I tend to think again and again about the internet banking services provided by the Government banks in India specially SBI. SBI is the largest Government bank in India and it still lacks a good internet banking service. Compared to other private banking services like ICICI, HDFC etc SBI does not stand anywhere (I am talking only in terms of internet banking).
I do like their personal banking branches at different locations. They really treat you well with cofee/chai/samosa etc if you have any problem or request. You have access to the branch manager directly for any issue that you might have. But when it comes down to internet banking which is the preferred way of banking for the new young generation, SBI lacks the basic service level. For example, if you are trying to transfer funds from your own account to your own SBI bank account, it fails multiple times blaming network errors. Under the same scenarios, my funds transfer from ICICI bank to my own ICICI bank or any other banks has not failed me once. It's quick and easy in private bank internet sites. The SBI funds transfer is also kinda confusing and just too much detail on the same page. Someone who has been using only the SBI website may not notice these things unless you go and experience other private banking online services.
Other stuffs like changing your account details like mobile number etc is like preparing yourself for a good online war with the online customer care which itself is pathetic. I had to write n number of e-mails, sent two faxes, called thrice and raised four tickets to get my mobile number changed. The funniest thing about changing your mobile number on SBI is that they expect you to have your old number working to allow changing to the new number :). Why would someone change the number if you have the current number working and good. One tends to request such changes only when (in most cases unless you are a real junk having n different mobiles and want to change your details unnecessarily) one
But what SBI does is this: you request for a change in mobile number. It sends a passcode to your old number. you obviously do not have a way to access your old sim so you go ahead and raise a ticket online. To which, some customer representative responds saying, you have to visit your branch personally. So if you moved from Mumbai to Delhi , they ask you to come down to Mumbai again just so you can get your mobile number changed :(. What an Idea sir! It can really change my life :).
Anyways, I could convince the manager that I am a genuine person with a genuine problem (in three week's time) so I could sign on a form and fax it to them and then take a pdf copy of the same and send it to customer representative to have it effectd. :( ahhhhhhhhhhh ....I'm exausted at this point. Wow!!! the online banking makes it easy ....
There are other such crappy ideas that SBI has. I really don't know who comes up with such ideas when developing the internet banking solution. Most likely the software developers would not like such ideas, I'm sure, but they give up against the pressure :)
And by the way, if you tried adding a beneficiary ..that is also a long story :). You know what, probably, SBI wants you to keep in touch, so you don't forget their existence :).
Anyways ...enough said now ..let's see if they act on it too ..
Endnote: This is what my friend Deepak Nema has to say about happiness (he is a real likable, happy, ever smiling guy and a good philosopher Nizaam living in Hyderabad):
Finding Happiness
People go through ups and downs of life and constantly keep on searching happiness.While the way to happiness is:
Keep your heart free from hate, Your mind from worry.
Expect little, give much. Fill your life with love.
Scatter sunshine. Forget self, think of others.
Do as you would be done by.
Live a simple life.
Try this for a week and you will be surprised.
"Enjoy everything that happens in your life,
but never make your happiness or success dependent on an attachment to any person(read girlfriend), place(read hyderabad or your office), or thing(read s/w programming)."
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
SBI funds transfer and internet banking
