Bank of America, 9/18/2006

Around 4:30pm, I enter Bank of America to withdraw some money from my account in the form of laundry tokens (I really mean quarters - unless you own your own washer and dryer, you know exactly what I'm talking about...)

I get in the regular line, and by the time I'm first in line, the next "open" counter spot is the V.I.P. Banking line, and she waves me over.

I go up to the counter and tell the bank employee that I would like $100.00 in quarters for laundry. Foll0wing her instructions, I slide my card and key my PIN.

While I am doing this, another bank employee enters the security door next to us and sidles up to the counter that she works at (from behind the bullet-proof Plexiglas). He begins talking to her, and they obviously think I can't hear what they are saying. While I can't hear the entire conversation, I know that the subject matter was not work related. He was talking about music and doing some casual flirting.

The clerk servicing me prints some things out, and has me sign for a withdrawal. Meanwhile, she's laughing at the guy's jokes and talking back to him. I'm thinking to myself, "This is the kind of thing you do on a break, not while handling a customer's money."

She does some more paperwork, some more laughing and casual banter with the other employee, some keying and work on her computer keyboard, some more shuffling of papers, some more semi-flirting with the other employee. Since their conversation is loud enough for me to hear through the protective barrier, all of the other employees behind the Plexiglas should be able to hear every word. So am I to understand that this kind of distraction and non-work-related conversations while the employee is helping a customer is OK and work-sanctioned?

Then she tells me she has to go to the coin vault to get my quarters, and that she will be right back. I said fine.

The flirty guy follows her! He and her go in to the "coin vault" for a few minutes, and then she returns pushing the cart, and laughing at his jokes and repartee.

They walk past several other employees on the way back, and Mister Must-Be-On-A-Break engages other employees in conversation about his conversation with the person handling my money.

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Here comes the helpful part of this article
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I called Bank of America from my cell phone on the way back and pressed the right buttons to get to an employee. I very politely told her that I would like to report a bad experience in a branch, and she pleasantly took my complaint. She filled out some kind of in-house form for me, and not only listened closely to what I had to say about my experience, but commiserated. At the end of the call, she recapped everything she entered in to the form and apologized profusely.

As a customer, I believe it is incumbent on us to demand good service when we receive low-quality service. Bank of America will not change overnight due to one phone call, but hopefully the branch managers and supervisors will be more aware of their employees actions in front of customers.

If everyone who received this kind of service reported it – no matter what company you are dealing with – then companies receive valuable feedback that will help them improve their customer service.