money that went through our bank that turned out to be counterfeit, and it looked like the real thing.

    Overall, I think the teller was rude. She should have seen this as an opportunity to take you as a non-customer and perhaps encourage you to open up an account there. Just goes to show her lack in customer service.
  • BobblunBobblun
    That may be true, but the attitude I received from the teller was unwarranted. To me it seems odd that I can use the ATM for a nominal fee and yet I can't exchange the money that I received from said ATM for a currency that I can actually use.
  • BobblunBobblun
    Furthermore this was not the first time I needed to change a 20 at this particular bank, as a matter of fact I felt bad for the last teller who had to leave her station to get more cash so she could accommodate my need. It just happens that at this particular transaction I received poor customer service.
  • RochelleRochelle
    edited September 2008
    Well to hopefully prevent this situation from happening again you should keep at least 2 rolls of quarters in your car.

    If she really upset you, contact her bank manager. Explain the situation. Then state that if their teller had better customer service skills she would have seen an opportunity to try to make you a new member of the bank. Most banks are about making sales and push for their tellers to see possible sales and push for new customers all the time. This will definitely give you the manager's attention.
    Post edited by Rochelle on
  • MrRobotoMrRoboto
    Use the edit button.

    All I'm saying is that it's not bad customer service if you are not a customer, the attitude was uncalled for though.
  • RochelleRochelle

    All I'm saying is that it's not bad customer service if you are not a customer, the attitude was uncalled for though.
    He could have been a potential bank member. Everyone is a customer regardless of what bank they belong to, when entering a bank. At least that was what I was trained when I worked for the bank.
  • MrRobotoMrRoboto
    edited September 2008
    Unless she screamed, cursed or threw the money at him, she just made the point that she is NOT supposed to do it, suit or no suit, it's not bad customer service in my opinion.
    Post edited by MrRoboto on
  • ErynEryn
    I guess if that's the bank's policy, you have to deal with it, but I agree that the lady probably gave you more lip about it than was necessary. I personally take pride in my customer service skills, and even in situations where I have to tell people that I can't help them or that we have policies against doing what they are asking, I always try to stay as polite and respectful as possible.

    The only times where I tend to be a bit brusque are when random punk kids or snotty ladies come up to our counter asking, "Hey, you guys got any samples?" and they clearly don't intend to actually buy anything. The way we do things, chocolate and candy samples are supposed to help our customers decide which products to buy and/or whether the quality is good enough for them; they are NOT freebies for anyone looking for a quick snack. And then, even when I turn those people away, I do it by saying, "Sorry, we don't right now," often with a shrug and a reassuring (yet fake) "no hard feelings" smile.

    Seriously, it's not that hard to fake a decent smile for people, even if you are completely annoyed with them and want them to get out of your face. It's especially not hard when you're getting paid to do it. IMHO, not enough people working jobs involving customer service understand that they are getting paid to make potential customers feel good about visiting their establishment. This is done both by helping the customers efficiently and just generally making sure they feel welcome. By slacking on that last part or just completely ignoring it, the person is effectively not doing half of their job. As I said, this doesn't mean bending over backwards for people, but it does mean that every potential customer is at least entitled to being treated like a person, not a nuisance.
  • OmnutiaOmnutia
    The easy way to prevent band customer service is to go elsewhere and make sure someone at the bank knows it. Same goes for most businesses.
  • BadDeaconBadDeacon
    As a former bank teller, I can say that it is easy to be disgruntled at a bank.

    People get nuts at banks. It's weird. I think it is because money is such an emotional issue for a lot of people. Bank tellers get treated badly.

    That doesn't justify a bad attitude, but it might explain it.

    As for bank's policies about making change, a lot of people seem to think that banks have some obligation to perform this kind of public service. They are a private business. It costs the bank money and time to have change available. It is kind of like going to a sandwich shop that gives a free cookie to everyone that buys a sandwich, and asking for the free cookie, even though you aren't going to buy a sandwich.

    It still sucks to get bad customer service though.
  • BobblunBobblun
    edited September 2008
    I see some very valid points. My question to you (the bank tellers of the audience) is where else can I get a 20 dollar bill changed into 1 dollar bills, other than the obvious of buying something at the store. And by the way the closest bank that I have an account with is roughly 20 miles from my work so that is not an option without planning ahead of time.

    The parking meter at the University takes 5's, 1's, and quarters.
    Post edited by Bobblun on
  • BadDeaconBadDeacon
    I usually walk in to a store and just ask for change. If they won't make change, I buy a pack of mints or something.

    Fresh, minty breath never hurts.
  • MrRobotoMrRoboto
    edited September 2008
    Question is, what do you need to pay for that you can't use a $20 bill?
    Post edited by MrRoboto on
  • WalkerWalker
    Question is, what do you need to pay for that you can't use a $20 bill?
    I went to the bank earlier today, because I needed change for the parking meter.
  • MrRobotoMrRoboto
    My bad
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