I respect banks and banking professionals. I always wanted to join a bank, I gave the exams as well...but they did not think I deserved this nobel profession! Life is always so strange!!! This is my tribute to the banks I have interacted with ;-) no offence meant to any banking official. This is also a deviation from the topic...it doesn not discuss Internet...but yes it discusses banks...so partially I am still on track!
Choosing a bank for your money is not difficult; atleast it is not as difficult as choosing a mobile phone or a laptop( **courtesy diver and paulose!) Banks are all the same, their interest rates are same, their policies are same and the bloody forms look same...so how do a lay woman(!) decide on a bank for her precious money?
Coming to my personal experiences, I am here to tell you about my experiences on the 3 of the best known banks...ICICI, SBI and Standard Chartered...this in no way an indication on how big my bank balance is but just goes on to prove how bank savvy I am!
To start with ICICI..."hum hain naa" is their slogan and they prove it each time I visit their bank. I started young with ICICI( mark of being a money minded child!) with a student card. They made it free, they gave me a 50 leaflet cheque book and they gave me an ATM card! what does a teenager want more from life...yes! the money...but my parents didnt gave me any...no fault of the poor bank!
Then I grew up( Question time: Guess my banking age?) and my money grew up as well...time to switch over from a free student card to a Rs 5000 balance waala savings bank account...times changed but not the loyalties...I got the card made from my home, without unnecessary questions, introduction letters and one phone call....this is what a person wants...any time banking and ICICI proves ...atleast!
Then I grew up further(!) and got employment...what days were they! a new organisation, induction sessions, new colleagues and a brand new bank account..."I have one" was my answer to the frightening finance section..."shut up and fill this form"..."it is Standard Chartered bank account !" I realised I was dreamin...SC bank account...my life was turning grand...after all no one can afford a SC bank account...how true!
You cannot really afford the SC savings account all your life..and if you are young, single or old and mingled...i mean married, you cannot afford a monthly balance of Rs 25000 every month...atleast I cannot :( so that was the end of the " Megha Shining" dream...I still have the SC salary account and will have it till the time I survive in this office!!! Life makes you pay for all the dreams you dare to dream ;-)
Last but not the least, on a lazy saturday, I had a strange encounter some days back..." mere pass ICICI hain, mere pass LIC hain, mere pass SC hain...tere pass kya hain"---that was me
" Mere pass SBI hain...India ka largest government bank"---that was my friend! Oh...life again was making me anxious and sad...I had to do something about it...mujhe bhi chahiye...reason given to me by myself :-> I need a government bank account!
So here I was...in the new SBI branch with a filled up form for an account...now read on!!!
"Madam, fill the introduction section please!"..." Sir, I have filled the other section; this says fill this OR fill this"..." Madam, sorry, you cannot get the account made till someone refers you"..." Sir, I have a Address proof and an Identity proof...what more you want"..."Sorry Madam, not done!"..."Sir, I need to talk to your manager since you do not understand English...it says bring the proofs or bring the bl**dy introduce...do you understand it now? Change the form or make my account"..."Yes Madam, I think we can do it."...
That was a part of the long pleasant(!) conversation I had with my SBI friends...thankfully the account was opened, the card posted to me...and the PIN! That was under a lock and key in the SBI branch...believe me when I say this...they had to unlock the trunk to give me my PIN...I still have not received the passbook and I don’t think I will get it anytime soon!!! becoz it may be in a locker for all you know ;-)
So now my life looks much better..."mere pass ICICI hain, SC hain, City tha and SBI hain"..."tumhare pass kya hain???"..."mere pass tere in sab accounts ke PIN numbers hain"...Ohhhh!!! life can never be the same again!
Comments are welcome...infact please help yourself...as in treat us with your tit bits on how banks made or broke your day! The best real life experience comment gets...life time opportunity to open another bank account! wat say?