CPCS Manual 2024-25 PDF

CERTIFICATION PROGRAMME FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE UPDATED AS ON 31/03/2024 1 Table of Contents  FOREWORD Dear Role Holder, The banking industry is witnessing changes at...

CERTIFICATION PROGRAMME FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE UPDATED AS ON 31/03/2024 1 Table of Contents  FOREWORD Dear Role Holder, The banking industry is witnessing changes at an unprecedented pace. It has, therefore, become imperative that we continuously update and upgrade our skills relating to our profession. Each one of us should not only understand our role and responsibilities but also continuously equip ourselves with the latest guidelines in related areas. This will improve professional effectiveness and also lead to enhanced customer satisfaction. With these objectives in mind, our Bank has introduced role-based certification programs for employees across all levels. We at Strategic Training Unit, have made an effort in this direction by compiling a Role Guide cum Certification Manual, which will provide insight into the role you are currently performing. This Manual may be referred to whenever you need clarity in your day to day working. We are confident that this Manual will provide you with conceptual clarity and help in mitigating associated risks. We wish you all the best for a successful and enriching journey in your current role. With Best Wishes, CHIEF GENERAL MANAGER (STU) 2 Table of Contents  CERTIFICATION PROGRAMME FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE - 2024-25 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page No (a) All about customer, customer service and various other aspects 4 related to customers & customer service 1 (b) Bank’s Vision, Mission & Values, Customer Centricity, Dress Code 20 & Business Etiquette. (a) Policy on General Management of Branches & Opening and 2. 30 Shifting of branches and Branch Darpan (a) ATM & Customer Service– Maintenance of ATM, Upkeep of ATM 40 (b) ATM / ADWM - Reconciliation of Excess Cash Account 43 (C) SWAYAM, GRC, GCC channels, Drop Box, Cheque Deposit Kiosk 51 3 (d) Revamped Contact Centre- Project Dhruva 64 (e) Customer Relationship Management (CRM) 85 (f) Real time Assessment of Customer Experience (NPS, CES & 91 CSAT) (a) Customer’s Right Policy, Customer Grievances Redressal Policy, 94 Policy on Depositors’ Rights. Fair Lending Practices Code (b) Customer engagement & Customer Service Committee 107 (c) Bank’s Compensation Policy 111 (d) Circle Complaint Resolution Centre (CCRC) 128 4 (e) Internal Ombudsman Scheme 2018 129 (f) Integrated Ombudsman Scheme-2021 139 (g) Right to Information Act-2005 166 (h) Consumer Protection Act, 2019 179 (i) Litigation Management System LITMAS 187 (j) RFIA Value Statements- Customer Service Related 193 5 For SOPs on various matter related to Customer Service- Please refer SOP Chapter placed at Share point 3 Table of Contents  Chapter 1 (a): All about Customer/ Customer service & other aspects related to customers and customer service Definition of Customer: Broadly, a customer can be defined as a user or a potential user of Bank services. So defined, a 'Customer' may include: a person or entity that maintains an account and/or has a business relationship with the Bank. one on whose behalf the account is maintained (i.e., the beneficial owner). beneficiaries of transactions conducted by professional intermediaries, such as Stockbrokers, Chartered Accountants, Solicitors, etc., as permitted under the law, and any person or entity connected with a financial transaction which can pose significant reputational or other risks to the Bank, say, a wire transfer or issue of a high value demand draft as a single transaction. Broadly, a customer can be defined as a user or a potential user of bank services. The Cost of bad customer service: Bad customer service may cost in two ways: (i) If a customer complaints about bad customer service: Cost incurred in handling complaints (within Bank & outside bank like, BO) , handling legal action etc. (ii) If a customer shifts his / her account due to bad customer service: The cost is far greater and this loss will accrue from lost sale, lost brand, lost image, lost ambassador and above all by the cost of acquiring new customers to replace those lost. It is already established that the cost of acquiring new customers will be five times greater than the cost of retaining existing customer through good service. The meaning of Customer Service: There is no single general meaning for the phrase, “customer service”. It may be used in the following ways: (i) The activities involved in ensuring that a product or service is delivered to the customer on time and in the correct quantity. (ii) The interpersonal working relationships between the staff of a supplier and a customer. (iii) The provision of after-sales repair and maintenance facilities (iv) The department of an organisation which handles customer complaints. 