Appalling Service from Bank end to end. Review on State Bank Of India

I would like to share my experience with State Bank of India Rajarajeshwari Nagar branch in Bangalore.

The story begins in the late November 09, when I get a thought of opening a Savings and a PPF account with the bank.

The opening process was not painful except that I had to fill a booklet(application form) in which I had to write my name n number of times. Which is ok. I was told that the check book/atm card and the password will arrive at my home address by courier in a week or two.

I was happy to receive the first envelope via courier within 10 days of submitting my application. I tear it open only to find out that the my middle name on the Welcome letter and the ATM Debit card has a been incorrectly spelled.(Strangely I also notice the card number exceeds 16 digits, in fact its got 19 digits)

So I call up the customer-care 1800 number and narrate the story, pat I get a response asking me to contact the branch.

I promptly go to the Branch, speak to Operations Manager. After telling him about the incorrect name on the card and the welcome letter, I am suggested to use the card as it is. He advises that it doesnt matter as long as the card is working. I get the SHOCK of my life. To hear a branch manager suggesting that it doesnt matter.

Then I tell him that I am not happy to see my(middle) name not being spelled correctly on the card and would like to have my card replaced with the correct name. To which he completely loses his temper and starts yelling at me saying we don't replace the cards for such reasons here, if you want to use the card, use it the way it is Or contact the Mumbai Head office from where the cards are printed and shipped.

I just hated his attitude and the way he was handling one of his customers. But I did not feel like making a scene there, so I quietly go to HIS boss, THE BRANCH MANAGER. Upon narrating the story, he says that he would like me to write a letter(handwritten) reporting the issue. He shows the courtesy that he would try to get in touch with Mumbai Branch and will call me back once they correct the name and send a new one. I think to myself that its all going to be over. He insists me to write my cellphone and my landline number on the letter, so that he can call me. I could not believe it but happily I provide the same.

I let a week pass by. I dont get to hear anything. Then I call up branch, I get a response that the Branch Manager is not available. I think of myself unlucky and carry on.

After a day or two, when I come back home, I see a new envelope from SBI posted to my home address. I jump out of joy and tear this one open and guess what? I get SECOND CARD with EXACTLY the same incorrectly spelled name on it.

I think to myself why did I really have to go through all this? In spite of writing a page full of letter reporting the issue, I still get the card with wrongly spelled name. I was disgusted.

This time I dont go to branch, but call up the branch, a lady picks up and takes all my frustration. In the end she asks me for my account number, and checks it in the system and apologizes for all this,

as she finds the name spelled wrong in their computer system. She corrects it while I am on the line and and assures that the new card will have my name correct. I believe her for I unknown reasons.

After another week I get the CARD of my dream. Finally I receive my International ATM cum Debit card with correctly spelled name on it.

~Guys, thats just the beginning~

I make some deposits in my both Savings and PPF accounts in consequent weeks and all seems hunky-dory, until one fine day I feel like not visiting the branch and try ONLINE BANKING.

I clearly remember putting a Tick to a box in the application form which asked if I wanted to use Online banking. But still I had to visit the branch and fill up another form and submit it. I was told that I will receive my online access will be activated in 48 hours, after handing me over the online access KIT. The kit had the USERNAME and the PASSOWRD.

I promptly wait for 10 days before using the KIT to try and access my accounts online for the first time.

YES, you are right.

I get a message" Invalid Username/Password". I swear I was extremely careful entering each and every character of my username and password that was given in the KIT.

I think to myself, was online access really needed?

I go to bank branch. Speak to Customer Relations Manager. To which he checks my KIT ID and suddenly remembers that he never activated this one. But he promises me that in the NEXT 48 hours I will positively be able to access my accounts online.

I go back home. Even before 48 hours pass I get a call from the same Customer Relations Manager, asking me to check if I am able to access my accounts online. Luckily I am home. I start my computer get online and try my luck, but I fail. I tell him I still get the same message "Invalid Username/ Password".

To which he says:

" there is another customer of our branch who is claiming that when she logs on to online banking site of SBI with her username and password, she can see both my accounts, their balances, my name and my address etc."

" he also advises me that I should try logging on online SBI site using her credentials, which he provides me while I am talking to him on the phone, only to see if I see her or my accounts there"

All my patience and my limit to take nonsense was getting over.

I get to the branch and ask the Manager to de-activate my online access. Manager tells me that the other customer also complained the branch asking to de-activate the online access to account.

I am told again that I have to wait for 48 hours so that my new KIT is activated . I impatiently wait for every hour of 2 days.

I go to branch and I am told that:

I cannot have my username as the other customer had changed my username to her "own name".

I will have to continue using the same username(which is the name of the other customer who could access my accounts earlier) but can have password changed.

I should also check if the other customer had updated/edited any of the information, if yes I should report it to branch.

I can now access my accounts but hate to use the username of someone else's wish, but I do not have any more time and patience to visit the branch.

If I was in the US, I would be millionaire by this time. I could have Sued the bank royally for Privacy reasons and for making me go through all the trauma and trouble that I definitely dont deserve.

There are two more incidents that I want to share but I am bored to type now.

few highlights:

-

99.99% of the times I have found SBI atm either out of order or out of cash.

The 1800- customer care sucks

The bank managers and the customer relation managers do not have the sense to value the customer and his/her privacy and time.

online banking also sucks.

I can only say that I would never recommend this bank to anyone.

Shashi