Kathmandu – Last Wednesday, Gyan Bahadur Magar (name changed) needed money. He has been saving money in the bank for years and withdrawing it when needed. On Wednesday, in need of money, he went to the Thapathali branch office of NMB Bank, the bank where he had an account.

He reached the bank around 9:45 am that day. When he reached the bank, the employees of the bank were hurrying to attend and some were in a hurry to finish the pending work of the previous day. Recently, banks have been providing banking services in special branches since before 10 o’clock.

Since Gyan Bahadur was in urgent need of money, he went to the bank with the intention of doing business as soon as the bank opened. Having passed the age of about 60 years, he sat on a chair near the reception (help room) of the bank. During his stay, 3 bank employees came to the reception. Someone was handing over the previous day’s file to another employee while a female employee was turning on the computer at the reception. When she opened the computer, she did the work of a customer who came before Gyan Bahadur.

Gyan Bahadur was about to get money from the bank with his turn and go immediately to settle the deal but it did not happen. A woman at the reception asked Gyan Bahadur after finishing the work of the previous customer, what was your problem? Gyan Bahadur said that he did not know how much money was in his account, so he wanted to know the details of the money in his account first. Gyan Bahadur also brought a check in his hand because he did not remember his account number. He handed over the check to the bank employee asking them not to look at the money.

The bank employee gave Gyan Bahadur the details of the money in the account. Gyan Bahadur was adamant that the money in his account would limit his behavior. Along with that, Gyan Bahadur said to the employee, ‘I don’t care if you fill the details of that thousand in that check.’ But at that time, he suddenly got an answer from the bank employee which he did not think would come. The employee of the bank said, ‘We have now changed the cheque. The current new one can only be transacted by cheque.

Gyan Bahadur had no choice but to be disappointed when what he had entered the bank with did not work out. At that time, the employee of the bank also told Gyan Bahadur that he could get a new check only by returning the old check book. However, Gyan Bahadur, thinking that it would be possible, asked the employee of that bank again, this time it will be accepted by check, but the next time I come, do I have to return all the check books to you and get a new one? After Gyan Bahadur’s question, the employee of the bank said, ‘No, this time too, please submit the previous check book to us and we will make a new one and then we can do business only.’ Those employees will work according to the orders. He left the branch office of the bank saying he wanted to. He also expressed his anger that many customers like him were facing problems saying that the top management of the bank is not working in the interests and intentions of the customers.

On the other hand, NMB Bank has claimed that there is no update about the check book after 2019. The bank has also claimed to have informed its customers through SMS at that time. The bank has claimed that it has not stopped any transaction due to the lack of a new check, saying that even now, when taking an old check, it does business by issuing a new check at the same time.

Gyan Bahadur and NMB Bank are examples. For many customers like Gyan Bahadur, many banks like NMB do not pay much attention to such small things. Banks have invested a lot in client service alone, but if banks do not pay attention to such small things, they are also missing opportunities to strengthen their relationship with customers. Such activities are also responsible for the creation of various outrages against the banking sector from time to time. How sensitive the banks are towards customer service is reflected in the behavior seen at the bank branch counter rather than in big gossip. Therefore, it is appropriate for banks to pay attention to such small things and work for their image.

Similarly, information officer of Nepal Rastra Bank Dr. Dilliram Pokharel said that he always takes the initiative to protect the interests of the customers. He said that the National Bank has also been asking the banks to provide complete information about the services they have resumed and the services they have changed through various means.