4 Table of Contents  (v) The order-taking department of an organisation. Face to Face: Service with a Smile Face to face contact offers the best way of exchanging information and establishing long term relation. The Do’s and Don’ts of face-to-face contact Do’s Don’ts Smile: Smile are infectious. It has at Avoid Emotional response: least two beneficial effects: Instead of Emotions response, we must (i)It helps to put the customer in a good maintain professional detachment. frame of mind (ii) and helps the smiler to relax and feel good. Look customers in the eye: This gives Don’t crowd the customer a feeling of contact. Eye contact helps to Some customers need breathing time. Let establish real communication. When such customer to settle down with their there is eye contact, it helps us to judge requirement in the branch. customer reaction and assess their needs during a transaction. The eye- contact should not be intrusive. Weigh the Customer: Don’t Carry on other conversation: Customers are of different types. With While attending a customer we should have experience, we can assess most full concentration on him/ her. We should not customers and their need. The dress, the start conversation with another person, way one stand, look at others etc whether a colleague or another customer. provides enough hints to understand a If interrupted for a very brief, then we may customer and it helps in helping them. deal it quickly and return to our customer with a smile. Time: Don’t try to pull rank: Time is precious for us and for the One of the most common ways of pulling rank customers too. Customers accept is to refuse to acknowledge a customer and legitimate delay like, dealing with some continue to do what we are doing or remain necessary task being performed or other doing another task or remain in conversation customer is being attended but not with a colleague. We should never do it illegitimate delay like , chitchatting with a colleague, talking over phone etc. Out of turn dealing with customers is unacceptable. The Right Opening: Don’t use slang greetings: The first word/ sentence spoken set the tone of the whole transaction. The 5 Table of Contents  sentence should have some affinity Slang Greetings to the customers is anything touch. from unprofessional to downright offensive. We should never use it for customers. The Right Voice: Don’t order customers about: The tone, speed and loudness of the A word which should never be used in voice has to be correct. Otherwise, it will customer contact is ‘must’. Sometimes the result in unhelpful situation for a customer may need polite guidance, but it customer. has to be in suggestive in nature not in order nature. Listen and appear to listen Don’t blame colleagues or the The customer wants to be listened to, not organisation: just heard and the listening is also seen It is death situation when someone start to be done. The active listening, like blaming its own colleague or the facial expression, eye to eye contact, not organisation. For a customer, every to interrupt, will not only please the employee is the organisation. I am the I in customer but actually improves the SBI. I am the SBI for all customers. communication level. Watch the chit- chat: Exchanging Don’t show favouritism: friendly quips and witticisms is now a part To pick a customer out of any special favour of giving good customer service. But or choose them out of turn because of any again, we have to understand how much reason might possible please the individual is too much. If chat too much, it is singled out but will certainly alienate delaying other customers. We may fall everyone else in sight. on wrong foot. If we are sharing some witty stuffs, who has just lost someone near and dear will boomerang. So, be watchful. Offer information and help: Don’t promise what you can’t perform: Many customers are not sure what are Never overpromise and under perform. available. They need information. This Promises are one way of getting rid of an information is to be provided by literature insistent customer, but a broken promise will or by talking to the customers etc. return to haunt for far, far longer. Question tactfully: Some customers are not sure about their need or want. For making them mind, which is good customer service, we should offer help. We should help them by asking related questions but again mind it, some customer may treat it as intrusion. The ground must be tested before such help. 6 Table of Contents  Read the Body Language: We all talk with our body at least as much as with our mouths. Reading body language is an enormous help in customer service. If body language & spoken language appears to contradict each other, we should believe the body language. The most potent organ of body language is the face and especially the eyes. The stance of the whole body also helps to judge a customer. Use Names: We get the name of the customer’s name from various documents like, passbook, cheque etc. It is impressive and makes for good relationship to use the name during the meeting or a transaction. End neatly: The end of the conversation is important. It is actually the best chance of remaining in the customer’s mind. An easy get out strategy may be exercised as a wiser strategy to come out of long term. Business card may be exchanged as a sign that the conversation is ending (If exchange is not done in beginning) We can make or accept an interruption by noticing other customer, or to refer to some other task. If we know the customer’s name, we should always use it in saying goodbye. The Do’s and Don’ts of face-to-face complaint handling: Do’s Don’ts Allow time for the complainant to Allow feelings of personal guilt or release his annoyance by an anger either towards the complainant initial period of active listening; or towards the wrong he may have allow him to “let off steam”. suffered to affect your response. 