Showing posts with label banking system. Show all posts

IT IS WRONG TO BLAME THE MODERN TECHNOLOGY

FOR ERRORS COMMITTED BY MAN

By Apolinario Villalobos

I had a very bad experience with a bank after it printed ALL information about my savings and time deposit, complete with account numbers and sent the UNSIGNED SYSTEM-GENERATED LETTER to my home address by a COURIER OF A NEVER-HEARD MESSENGERIAL SERVICE COMPANY. THE IDIOT COURIER INSERTED THE ENVELOP WITH THE NAME OF THE BANK PRINTED OUTSIDE, INTO A SPACE OF THE GATE. HAD I NOT PICKED IT UP IMMEDIATELY WHEN I CAME HOME, A CRIMINAL COULD HAVE TAKEN IT AND TAKEN NOTE OF THE INFO AND HACKED MY BANK ACCOUNT! WORST, I FOUND OUT THAT THE COURIER MADE IT APPEAR THAT I SIGNED HIS COPY OF DELIVERY RECEIPT!

It was only after I irritably explained to the bank officials their mistake of bringing out of their system the information about my confidential transactions with them that they realized the breach of bank secrecy that they committed. I told them that I could easily file a case in the court against them. And, to think that it is a prestigious bank that can afford expensive ads on print and broadcast media about their offerings. It left me wondering how a prestigious bank could hire INCOMPETENT IDIOTS to handle their information system with sloppiness. WORST, THE RESPONSIBLE GUYS, ALTHOUGH, APOLOGETIC, BLAMED THE “ SYSTEM-GENERATED LETTER”….THOSE PRINTED GOOD FOR NOTHING LETTERS THAT ARE NOT SIGNED AND SENT TO CLIENTS!

Relative to this, I felt I made a big mistake when I dealt with another bank about its insurance offering. Due to non-completion of details on certain forms, A SYSTEM-GENERATED TEXT WAS SENT TO ME. I had to go back to the bank to accomplish what were asked. A little later I received another text about their posting of my payment to the assigned policy number. I had to go back to the bank again to arrange about the delivery which the insurance representative has supposedly submitted to their concerned office. BUT, THE FOLLOWING DAY, I WAS SURPRISED TO RECEIVE SIMILAR TEXT THAT ADVICED ME ABOUT THE NON-COMPLETION OF DOCUMENTS (AGAIN!)! HOW CAN ONE BE NOT IRRITATED BY SUCH KIND OF IDIOTIC COMMUNICATION, AFTER HAVING BEEN ASSURED THAT EVERYTHING IS IN ORDER?

WHAT IS IRRITATING IS THE FAILURE OF THE GUYS OF THE INSURANCE COMPANY TO APOLOGIZE IF THEY COMMITTED AN ERROR BY SENDING AN UNNECESSARY SYSTEM-GENERATED TEXT THAT MADE ME TENSE AND RUINED MY DAY. THE GUY WHO HUMBLY APOLOGIZED HAS GOT NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CLOSED TRANSACTION AS HE IS CONNECTED WITH THE BANK WITH WHICH THE INSURANCE COMPANY IS AFFILIATED. I MADE IT CLEAR THAT THE GUY FROM THE INSURANCE COMPANY RESPONSIBLE FOR SENDING THE SECOND TEXT SHOULD SEND ANOTHER AS AN “ADVICE TO DISREGARD” THE ERRONEOUSLY SENT ONE AND APOLOGIZE, TO CLOSE THE CASE. THAT IS THE PROPER PROTOCOL THAT CUSTOMER-ORIENTED COMPANIES SHOULD OBSERVE IF THEY COMMITTED A MISTAKE. IT IS WRONG FOR THESE COMPANIES TO LEAVE THE CLIENTS WITH INSECURITIES FOR MISTAKES THAT THEY (COMPANIES) COMMITTED.

My point here is, the modern technology should never be blamed because the MACHINES OR COMPUTERS OR WHATEVERGODDAMNTHING BEING USED TO GENERATE LETTERS OR TEXTS ARE CONTROLLED BY A “BREATHING PERSON OR GROUP, VERY WELL ALIVE, AND SUPPOSED TO HAVE BRAINS”!...OTHERWISE, HE/SHE/THEY COULD JUST BE PLAIN AND SIMPLE INCOMPETENT IDIOT/S WHO IS/ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO HADLE SENSITIVE TRANSACTIONS SOME OF WHICH INVOLVE MILLIONS AND NOT JUST HUNDREDS OR THOUSANDS OF PESOS!

