Too many dud notes in this bank
IT REALLY isn’t my fault that I’m getting grumpier as I get older. Last week I went into a branch of my bank that I don’t normally visit – and if you think I’d have a go at my own branch on this page, forget it. I know which side of my overdraft is buttered.
While a queue built up, the one staff member who was serving was helping an elderly lady with her transaction which was taking some time.
This didn’t worry me because I know that one day, if I eat my greens, I’ll be an elderly man who’ll need help with my bank transactions.
But some people in the queue were muttering things like “I wish she’d hurry up!”, “How long is she going to be?” and “I’d swear that was Phil Evans stood behind us, if I didn’t know he uses a different branch!”
While we were all waiting, another staff member was standing around to welcome customers.
As this function could easily be performed by a sign saying “Welcome Customers” that person could have been of more use to her employers and customers by serving behind the counter.
Occasionally, two more staff members would walk in and out of various doors with determined looks on their faces that revealed they were determined not to get behind a counter and help get the queue moving.
And all the while – for mysterious reasons that the world’s greatest minds will, in years to come, endeavour to debate – intrusive, whiny pop songs were being played over a speaker system, which did nothing for my well-being.
When I was eventually served, I asked the very helpful staff member if she found the music annoying. With brutal frankness she confessed “Yes, it does my head in!”
So, if pop music annoys bank staff and customers who are there to pay in, take out . . . but not shake it all about . . . why do banks insist on thrusting this unwanted cacophony on our ear holes?
No wonder so many banks are closing.
They can’t afford to pay the song writers and performers for playing their music all day!