7 Table of Contents  Remember that every employee Argue or try to score off the represents the whole organisation complainant verbally, even if an as far as the customer is opportunity occurs. concerned. Do not pass the buck Express any view about the actions of because you were not involved in other individuals or the organisation as the subject matter of the a whole. complaint. Handle a serious complaint about yourself beyond the initial phase; Take appropriate steps to make involve a suitable senior colleague as the complainant physically soon as possible. comfortable and relaxed; invite Assume the complainant is a him in to the cabin/ chamber , to troublemaker or that his complaint is sit down, to have a glass of water, trivial. tea or coffee etc. Demonstrate genuine concern and a desire o help the complainant to solve the problem at every stage. Register the complaint / query in CRM. Offer appropriate action or refer the complainant to the person who can help. Update of complaint must be provided to the complainant. The awkward customer service condition: While maintaining customer service in such situations, the safety of our staff is not be compromised. If social conditions are such that staff are at risk, then the proper precautions are taken. For example, during Corona Pandemic, all safety measures have been taken by our bank. Awkward or difficult customer: Many of us have many sides to our personality. We behave differently at different company like with our friends, with our family, with our school mates or colleagues. In many ways, we truly are different personalities. If we see the customer as an intrusion, rather than the reason for our organisation’s existence, the customer is likely to turn in to an intrusion. If we expect the customer to be a nuisance, then the customer may often respond by becoming one. If, however, we welcome the customer and the opportunity to be of service to him, then most customers will oblige by being friendly and helpful in turn. 8 Table of Contents Some customer shows anger at the very start of a contact. It might have originated from causes quite outside our control. In such situation, we should not automatically flatter ourselves we are the cause. Customers who gave been kept waiting unduly or who have been passed over ma have reason for impatience. We should volunteer an apology or explanation with little smile usually defuse the anger. Letter / email reply writing: The steps to effective letter or email reply writing are not difficult. A little thought and practice can make a big improvement. Some suggestions: Read Carefully: If we do not read well, there is little chance that we will write a good reply. Decide how to reply: The best way to reply to a letter may not be to write back. Rather a phone call may be better for speed, to correct some misunderstanding, to establish closure personal contact, to avoid putting delicate or difficult matters or for any other reasons. Reply speedily: Return of mail/ post is the best; work does not get any less by being left. A loaded inbox shown not a proper time management. We may inculcate a habit of disposing or replying to the mail as soon as possible. Some people accumulate arrears deliberately, in order to give the impression of overload but such sad events do not help the customer or the business. Be simple: There is always a temptation to try to impress the reader, by using long and important sounding words and phrases. But our aim should always be to express our meaning by choosing the simplest and most direct words that will do so. The aim should never be to sound important, and always be to communicate effectively. Be brief: The problems most people have in reading lengthy documents is that they are likely to remail either unread or only partly understood. A saying is ‘if I had more time, I would have written less.’ Means, we have to be brief and effective in reply. Avoid Jargon: We should always try to avoid jargons and make our reply in a simple worded. Be accurate: After delay, customer complaint most about e mails and letter that are factually inaccurate. Mistakes with date with dates, names give an impression of carelessness. Be complete: Failure to reply to a query/ question raised by a customer completely is another frequent grouse. Customer’s e mail/ letters should be read thoroughly and replied point by point. Signature: The signature should include everything that is mentioned in our business card. Mobile Phone: 9 Table of Contents As there are specific etiquette points that one should keep in mind, such as introducing yourself, not interrupting, and saying please and thank you. However, there are also more generalized rules that should be followed regarding cell phone use. Here are some universal cell phone etiquettes to be followed at work: Answer the call within four rings- We should always be accessible to callers because our job requires it. It entails maintaining focus and promptly answering phone calls. The last thing we want to do is keep a customer waiting after a string of endless ringing. It is recommended to respond within four rings which gives us enough time to prepare for the call. Speak clearly- Never chew anything while talking over the phone. It is essential to concentrate while attending an important official call. It is bad manners to pick calls when someone is sitting with us unless and until an emergency. Switch off our mobiles while attending important meetings, presentations, or seminars. It is considered inappropriate to pick calls when someone is sitting with us unless and until it is an emergency. Avoid discussing personal topics in an area where others may hear us and remember to speak in a soft tone when taking calls in public. Keep our personal calls private. Sometimes there could be a lag in transmission due to the network reception. Therefore, be aware of the delay between when we speak and when the other person hears it. Keep a distance of at least 10 feet from the nearest person when talking on the phone. Refrain from blaming the other person if there is a dropped call. Don’t engage in arguments over the phone while at work. Try not to look things up like a “fact check” during a conversation unless asked to. Keep our phone out of sight. Be aware of our ringtone. Download a ringtone that sounds professional. Silence our device at all times while at work. While mobile phones are a handy tool of communication, it is increasingly also becoming a conversation breaker. Make sure our mobile calls do not hamper our productivity. Don’t go for long personal calls at workplace. Be crisp and precise. Avoid calling any of customers or colleagues before 8 in the morning and after 8 in the evening. The other person might be busy with their family or friends or attending public function and definitely would not pay attention to our conversation. Good phone etiquette plays a large part in maintaining a strong connection with our customers and ensuring an air of professionalism. Moreover, it also sends a strong message that people around us are not as important as the person on the phone. It’s not enough to give good service: Customers must perceive that they are getting good service. This happens only when the goal is more than customer service, i.e., customer delight. Delight happens when customer receives service better and faster than their expectation, when mistakes are openly acknowledged and rectified without any argument, when feedback is asked and acted well before the customer would have thought of complaining. 10 Table of Contents The secret of turning customer service into a competitive advantage is to do something that makes you memorable and therefore different: Contacting our home loan borrowers after a fortnight after they have taken possession, to check that the product/ process had met their expectations. Writing personal letters to at least some of your branch’s dissatisfied customers. It is done in Virgin Atlantic company. Offering phone numbers to your customers so that they can complaint to you at any time of the day or night, if necessitated. It is done by Bob Wiper, chief executive of National Tyres and Autocare. It is not Customer’s concern and can’t be bothered with the problems faced by organisation: Staff shortages, computer breakdowns, power cut, pressures of work, somebody being out for lunch – all these are managerial problems and should not be offloaded on to the customer. We must think being a customer in other organisation and the dissatisfaction due to above reason. Service Vs Product: For purchase of a service, unlike products, as the service does not yet exist, the customers have to make judgement not only on quality of service, but other factors too. These other criteria can include: Information gained from other users of the service. Recollection of past experience of the service provider or past experience of other providers of the same service. Responses to the way the service is “Packaged” like, clarity on information about fees, prices etc. The premises from which the service is provided. The type of people employed to deliver the service. Standard of service is noticed: Upward or Downward – both ways: Like fall in customer service, upward movement of customer service is also recognised by the customers. You must have experienced that, with better customer service, the performance of the branch grows faster. Put yourself in your customer’s shoes: Always go to the heart of the matter when a customer brings in a complaint about the product you had sold to him. Remember, each complaint as the tip of the iceberg and you will never go wrong. In any business human relations are more important than the handling of technical details. 