Customer Service in Bank Counters: Information to the customers and special arrangements

As per RBI guidance, employees of the banks are expected to be at their seats at the commencement of business hours and attend to all the customers who are in the branch before the close of business hours. However, the Banking Regulator RBI noticed that in practice, in many branches of banks, employees take their own time to open the counters and also do not attend to customers who are in the queue at the close of business hours. Some banks to ensure that the service to customers is made available exactly at the commencement of business hours fix the working hours of the staff 15 minutes before the start of business hours. This arrangement can be made by all the banks at their branches in metropolitan and urban centers.

The Reserve Bank of India in their master circular learnt from complaints received by them that counters are closed at the end of business hours, without disposing of customers. Hence, instructed all the Banks to issue instructions to their branches ensuring that all customers who enter the banking hall before the close of business hours may be attended to.

Beyond business hours Staff at the counters may undertake the following Non-cash transactions during the extended business hours (branches to indicate the timings).

a)  Non-voucher generating transactions:

    (i)  issue of passbook/staff of accounts

     (ii) issue of chequebook

     (iii) delivery of term deposit receipts/drafts

     (iv) acceptance of the share application form; and

     (v) acceptance of clearing cheques/bills for collection

(b) Voucher generating transactions:

     (i) issue of term deposit receipts (TDR)

     (ii) acceptance of cheques for locker rent due;

     (iii) issue of travellers cheques

     (iv) issue of gift cheques

     (v) acceptance of individual cheques for transfer credit

Uninterrupted Service

Banks were further asked by the banking regulator to devise appropriate procedures to ensure that no counter remains unattended during business hours and uninterrupted service is rendered to the customers by making adequate relief arrangements as may be necessary.

To know the availability of customer amenities and special arrangements and provisions to meet customer expectations & improve customer service Read the Policy for General Management of the bank branches.

Guidance to Customers

All banks shall ensure that their branches, except very small ones, should have “Enquiry” or “May I help you” counters. Such counters may exclusively attend to enquiries or may be combined with other functions depending upon the requirement. As far as possible, such counters should be near the entry point to the banking hall. ( To know more about other arrangements and provisions read: Explained: Policy for General Management of the Bank Branches)

Banks should ensure that the full address/telephone number of the branch is invariably mentioned in the Pass Book / Statement of Accounts issued to account holders. (b) Banks should invariably offer passbook facilities to all their savings bank account holders (individuals). The cost of providing such passbooks should not be recovered from the customers. (c) Banks may devise controls to ensure that the passbooks are updated on an ongoing basis, and complete and correct particulars are written in a legible hand. (d) Customers also need to be educated to submit the passbooks regularly for updating. (e) Banks may take the following steps to provide customer satisfaction in these areas:

(i) Customer education drives may be launched to bring home the advantages of getting the passbooks updated regularly / periodically.

(ii) Employees may be exhorted to attach importance to this area to provide customer satisfaction.

(f) As a rule, passbooks may be updated immediately upon submission. If updating is not possible immediately due to a large number of entries, then paper tokens be issued for the collection of passbooks on the next day.

There is room for providing customer satisfaction by assisting customers in making proper decisions for investment in various deposit schemes having regard to their particular needs and expectations. The banks should assist/guide customers in the area of investment of funds in the various deposit schemes vis-à-vis the requirements of the customers.

Banks may make available to the customers brochures/ pamphlets in regional language/Hindi /English giving details of various schemes available and terms and conditions thereof. Such brochures may also contain, among others, do’s and don’ts for smooth handling of day-to-day banking transactions, e.g. updating of passbooks, preferably in the leaner weeks of the month, say, third/fourth week, advantages of maintaining joint accounts and nomination, keeping the term deposit receipts in safe custody with the banks with instructions for disposal on maturity etc

The Banking Codes and Standards Board of India (BCSBI) was constituted on the recommendation of the committee under the Chairmanship of Shri S.S.Tarapore former Deputy Governor of RBI. It was registered as a Society under the Societies Registration Act 1860 in February 2006. The primary objective of the BCSBI is a board for hassle-free service to the Common Man. It is an independent and autonomous watchdog to monitor and ensure that the Banking Codes and Standards adopted by the banks are adhered to in true spirit while delivering their services. Membership of BCSBI is voluntary and open to all scheduled banks. BCSBI   has scripted the ‘Code of Bank’s Commitment to Customers’ jointly with the Indian Banks Association. The member banks need to ensure compliance with its codes and standards, for quick resolutions and to lessen the frustration faced by customers. These codes have come into effect from 1st July 2006. Code of “Banks Commitments to Customers”, which sets minimum standards of banking practice and benchmarks in customer service for Banks to follow, shall be made available to customers free of cost on request.

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