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I saw these helpful door signs when I was in Kerala over Christmas…
It’s on the door to a cash machine for my bank. A place where you would expect a certain amount of rigor of information.
Obviously you’d be wrong in that expectation.
And I shall refrain from ranting about how wonderful I find the banking system in this country. Last month for instance my bank paid my rent twice.
Twice!
No real reason that I could see, but they did it anyway. And when there were insufficient funds in my account to pay it a third time – yes a third time - they had the temerity to phone me up and shout at me. I see, so your computer’s had a fit, but somehow this is my fault? Surely this would be the point in my country, when a fullsome apology is brought forth. But not here.
Anyway, the signs on the door. So I stood there blankly looking at it for a moment – working out what to do. Or rather, that’s what I should have done – I’ve been in India so long now, I totally ignored it, and pushed the door (it swings in both directions, which might be what those two signs are trying to tell us). So I pushed in and pushed out – and it was only when I noticed my pal had become helpless with mirth and might well not be actually breathing as a result… well, only at that point did I notice the push/pull.
Ah India, you beguile, you charm and so often you confuse.
Except for the banks – they simply annoy, perturb and confuse.
.
Very good article and so very true Ms Scully! To apologize in India means stooping low and bankers consider themselves always “right” and if they find it is their mistake, the answer will be “oh ok” especially if it is one of the nationalized banks i.e. government run banks. Most of us keep away from banks as much as possible and rent is paid in cash to avoid standing order/direct debit mishaps. The amazing thing is they never do their little “check” before calling and shouting at customers
Hello!
Thanks for all your comments – really lovely of you to take the time. And great that I’m not the only one whinging about my bank. I am truly breathtaken by how utterly useless Citibank is here. Actually strike that they’re useless everywhere, but here they’re even worse.
The thing that amazes me about India, and I suspect shocks every foreign worker, is that you have to have a bank account that is linked to your employers choice of bank. If they bank with Citibank, then so do you. If they switch accounts, then so must you. At one place I was fortunatly not working directly for, the company decided to switch accounts, didn’t tell anyone and just had all the employee accounts closed over night. So people got up and their bank cards didn’t work (it took a week for the new bank to get everyone’s new cash card to them), all their standing orders went unpaid, rent was missed. it was a nightmare.
And while I was back in the UK getting my new visa, my bank account here was frozen during the period I was without a visa. Not that it was Citibanks fault (though it pains me not to blame them) – that fiasco is down to the Indian Governments banking laws. Grrrr.
No wonder you say people avoid banks as much as possible. I would if I could.
Awww sorry to hear the “pain” you have been through Ms Scully. You are really brave to stick around here in spite of all this. People here are vary of using their debit/credit cards because it is out of their sight for quite a while and secondly it is not chip and pin but signature instead which can be practiced and reproduced. Third, the counter folks do not even check if it is a man or woman corresponding to the name using the card, because they are busy trying to sell us their store cards (sans the hidden costs to get one). Four, banks here charge customers to stop lost/stolen cards! I think hsbc is okay in India better than other banks at least and their call centre in Chennai/Mumbai works 24/7! It is a privilege; because the UK ones work only 0800 to 2200
They charge you to stop a stolen credit card?
G-o-o-d G-o-d! That’s astounding.
More I hear about banks here, less I love them (and i didn’t start with a lot of love for them…)
i think they mistaken to put the sign..it’s really confusing if you saw something like that and it really catch up my eyes indeed.
I have this horrible feeling that what they meant is the door can be pulled or pushed (it’s a swing door). Not that it’s clear of course…