11 Table of Contents There are at least two sides to every problem. Sometimes, the customer is right, sometimes, the customer expects more than can legitimately be provided. On many occasions, the situation lies in between. Here comes the role of human relation for good customer service. Generally, a customer expects that at least some one will devote some time even if it is not entirely to his complete satisfaction. So, we as a service provider must be an expert in handling people in addition to job knowledge. Human relations are very important for handling customer grievances. There are many examples where simply listening to the customer’s grievance solves the issues. In our bank also, the aim of customer day is to keep ourselves available to the customers to listen their grievances and provide resolution. If an irritated customer enters and start speaking loudly, just offering a glass of water cools him down, likewise, when a customer enquires about his earlier complaints and the head of the unit shows him that he knows all about the complaint of the customer and working on that makes the customer at ease. Greet your customer as soon as he enters your premises: The Chinese have very wisely advised not to open a shop if you cannot smile at people. More important, if people walking into your business are your customers, some of them are bound to be angry. Trust your experience to handle them well. Have faith in the fact that 96 percent of the customers are very reasonable. Most customers will forgive you for your mistakes when you accept them with sincerity. Every customer who comes in is a ‘somebody’. A good firm handshake, smile – not a plastic one- and eye- to eye contact, do a lot of good and words then often create far more confidence in the mind of customer. Try experimenting and learn the difference. The first three minutes: Researchers after visiting and observing several business places, has indicated that” those first three minutes” in which a customer is confronted decides his attitude. First three minutes after a customer has walked into your premise are very critical. So, let us study the first three minutes closely: 1st Minute: Normally, our customer comes to us with some service request. For availing such services, the customer would have taken some time out from his work and so he is expecting that someone will attend him quickly. At the time, he is looking forward to someone greeting and recognising him quickly. Whatever be the reason for his coming to 12 Table of Contents the bank/ unit, if your appearance and manner is right and you pass on a quick and friendly greeting within first few seconds of his arrival, you have already started creating a good image by developing a pleasant atmosphere. 2nd minute: After 1 minute of proper greetings, the customer will start observing things minutely and start forming his opinions. Pleasant, orderly and efficient things will improve our image in customer’s eyes and mind. He will observe everything—the layout, the housekeeping, the way we talk to him and so on. This all happen in the next minute after good positive first interaction, and if all is well, the customer will be happy. So, we have to keep our premise clean, our desk clean, be presentable and professional etc. 3rd Minute: At this stage, the customer start sending the message to his mind that he is in safe/ good hand. Even if he has to wait longer, he will understand and will start looking for good points around. So, positivity will be around the customer. The above interaction was in positive note. Let’s assume, a customer is not greeted properly and the branch is also in a mess, chairs are dirty, the outlook is shabby , the papers, files, registers are lying on the table here and there. In such case, it is a problem. Keep the promises that you made: It is already stated that never overpromise and underperform. Remember the promises you had made to your customers and fulfil but again you must know, how much you can promise and when to quit. You cannot win all the customers. A difficult customer is a dark cloud with a silver lining. He is your golden opportunity to prove your mettle as a professional banker. Win him over and you have sharpened your technique of satisfying customers and getting more business. Handle a difficult customer with tach and empathy. Put yourself in his shoes and see where it pinches. Then mend it. ARemove satisfiedthe irritation is Customer toyour make himadvertisement: best happy. A sale is not a one-time transaction – it is the beginning of repeat business provided youmay See him walk out with a smile on his face and you keeprest theassured, he satisfied. customer will get you And a hundred more customers. there is no other way of doing it than to be prompt in reaching out to him in his adversity and Makegiving hm good promises customer that you service can keep. though Having out.the promise to your customers, do not made No amount believe thatofthings advertisement will happen through