State Bank Of India [SBI] — Complaint Against SBT-SBT Kuzhur Kerala Branch Asst Manager Ms.Thara G

Address: 680741

Respected Madam/Sir

Good Day! I’m Midhun S Pandala, hailing from Meladoor in Thrissur District, Kerala- an Entrepreneur based in Malaysia, with business ventures in South India. I am writing this email with extreme dissatisfaction which myself and my family felt while banking at State Bank of Travancore (SBT) Branch in Kuzhur, Thrissur District in Kerala on the 29th of April 2017.

On the above mentioned date I together with my uncle and aunt from Malaysia, who holds an NRO account in the SBT Kuzhur Branch, visited the branch to collect her ATM Card Pin Mailer personally. My uncle Dr.Sukilan Somarajan, is a reputed General Physician based in Kuala Terengganu Malaysia and aunt Mrs.Sherly Damodaran (who hold’s the NRO account in the above mentioned SBT branch) is the General Manager of renowned Clinic Sentosa in Kuala Berang in Malaysia.

Since we are based near Kuzhur SBT branch locality and since my father had very good experience with SBT over the past many years, we recommended the SBT branch’s banking services to my aunt, who eventually started an NRO account over there, towards which she planned to invest nearly Rs.40 lakhs by June 2017. During her 2 day visit to Kerala on April 2017, we visited the branch to know details regarding the same and also to collect her ATM Pin Mailer personally.

We had a terrible and most inhospitable experience at the SBT Kuzhur branch, where we were made to wait for quite long to verify the signature of my aunt Mrs.Sherly Damodharan. We understood and respected the busy schedule of banking staff and waited patiently to collect her ATM Pin mailer.

My aunt signed in a register given by one of the clerical staff and informed us that the signature has to be verified by Manager. Ms.Thara.G. upon verifying my aunt’s signature, was supposed to inform us either directly or through a staff member or via token system (which was not given to us at this particular branch) on the readiness of the document so as for us to collect the same from her which would have been a seamlessly easy job. Instead, we were made to wait for long, during which I could see the document kept ready on her table. Since waiting is a simple manners, myself, my uncle and aunt waited till she calls us to hand over the document, which never happened. After waiting for some time, I approached Ms.Thara.G, to let her know our case and also to discuss on an investment and foreign money transfer process, for which she directed me to meet Chief Manager. As such myself and my aunt went to meet Chief Manager Mr. in his cabin adjacent and too visible from the desk of Ms.Thara.G. We spent nearly 10 minutes inside the cabin and came out and continued to wait for our name to be called for collecting the document.

We waited for another 10-15 minutes and yet nothing happened. I had no choice but to approach her for the document as we waited quite long for such a simple process. My aunt also followed me. When asked for the document, Ms.Thara.G., informed us that she has called my aunt’s name few times, but no one appeared and collected the document. During that time, the bank had a TV running in the background with above average volume levels, which might have blocked our senses from hearing Ms.Thara’s voice. We still don’t believe that she had called out the name. Anyway, even if that is the case, I believe there is nothing wrong in sending word with a staff or personally coming out of the desk and informing a valuable client on the readiness to collect the document. We were never even asked to sit. She kept claiming that she called out the name many times. Such a cheapskate service rendered to an NRO client who came to Kerala for 2 days to complete this banking procedure. We are highly educated and well respected people in our social circle both in India and abroad. We never have precious time to go waste and hence asked her why she didn’t had the courtesy to call us again or do an announcement. It has to be noted that my aunt is an NRO client who had good plans to invest her hard earned money of nearly Rs.40 lakhs in this branch of SBT. Even if we forget all such attractive benefits that this potential customer could have given to SBT Kuzhur branch, it is a simple manners in the 21st century that any foreman now a days knows. We service personnel need to give and take respect especially with client, who I believe is the fuel of any business. Her attitude was very much visible in her body language and words and she never seemed to have any service attitude that somebody at a Managerial position with such prestigious organization like SBT-SBI should possess. Ms.Thara.G was truly unruly, indecent, aggressive and too unprofessional. Ms.Thara.G never had a bit of customer service skills which I believe in this era of competitive banking service industry is essential for the sustainable growth and development of prestigious banks like SBT especially at a time of the SBT-SBI merger.

In our view as an individual she literally tarnished a good brand name or image that we had with SBT-SBI. To make thing more convincing, I welcome the higher authorities to check the same with the Branch Manager to which I have verbally complained regarding the same before leaving the premises, and you may also check the CCTV footage (if available).

Despite having a busy schedule, if I’m personally writing such a big letter of grievance, your good self might be able to understand how deeply I was ashamed to have taken my family to this worse scenario. Our future investment plans at SBT-SBI is at hold due to this single issue. I am filing a report to the Banking Ombudsman and will be behind this complaint till a disciplinary action is taken against Ms.Thara.G. I believe if this is what is happening with well educated customers like us, what will be the service rendered to average customers who forms the majority at localities like Kuzhur. We have extremely bad impression on the bank just because of a single staff and is hereby expressing the same and also requesting action from higher authorities, which otherwise might force us to go to other options that might take this issue public and worsen the scenario before it is out of control.

Many Thanks.

Regards,

Midhun S Pandala
Managing Director
DAsia Worldwide Pvt.Ltd.

3rdFloor, VR Complex
Near NH-47, Athani Junction
683585, Nedumbasseri, Kochi
Kerala, India
Mobile: +91 [protected]
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Web: www.dasiaworldwide.com