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.
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.