Longest wait award goes to the man who spent 19 days trying to contact his Bank of New Zealand personal banker. His diary tells the saga:
Wednesday, June 10: I call my branch wanting to increase my credit limit. I'm told I need to speak to my personal banker. He's not available, so I leave him a message to call me.
Hours later I've heard nothing, so I ring again and again and each time I'm told he is either with a client, on the phone or at lunch. I phone four times that day and leave three messages for him to call me on my work number. I hear nothing.
Thursday, June 11: I ring my branch again and am told: "Your personal banker is not available. Do you want to leave a message?" I call him at least three times that day and leave at least one more message for him to call me. I hear nothing.
Friday, June 12: I visit the BNZ branch closest to where I live in an attempt to get some service. They also tell me that I need to speak to my personal banker about it.
They call him from the branch but he is not available. Did I want them to leave a message? They leave an urgent message for him to call me at home and tell me that he will call after 2 pm. He does not call.
Two days pass.
Monday, June 15: In desperation I take time off work and go into my branch to see my personal banker in person. There is no indication that he knows who I am or realises that I'm the one he has a pile of messages to call. I fill in a form and he tells me that he will let me know tomorrow if the limit increase has been approved.
Tuesday, June 16: I hear nothing from him.
Wednesday, June 17: I call my branch again wanting to know if my limit has been increased. I'm told my personal banker is not available - would I like to leave a message! I ask to speak to the branch manager but that person is not available either. Would I like to leave a message?
At this point I make an official verbal complaint explaining the complete lack of service over the past week. I request a new personal banker - preferably one who knows how to use a phone. I hear nothing from my personal manager or anyone else from the branch that day.
Thursday, June 18: I hear nothing from my branch.
Friday, June 19: First-ever call from my personal banker. The first thing he says is: "Did you put in a complaint about me?" "Yes," I reply. He tells me he needs further information to increase my credit limit, which I fax to him. The whole thing has taken 19 days. It should have taken one or two.
Get a personal banker, go crazy
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