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Cash Deposits for Vindaloo

I recently so a commercial on TV of ICICI bank about how the employees go out of the way in delivering a personal touch to the services they provide. Some commercials really do touch you but not this one. The farce in the add was way to evident to me, having experienced the bank many times. I have always found the bank to be very chaotic though they have brought in some good changes to the way Indians bank. On the other hand I find more at home at our own SBI Bank where at least the staff is not trying to ape some MNC's. ICICI on the other hand I feel is trying to put up a face of genuine care and concern but is as chaotic as any of our local banks would be.

My routine bank visits include a trip once in a while to our local village corporation bank. There is no reason for me to be there but I have to be for the sake of some delicious Vindaloo or some other delicacies which Antao aunty trades in favor for her cash to be deposited. The offer is too tempting for me to consider. The bank in which her account is has 04 employees including the manager and the office boy. Everything moves at snail pace here. depositing the money is an affair of half an hour to fourty five minutes.

This week as usual Aunty entrusted me with the job of depositing some cash, she caught me well on time just as I was trying to sneak away. Her pass book and cash comes in a very neatly kept plastic cover which is the same for the past 3 years. As usual she reminded me to enter the deposit on the pass book, which she is extremely particular about. Not updating the passbook means going though the same ordeal the very next day and this time without any incentive of vindaloos or bebincas. Over the past 3 years I had very clearly learned my lesson.

At the bank as I was waiting I could not miss the expression on one of the employees who is getting transfered next week to a branch closer to her home. She was telling every known customer walking in at her counter about the transfer. Each customer wished her good luck and said they would miss her. There was happiness as well as a sense of loss in her expression. I am very sure she would miss the present branch along with all its customers. She had been there for the past 5 years and had personally known most of its customers. Being a village branch there were very few close customers as well. The whole emotions around the bank was eating into my time but some how I did not mind it. There were various concerns raised during her conversation with her beloved customers.

Most of them wanted to know who was replacing her. She was happy that she was moving closer to her home but worried that she is being transfered to a city branch in Mapusa where there would be some added pressure compared to a village branch. There was a genuine concern in everyone involved in the conversation.Finally when my turn came which was after about fourty five minutes she asked me about Antao aunty and asked her to convey the news about her transfer.

I wished her all the best at the back of my mind was the commercial of ICICI Bank.

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