THE DANGER HERE IS, EVEN IF A POLICY NUMBER IS ASSIGNED OR ISSUED, THE INSURANCE COMPANY WILL DEFINITELY MAKE IT HARD FOR THE CLIENT TO GET BACK THE MONEY THAT HE INVESTED DUE TO “non-completion of information in documents, etc”….THESE ARE THE FINE LINES IN INSURANCE CONTRACTS! ALSO, BY THE TIME MY POLICY GETS MATURED, I WOULD BE DEALING WITH ANOTHER SET OF PEOPLE WHO MAY ALSO BE IDIOTS, HENCE, NOT GIVE A DAMN IF THE DOCUMENTS THAT THE COMPANY ACCEPTED  FOR PROCESSING JUST TO HAVE A POLICY NUMBER ASSIGNED TO CLOSE THE DEAL WERE INCOMPLETE!

I WILL NAME NAMES IN MY NEXT BLOG IF THE GODDAMN INSURANCE OUTFIT WILL NOT MAKE AMENDS IN WRITING, COMPLETE WITH SIGNATURE, TO CONFIRM THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH MY DOCUMENTS.

The “Good Hands” of Metrobank- Tacurong

By Apolinario Villalobos

Transacting business gives me jitters, not because of anything else but because of the required IDs and people who will “handle” me. As regards IDs, I am wary about what I have because they might not be honored, and for the people who will attend to me, my apprehension is that they might be snooty, unsmiling, robotic in manner who stick to their rules to the last letter, and most of all, the ambience of the office which can give clients negative feelings at times.

During the time I was back to where I saw first the ray of light, in Tacurong, I thought of dropping by Metrobank. The transaction was simple inquiry. Looking at the imposing, albeit, simply architecture office building, I was carried back to the days when the bank was yet renting a ground space in one of the first commercial buildings in my hometown, now a city. Metrobank was the first commercial/universal bank that gave Tacurong a semblance of progress due to its presence. Before its coming, what we had was just the Tacurong Rural Bank that served the needs of the locals and those who live in nearby towns. Transactions were about agricultural loans and savings. That was during the early 70’s, as I remember that some of my batch mates were employed by Metrobank after graduation in 1975.

I left our place to work with Philippine Airlines and due to the scheduled training in Manila, was not able to join the graduation. We were the last graduates who were not less than 60, as the college department was temporarily closed due to the unrest that engulfed the province. I had the chance to take a glimpse of the steadily growing bank every time I come home for a day or at my longest stay of 4 days, Finally, I had my chance of experiencing how it felt to be in the “good hands” of the Metrobankers-Tacurong when I thought of inquiring about their offerings.

Both I and my nephew were in our best “ukay-ukay” attire – cheap walking shorts and faded t-shirt, and of course, in our favorite slippers. The smiling guards opened the door for us. We found the bank full of clients, proof that they are really “bankable”. As we waited for our turn, my nephew approached somebody if we could be attended as what we wanted was just inquiry. We were referred to the Marketing Destk…and the rest was the smooth handling that I was expecting.

My visit to the bank proved that its famous jingle which includes the line, “you’re in good hands with Metrobank”, is indeed, true.

Tina and Grace of BPI-Imus Market Branch

By Apolinario Villalobos

The smiling ladies of the Bank of the Philippine Islands-Imus Market Branch continue to impress me, the latest being, Tina (Cristina Biongko) and Grace Haguring. Both diminutive Tina and Grace can also make a first-time client of the bank, at ease. But, in addition to their arresting smile, both exude the sales qualities that competitive entities like the BPI look for in their staff. Tina did not tire of convincing me to open an account.

Before Tina and Grace attended to me, they patiently went about the routine counter preliminaries with a steady smile on their face which made us, who were waiting for our number to be called, comfortable. Monday and Friday are the most pressure-filled days of operation of entities such as banks due to the stacked- up pended transactions during the weekend and the earnest to finish transactions before the Friday ends. The morning I went to transact with the bank was a Monday, and despite the first-day-of-the-week jitters, I was attended to by Tina and Grace without a single hitch, making me step out of the bank after a short time….again.

