This story basis on a bad experience from both UBL customer services department and mismanagement by the local branch staff.
No doubt, United Bank Ltd – Pakistan is one of the leading banks in Pakistan that has some international identity too. It’s financial services and especially ATM machines network is facilitating the customers almost at their door steps. But in spite of all these facilities, UBL is still lacking to provide quality customer services that should be cared with the vision that they have. I am sorry to say this but the local bank’s staff knows not even the ABC of customer services. The customers have to wait for a long long time and they are set into queues to just inquire about a basic banking problem even to make a single transaction.
UBL happily welcomes those customers who request to possess a Credit Card. They are even happier to issue a debit card too. But, the real customer services can be tested when someone re-applies to re-draw a debit card (Not a Credit Card) in case if the initial card is lost, broken, expired or due to any reason. You will have to report for the issuance of the new card to the customer services center in Karachi. The Local branch (in the mean while) sends the account holder’s signature to Karachi head office for verification. Once it is verified, the local branch proceeds to fill-in the form that is sent to the head office to issue a new debit card. This whole process may take more than 1 month. Yes yes yes, I repeat, this process may take more than one month and it really takes..!! I am a true victim of all this.
Now lets talk about the customer services representatives (Karachi) who receive customer complaints only and they really don’t know how to pass on these complaints to the concerned department. But, it is also true that they talk beautifully and the customers feel that they have handed-over their complaints to a responsible person. Ohh God, how innocent these customers are. But this innocence is short lived and soon the customers realize that just speaking beautifully is nothing and they need action against their reported queries. If they protest this naughty customer services behavior to the local staff, they answer that they are waiting for the approval from Karachi head office. The head office representatives claim that they have already processed complaint related queries. So, who should be blamed for this inconvenience, head office or the local branch? But it is for sure that in both options, customers are the only victims who really suffer.
There is yet another issue that should also be addressed here. Where United Bank has created a country based web of ATM machines to facilitate the customers in case they could withdraw cash whenever and wherever they want, not very often but usually you will meet the message “THE ATM IS OUT OF SERVICE”. Sometimes, it happens in the peak business time when the customers mostly use them. I know with this fact that ATM machines needs to be maintained, UBL can take maintenance measures in late nights when ATM’s are not mostly used. This may make customers happy to make a transaction without facing any problems.
In recent years, we have seen lots of improvements and innovations in banking sector that are in fact a main hub to strengthen the banking sector. At that point, some Success Factors should be introduced to attract the people by creating services or product awareness among common people. Services like, ATM’s and e-banking etc are true examples of such success factors which are really working to eliminate the gap between banks and other potential customers. These improved services can live for a long time if a quality customer care is ensured. But UBL is seriously lacking in that department and other banks do understand its sensitivity and those un-happy customers could be a part of these banks if UBL did not consider this. Today is an age of Customer services where a single common person should be honored and respected. These ethical values easily penetrate into the minds of a common person and it certainly helps them to become a customer from a common person. So, I recommend that UBL should start customer services trainings to train their local bankers and they should also keep an eye on their practical implementation. Secondly, the customer services department should solve every single customer’s complaint on priority basis.
There might be many other un-happy customers with thier bad experiances but I have shared only those bad times that I have experienced with the United Bank Limited. It is not all about an un-happy customer but it is about to control letting the existing customers un-happy and UBL will have to think about it.
United Bank Limited Pakistan 