“Sir, your branch does not accept customer calls” – Bank of America

Yesterday I arrived in Salt Lake City, after a three day trek from New Jersey with my son (Alex, 25) in a Penske Truck.  During the trip, while my son was driving, I took care of some last minute housekeeping issues with accounts, changes in address and all the related matters of moving. One of the issues at hand, required me to speak with my branch manager to see if there was any way she could help with difficulties in making a wire transfer.   I went on line to find the phone number for my branch.  When I called the number, I was greeted by a call center agent.  I explained that I had expected to get my branch and that I needed to speak with my branch manager.  She kindly explained that customer calls were being taken by the general call center.  In that case, I asked to be transferred to my branch manager, to which she replied she could not because all customer calls to the branch were being taken by the general call center.  I explained, that I needed to speak to my manager to see if there was any way she could assist me in making a wire transfer, quickly.  She explained that in order to do that I would need to go to the branch.  I once again asked for my branch’s telephone number, and hen she said it “Sir your branch does not accept customer calls – I cannot give you their number, especially in this busy season”.  I gave up. To some executive, who has not needed the help of a banker in the last 20 years, the process he/she has set in place is adequate, I’m sure.   But how is it that anyone in the business of taking CARE of people’s financial needs thinks it is remotely ok to create a situation where, you cannot speak with the person immediately in charge of taking care of your financial needs. My funds and banking activity will also be moving.

“You can’t” Policies vs. “You should” Policies

One of the aspects of corporate culture that is hardest to shift are outdated policies.  There are so many, especially in mature businesses.  Easily, over 75% of all policies I have studied across companies and departments are designed to keep bad things from happening – they are the “You can’t do this, and you can’t do that – policies”.

I have no issue with them.  If it’s bad, keeping it from happening may be an important thing.  But , why not put as much emphasis on policies that will cause “good things” to happen?  Why can’t we have policies that proactively guide us to do things that create conditions for a preferred future state? More sales, higher customer satisfaction, empowerment.

I think it’s just because coming up with the policies to create desired outcomes is not as easy as identifying those things we would like to outlaw.  We are usually more sensitive to the stuff we don’t like. 

“You should Policies”:

• Upper management should talk to at least one dissatisfied customer per month.  That’s a policy I like.
• Customer Service agents are now empowered to do whatever they think is right for the customer.  Scary, huh?
• One customer service team cannot transfer the customer to another team until they have solved the problem.  But escalation is my only way out !

Admittedly, some proactive policies require careful assessment and good process to facilitate our preferred future.  It’s not easy, but I have found that I am more successful when I concentrate on creating the desired output, instead of focusing on those things that keep me form it.

Which culture would you like to build?