British comedy show Little Britain features a character who works for a fictional bank. Every time the customer comes into the bank, she rattles on the keyboard and delivers the punch line: “Computer says no.”
As with all comedy, there is an element of truth. Some banks are a bit black and white, with everything run on a strict process basis. However, they might as well put up a sign saying: “This bank’s policy is that all staff must remove their brains before starting work here.”
Restricting all staff to strict processes and computerised decision-making is fine if you are dealing with someone in job training, but surely not for seasoned banking professionals? If you are dealing with a banker by background, with years of experience, surely they should be trusted with decision-making?
Apparently not. I met my business banker recently, and he has been with the bank for 27 years. I wasn’t after anything in particular, although I did mention that making payments in euros and dollars is awkward as I cannot do this online.
No more leeway
“Yes, and we charge you a hefty fee for conversions of currencies too,” he said cheerily. He was trying to be helpful and nice. “I’ll see what I can do”, he piped up, “but often I can do nothing because the computer says no.”
What? But you’ve been here 27 years.
“Ten years ago I had more leeway to accommodate my customers’ needs than I do now,” he said. “Today, everything is run by the computer because everything is focused on sales. That’s why the bank has brought in people who know loads about sales but nothing about bank practices. I used to be able to make judgement calls… not today.”
This tells me that some banks no longer need humans to deliver service: just procedures and computers. There is no leeway, no grey, no humanity or relationship. You end up with: fit in or get lost.
By way of example, I once dealt with a bank who wanted my mortgage. I said fine, and tried to switch my main account to the bank as well. My application was rejected because I didn’t fit the risk profile. First, I was changing address. Strange that, as I was in the process of moving and taking out a massive mortgage with the bank to fund it. Second, I was rejected because I had just changed jobs. Funny that, as the new job was the reason I was moving.
So, automata as bank staff who sell but have no power, turns out to be fine for those customers who do not want flexibility – and those employees who don’t want to think.
