Sir, – "Rebuilding trust in Irish banks", according to Patrick Honohan (Opinion & Analysis, August 29th) indeed might be a "gradual process". However, if banks want to speed up this process, they might need to snap out of their lingering pre-Celtic Tiger arrogance in terms of commitment to customer service and good manners.
Most recently on a visit to a well-known bank, no staff were present to assist with the growing line of people waiting their turn for a machine.
I decided to join the line at the cash desk. I waited for 20 minutes before being served by a sole, overworked and tetchy cashier who blankly refused my transaction (or my eye contact ) but diverted me back to the machines, while looking over my shoulder for the next customer to approach.
I decided to make a complaint about the lack of assistance and the lack of signage about what transactions cashiers can and cannot handle.
:fill(white):background_color(white)/static.themebuilder.aws.arc.pub/irishtimes/1647534191476.png)
The latter complaint received no acknowledgement and the former was resolved by telling me that staff assigned to the machines “must have been on their lunch break”.
All in all, I spent 55 minutes of my life in that bank trying to perform a simple transaction. A “gradual process” indeed with very little “trust” gained. – Yours, etc,
FRANK COPELAND,
Castlewarren, Co Kilkenny.