Bank of the Philippine Islands holds the record as the oldest banking institution in the country, although, the Monte de Piedad had a share of the banking function only during the later part of the Spanish regime. The bank is also reputed to be conservative which proved to be a plus to its operation, as being such, the institution treads only with utmost caution in all its ventures. Lately, however, it has joined the bandwagon towards modernization of its facilities for the comfort and convenience of its clients which brought to the fore of their operation the paperless transaction machines where the clients punch their requirements instead of filling up small sheets of forms.

And, in the face of the rigid competition in the banking industry, BPI is fortunate for the services of its two dynamic smiling ladies, Tina and Grace.

ASIA UNITED BANK...A DYNAMIC PLUS

OF THE ECONOMIC FOUNDATION OF BACOOR CITY

By Apolinario Villalobos

A community’s growth is always determined by the economic institutions that are found within its periphery, and foremost among them are the banks, the presence of which implies that it is booming. And, because competition is expected among these institutions, one which has got the most high-tech facility coupled with satisfying service would surely have the clout. In this regard, worth mentioning is the Asia United Bank in Bacoor City, a newcomer in the banking arena that has gained a significant share of the local market since its establishment in 2012. The bank is prominently located at the city’s crossroads, the rotunda from which emanate the southern road that leads to Imus/Batangas, the westbound road that leads to Cavite City, and the southbound one that leads to Las Piἧas and Manila.

Asia United Bank has a reputation of having established the first paperless transaction in the country with the “virtual teller kiosk” in the midst of its system that practically shrinks the time element in the client’s transaction with the bank. The on-line transaction which many clients dread due to the proliferation of hacking is made secure by the bank with its 3-level security password system. Its one-of-a-kind “Bizkit” allow clients to choose which offerings are appropriate for their needs. It has many current products that the Field Sales Officer of the Bank or the OIC/Branch Manager can discuss...all one needs to do is just request for their visit. As can be gleaned from the bank’s “resume”, it is some kind of a “total Filipino bank”.

I had my own encounter with the bank when I decided to let them take care of my meagre savings, a turnover from another bank which they took over. I was totally impressed with the service and such impression has been maintained until today, especially, because of the new and amiable Bacoor branch manager, Ms. Nanette Salvador Quincena. She further cemented my trust in the bank when I observed how her team in the branch – all young, would move with seemingly orchestrated professionalism. During a casual chat with her, she expressed, “...at AUB, we are exhausting all means to tap the local market as we are trying to reach out to the working level of the populace that needs our assistance”...an impressive statement! As my habit, because of the good impression, I decided to write something about this “young and dynamic” bank to express my appreciation.

It is admirable to know that the courage of people behind this institution is an offshoot from pooled brilliant business ideas that started with a biscuit company...the Republic Biscuit Company (REBISCO). So, that’s another success story that can make one recall Lucio Tan’s whose bold diversification emanated from a bank, but still earlier, supposedly, a buy and sell venture. Add to that the story of Henry Sy whose giant business empire grew out of a simple shoes store in Sta. Cruz, Manila. 

How I was Put at Ease

By the Smiling Ladies of BPI Savings- Imus Branch

By Apolinario Villalobos

I was used to receiving transmitted cash via money transfer agencies other than any of the banks. With the money transfer agencies, I was more at ease because of the congenial atmosphere due to their small area, making the personalized service felt more. So when a friend from abroad told me that she was transmitting money via a bank, particularly, Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), I was apprehensive.

The first time I went to the branch of the said bank in Imus City, the receiving area was full of clients. But, nevertheless, I was served immediately when I pleaded as I was going somewhere else before the onset of the heavy traffic. I was attended to by a lady who later told me that she was a reliever due to the expected onrush of visit from clients. She was all smiles while asking for the required IDs. And, although, it was already nearing closing time, she and the rest of those manning the counter did not show any fatigue. The lady was Annette Javier, who in a breeze handed to me the remittance.

The second time I experienced the BPI smile was when I again visited the branch to pick up another remittance from the same friend abroad. The lady who attended to me asked questions about the remittance as an SOP, especially, because it came from the States. The truth is that, the questions sort of irritated me because they made me feel like a party to a money laundering scheme….it was just a wild feeling, though. Besides, she did her job with an arresting smile, so I was at ease all the time. The lady was Susan Purificacion, who had been with the trusted banking institution, for twenty years. And, just like what I had experienced during my first visit and attended to by Ms. Javier, my second experience was also something to relish if only for the good service that I received.

Well, the Bank of the Philippine Islands is deeply rooted in the culture of the Filipinos as it was already around during the Spanish regime. With such long experience, what can one expect, but just a good service?