Ring, ring, anybody home?

EVER tried to get through to the Standard Bank by telephone? They boast a Share Call number (086 010 1341) which one is supposed to ring to resolve any and all banking queries irrespective of which branch may be involved.

One cannot get through to any individual branch – this is now taboo. A consultant at the centralised number above will handle your query – if you are lucky enough to get through. Having not managed to get through, I cannot vouch for the efficiency or otherwise of said elusive consultants.

I have spent an entire morning and most of the afternoon trying vainly to reach a consultant at the above advertised number, being bombarded by the most irritating repetitive music and equally repetitive, inane messages extolling the bank’s services and, oh yes, the fact that they are experiencing heavy traffic on the line which I don’t believe for one moment.

One has come to accept such disgraceful service from other entities, particularly municipality and quasi government ones, but your bank? No fear, and totally unacceptable.

Please put a bomb under their backsides – they really need to get their ducks in a row if they expect customer loyalty from such as myself who has had to put up with their shenanigans for 60-odd years. The camel’s back can only take so much! Brian Wolstenholme