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Apr 23, 2010
Better service at DBS? Here are 5 issues
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NEW DBS Group Holdings chief executive Piyush Gupta's to-do list ('DBS chief's top priority: Customer first'; Tuesday) includes cutting the long queues at DBS outlets.
Here is my take on what happens on a busy Monday morning at DBS' busier outlets and how some customer-unfriendly practices can be eliminated at the cashier's end:
Inadequately manned counters: Usually only four in six are open and of those, one is restricted to priority customers.
Serving customers who bring in weekend takings via locked bag service: This can be handled by the branch receptionist instead of cashiers.
Serving customers on non-cash-related matters, such as remittances: This can be delegated to customer service officers, rather than cashiers.
Serving priority customers in the non-priority queue: This happens when a priority customer is served in the priority queue and another is waiting. Cashiers serving non-priority customers will serve the waiting priority customer ahead of the next customer in the non-priority queue who, like others, has already been waiting between 30 and 45 minutes to be served.
When I asked the cashiers why such preferential treatment was given to these priority customers, the reply was that they were acting on instructions, lest the priority customers complain.
Antiquated note-counting machines: The notes have to be recounted repeatedly even after they are processed by these machines, and corporate customers bringing in weekend takings add to the delay. The machines should be upgraded.
While the cashiers do their best, their hands seem to be tied by limitations of policy and old technology.
Frankie Chan
Better service at DBS? Here are 5 issues
<!-- by line --><!-- end by line -->
<!-- end left side bar --><!-- story content : start -->
NEW DBS Group Holdings chief executive Piyush Gupta's to-do list ('DBS chief's top priority: Customer first'; Tuesday) includes cutting the long queues at DBS outlets.
Here is my take on what happens on a busy Monday morning at DBS' busier outlets and how some customer-unfriendly practices can be eliminated at the cashier's end:
Inadequately manned counters: Usually only four in six are open and of those, one is restricted to priority customers.
Serving customers who bring in weekend takings via locked bag service: This can be handled by the branch receptionist instead of cashiers.
Serving customers on non-cash-related matters, such as remittances: This can be delegated to customer service officers, rather than cashiers.
Serving priority customers in the non-priority queue: This happens when a priority customer is served in the priority queue and another is waiting. Cashiers serving non-priority customers will serve the waiting priority customer ahead of the next customer in the non-priority queue who, like others, has already been waiting between 30 and 45 minutes to be served.
When I asked the cashiers why such preferential treatment was given to these priority customers, the reply was that they were acting on instructions, lest the priority customers complain.
Antiquated note-counting machines: The notes have to be recounted repeatedly even after they are processed by these machines, and corporate customers bringing in weekend takings add to the delay. The machines should be upgraded.
While the cashiers do their best, their hands seem to be tied by limitations of policy and old technology.
Frankie Chan
