
KASUR:
Despite all the digital revolution in the banking system, to lodge a complaint or ascertain some information on the customer care helpline of a bank readily turns into a bane for the complainant. First, Interactive voice response (IVR), which is an automated phone system tool, rattles off options for the next steps via a menu. The telecommunication jargon happens to be all Greek to the layman complainant. However, overcoming his consternation, the complainant opts to talk to the customer care representative. Lo and behold, the former is asked to wait till the cows come home as all the lines are busy.
Now imagine you are mugged in some remote area, and robbed of all belongings including your mobile phone and wallet having bank cards. Your knee jerk response will be to call the customer care centre of your bank to block your account and mobile banking app. Not having your mobile phone with you, you call the centre on a passersby’s cellphone. After the long wait you will be told that you are not calling from your registered number. However, if luckily you succeed in contacting the representative, he tells you that your complaint has been lodged and their concerned agent would contact you for the confirmation of some details, and if you miss that call, you will not be called up twice. Then the whole tedium ranging from calling on the helpline to awaiting the call of the agent will have to be revisited.
Also, the long calls on mobile phones cost you an arm and a leg. Instead of facilitating the customers, online customer care has just compounded people’s miseries beyond words.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 27th, 2023.
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