My Encounter in a Rural Branch  - Who is Misfit for Senior Management Post ?

by

Rajesh Goyal   

A few days back I have published an article  "Why Indian Banker Will Never Be Alzhimer's Patient ? - Banking Encounters of Foreign Tourist".   That was an encounter of a foreigner at a PS Bank at a metro branch.  The article gave a sense of humor too.    At the end of that article I promised that I will also write about my own encounter while on a surprise visit as AGM.   This true experience will not appear to be that funny, but it has its own lessons and depicts the true picture of rural branches and pathetic situation of number of BMs and officers.  Some of bankers will certainly be able to relate it to their own experiences as such things happen regularly in PS Bank branches.

Now coming to my experience.   I had joined as Assistant General Manager in one of the Circle offices of my bank on my transfer. ( I am withholding some names etc as these may hurt the feelings of some people)    As per circle office schedule, I was asked to visit about 40 branches in the quarter.   Among the list was also a rural branch at a far flung area about which I am writing today.  

Most of the bankers must be aware that as per policy all the branches are required to be visited by senior officers every quarter.   Thus it was a part of quarterly visit.  However, the branch being at a far off place, the same was not visited by any senior officer for almost over a year now. (We know that some junior official is deputed to complete the formalities when senior officers are reluctant to visit such far flung branches.   I being a new in the Circle, some junior colleagues gave me this tip)   However, Bank car at my disposal and driver with me, I had decided to visit  personally all the branches allocated to me to get the pulse of the field staff.  I myself having worked in branches (rural / semi -urban, state capitals and metro) for number of years,  I knew about the problems of the BMs.    However, having been cut off from branches for fairly long period, due to my postings as HO, I wanted to get the first hand knowledge of the current situation in far flung rural branches.   

The feedback given to me for the BM of this rural branch, was that he is a useless fellow,  and there is no growth as BM does not go to the field.  I was advised that I must pull him to the maximum extent.   The last words were repeatedly told to me by senior colleagues  and others, as there was growing feeling that I am receptive to the problems of the branches and am lenient.   I was being slowly trained to learn the art of firing the juniors without any fault of theirs.   I was really slow in learning this art !

Anyway, I started early from home i.e. around 7.00 AM in Ambassador bank car to make it a real surprise visit by reaching before the opening time of the branch.   I alongwith driver reached at dot 10.00 AM at the designated rural branch. With the feedback that I  was given, I was hoping that branch will be found shutters down at 10.00 AM.  To my surprise,  branch was open and there were about 70 to 80 rural customers inside and outside the branch premises.  I entered the branch and walked straight towards  BM's cabin.  There was no one in the cabin except few customers standing outside who were looking through the glass.  For one moment, there was flash, ah ah, this is the reason for whole chaos in the branch.  Manager is missing!      I came out of the cabin and had a round in the area inside the premises which was overflowing with customers.  No one recognised me as I was new in that circle.  I noticed that there was a long queues outside two cashier cabins and one person in the middle of the hall was surrounded by about 30 customers.  When I could not see the face of any staff member, and no staff member noticed me for about 3  minutes,  I became impatient, as least  I was expecting was that Manager will welcome me in the branch by hand shake.   But Manager was missing.    My driver was able to judge my dilemma and he entered the hall and by slowly pushing some of the customers reached the man who was surrounded by the crowd.  In his ear, he whispered  AGM sahab have come for visit from Circle Office.  Immediately there was a commotion and that man got up and rushed towards me to welcome me. Ah Great,  it was the Branch Manager.  With all the respect he took me to his cabin and immediately ordered for tea and biscuits from the nearby tea stall.  I was told that there are only two officers here (one manager and the other Scale I) along with two workman staff.    One of the officers was on leave for quite a few days as he was to retire in next two months, and thus BM had to handle all the duties of officer also.  CO had plainly refused to provide any substitute for the retiring officer.  Manager told me, it is a routine crowd and it happens almost on daily basis and chaos remains till afternoon as there is a severe shortage of staff

Ready made tea came in less than 2 minutes and as I was taking my first sip and trying to re-energizing myself (after 3 hours of journey) to fire the Manager based on the feedback given to me by my colleagues, I noticed about 50 odd customers looking through the glass window and patiently waiting for the Manager to come out and pass their cheques and answer queries.  There was calm outside as one local leader has sounded that there should be no noise as Sahab has come from  HO.   It was a great "Dharam Sankat" for me.  Should I stay and check the books / reports and fire the manager based on the feedback or I should leave and let the Manager satisfy his customers first.    .  

Dilemma continued for few minutes.  Finally I decided NOT to stay there for long.   I asked the Manager to tell me the major problems / issues faced by him in few  minutes and noted the same, and gave him some tips based on my personal experience in the bank for improving customer service and tapping some new customers.    I left the place with only assurance that I will look into the issue, as I was not in a position to provide additional staff without the consent of Circle Head.  I left for another visit to one more nearby branch.  On the way I was wondering whether I failed in my duty by not following instructions of my seniors for firing that non-performing manager (!) or done a reasonable job by allowing him to serve the customers on that day with right frame of mind.   May be this is what is a called misfit for the job.  A senior officer is considered as misfit if he does not have the capabilities to fire a Manager (even if that poor banker is not at a fault).  However, finally I had decided not to be on the wrong side even if I will be dubbed as misfit.