by Edcer Escudero
Where can you find friendly, courteous, polite cheerful and civilized office workers?
Not in many government offices, that’s for sure. Neither in those plush, air-conditioned, well-furnished, well-lit and well-designed commercial banks.
It may seem a bit surprising to many, but believe it or not, you can readily find the nicest and well-mannered people in retail stores and popular fastfood chains at the malls.
Personnel in those business outlets have happy dispositions attending to customers, politely greeting them “Good morning/afternoon sir/ma’am” and “Thank you, come gain” when they leave.
I feel sorry, but I cannot say the same thing about a lot of lady bank tellers. Those smartly-dressed, eye-catching, sweet-smelling souls with heavily-shampooed hair, fine-penciled eyebrows, polished fingernails, rosy cheeks and sensuous lips, go about their routine work in zombie-like manner, emotionless and even voiceless. They have stoic looks and glum faces.
But – and here’s the big BUT – when a friend or a known client shows up, their eyes pop out and their ears flip open.
It’s a pity that they have obviously forgotten (or no longer care) to mumble “Good morning” or “good afternoon”, Thank you”, “One moment please” and other pleasantries. They just don’t realize the magical effect of those words on clients.
I have kind words, however, for those tellers who have been on the job for two or less years: They are courteous, enthusiastic, even sweet. But those “veterans” of five years or beyond exhibit traces of nonchalance, aloofness, cocky confidence and flippancy.
Lackadaisical demeanor has a bad reflection on the character and upbringing of a person and, indirectly, gives the bank a bad name. An employee’s attitude or behavior mirrors a bank’s concept of service.
It cannot be gainsaid that banks exist for profit. Service is only a tool by which that end can be achieved. Those catchy slogans are but self-serving and self-praising rhetoric specifically meant to corner clients. Those are just semantic mambo-jambo concocted by advertising geniuses, and do not echo the noble sentiments of bank owners.
Bank management would do well to adopt HAPPY DAY as the bank’s daily motto, and require all personnel to wear warm, broad smile on their faces. They should make everyday a happy day because happiness is contagious.
A smiling, happy face is hundred times better than a pout or a poker face. People should avoid giving out quick, fast fading smiles. It is insincere. A broad, warm, lingering smile is a potent weapon of goodwill and rapport.
Management must put a high premium on good, genuinely sincere and highly satisfying service by creating or inculcating a mindset in all their personnel that would inspire them to treat clients with utmost courtesy and friendliness. In this way, a client leaves the bank with a big smile on his face praising the people in the bank who made his day.
Bank management would reap tremendous benefits from regular or periodic seminars on public relations, otherwise known as good manners and right conduct, for employees. It won’t cost much and the return of investment is immeasurable.
