Customer experience in Govt of India undertakings.
My first trip was to the State bank of Mysore to get a stamp paper to prepare an affidavit. My first stop was the state bank of travancore not knowing that SBT was not authorized to sell stamp papers in karnataka. The lady at the multi purpose counter politely informed me of the same. Time take 30 seconds. My second stop was the State bank of Mysore in koramangala. I enter the bank at 1:00 pm approximately. Stood not knowing where to enquire, finally i approached an employee and presented the matter. The response was a pointed finger in the vague direction where about 4 other people were seated. I look at their desks and after some investigative procedures find some one holding a blank stamp paper and sitting in front of a ‘babu’. So I ‘inferred’ that he must be my man. So i walk up to his desk and wait in front of his desk for about 10 minutes. Not even a glance at me…. He is happy chatting away with 2 lady employees and scolding a ‘poor’ customer who happened to need the stamp paper. Finally im reaching the end of my divine patience by 15 minutes. Just when im about to give him a piece of my mind a lady approaches me from another counter and asks me what i wanted. I told her my need and she said they sell stamp papers only till 12:00 pm !!!!! I politely tell her that i would be back the next day.
———— Day 2 ————————-
Im in the bank at 9:30 am sharp back in front of the same man in the same counter. Again 10 minutes go by and i finally ask him about the stamp paper. The reply came “we do no sell papers with value more that 20 rupees”. I ask..”where can i get one for 50″…. The reply “I don’t know go.” comes the answer. (At this point i presume that he hasn’t been getting much of a sex life cos he’s seems too uptight). Walk out of there; go to a private guy who “does these things”; 30 minutes and 50 rupees down the line – affidavit prepared, signed by a notary and delivered to me.
The second experience was at the Oriental Insurance company, yet another govt of India undertaking. Where i went to get my vehicle insurance transferred, ownership changed, and renewed. Walk in at 10:00 am cos thats when ‘sarkari’ offices start. Walk in and i was curtly called by a an officer made to sit down even though i refused the first time. I explain my need to him, the form materialize, the necessary details are filled in by him. Im given precise info on what i need to fill in. He tells me which all pages of my RC book needs to be xeroxed and submitted. I do the necessary give it to him. He quickly send for my vehicle inspection and clears all the paperwork and in at the cash counter to renew my insurance in the time it takes to say “wham bam thank you ma’am”.
Maybe the govt can have a uniform code for “civil conduct” at their offices. Cos obviously the “bankers to the Maharajas” have no idea that a customer deserves to be offered atleast a seat at the opposite end of their table when they come to meet them
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Filed under: India
