Did that really just happen?

Last week I went to the bank in an effort to make a deposit into my savings account. I don't keep a register for my savings account, and I do nearly all of my banking online. So, on this particular sunny Colorado day, I walked into the closest branch of "my" bank, handed the teller my endorsed check, a deposit slip (that was not complete) and my ID, and admitted that I had NO IDEA what my savings account number was.

Tom T. Teller said the easiest way to find my account was with my Social Security Number. That bugs me...he wants me to rattle off my SSN right there in the lobby of the bank with another customer making their transaction at the window next to me. In that I didn't have the time to argue the idea, I very quietly rattled off the most important numbers in my life as Mr. Teller repeated them in what seemed like a shout but I am sure was more of a conversational volume. Still, did that really just happen? UGH!!!

Wait, it gets better!

So as we were finishing the transaction, I noticed that they are having a mortgage "sale." That mortgages new to the bank (even a refinance as long as the re-fi is from another institution) could qualify for up to .50% rate reduction! I was interested so I asked Tom Teller about it. He said, "That isn't really my job so I have no idea what that is all about. You should check into it and let me know if it is a good deal or not." We weren't talking about Happy Hour at Sonic (and yes, that's a good deal!!), we were talking about HIS BANK offing THEIR CUSTOMERS (ME!!) a discounted rate in a scary mortgage environment. He has no idea that I get it and that I know his job as well as he does (and I would argue that I even know it better!!!) He just had the opportunity to cross-sell me to the moon and decided that it wasn't really his job.

UGH! Did that really just happen too?

Do I really need to illustrate the moral of the story here? Assuming nothing...here goes: If you are going to roll out a marketing campaign that has the potential to increase the bank's profitability, cross-sell your customers, increase your loan portfolio, make sure your tellers understand that their job, at a minimum, includes being able to at least read the sign and understand who to the direct inquiring traffic to. That's all I ask.

Here's to training people to communicate better!

Happy Monday!
Jenna