any channel automatically. has thethe Develop creditability which a satisfied habit of following through, customer has. chasing, removing roadblocks, fight, fight, fight…. For your customer. If we are Never Become sincere argue Awarewith ofin helping your the our customers. silent customers When you conversation anddo, you create hold you confidence become with in Think angry yourselves: them that less we and good are about always what youwith customers them, walk want toawaythen do, themore with and wordabout their spread business like what fire.are forever. you Not only,when Remember doing willthat we you get the repeat nobody make is a nobody. a promise to business from him, he will get business from his friends and your customer. Your promise to a customer is like the engraving on a slab! acquaintances too. 13 Table of Contents Watch your thoughts, Watch your words, Watch your Watch your habits, they become your they become your actions, they they become your words. action become your habit character Paint these boldly on your walls and mind. Customer satisfaction is affordable and profitable because the customer becomes your salesman forever. Be more prompt to go to your customers in adversity than in prosperity. It takes three years to get good results of giving good service. Don’t give up sooner. Have a sense of empathy when a customer comes with request in adversity like, unauthorized electronic debit, settlement of deceased claim etc. Have a patient listening to a customer when he comes with query/ request/ complaint. Show your willingness to help- genuine help. Make sure that the customer is leaving the branch satisfactorily. Creating and sustaining loyalty advantage: Loyalty advantage is the benefit which accrues from a prolonged relationship with a desired customer. Loyalty advantage consists of economic, physical, psychological and moral values. The return on loyalty can be measured in economic terms, like retention cost is five times lower to attracting a new customer, lower rate of defaults on loans etc. So far as the measurement of return of loyalty advantage in physical is concerned psychological and moral is concerned, it is in both forms of tangible and intangible, like acceptance of product for a longer period (durability of a product) acceptance of a product etc. In moral dimension, it can be in form of environmental sensitivity, reputation for integrity I etc. The building blocks of loyalty advantage is listed below. Aesthetics: the sensory and / or emotional appeal of a product or service. Conformance to specification applies to precise quantitative measures in terms of size, weight, location etc Durability: life span of a product or service Grade of service: Five-star hotel is distinctly superior to a four star. A tch savvy bank always provides better customer service. Human touch: genuineness of caring behaviour Perceived quality: impression of the enhancing or diminishing qualities of a product or service. Peripherals: availability of free extras, gifts packaging etc. Reliability: Product / process without any issue. Support is provided, when required. 14 Table of Contents  Speed of response: response time is quick or waiting time is kept at minimum. Value in terms of price: extant to which customer feels that price paid was fair. Added value options: degree to which product adds value for the customer. Psychological impact: soundness of effects which product/ service has on the mind of the customer. Rectitude of provider: evidence of high standards of moral behaviour. Symbiosis potential: how far provider and customer can be interlinked for mutual benefit. Customer Retention Cycle The customer retention cycle defines customer relationships as having seven stages related to the life of a person and their dominant consumer needs: Childhood: - dependency marketing; Appeal to carers as well as old/ young dependents. Emphasis on making life easier. Youth: First-use market- Appeal to imagination and non-conforming conformity. Young adulthood: Experimentation market: Appeal to values and nest-building orientation Mature adulthood: Family market: Appeal to need for ‘magic moments’ and family purchases. Middle age: Replacement market: Appeal to need to compensate for children having left home by pursuing new interests and replacing furniture etc. Young old age: Rejuvenation market: Appeal to desire to keep fit, younger looking and enjoy leisurely activities. Old age: Dependency market: Appeal to just like Childhood stage. Criteria for assessing the quality of service experience: Customer service by the service providers is the service experience of service takers (Customers). Below are various criteria for assessing the quality-of-service experience. We must analyse ourselves on each criterion and assess the quality of service. Criteria Delightful Satisfying Acceptable Dissatisfyi Unaccepta ng ble Ambience- Enhances Friendly, Comfortable Discomforti Disturbing, Providing an customer’s efficient ng and stressful environment self-image atmosphere anxiety and conducive to generating demeaning the comfort 15 Table of Contents  and well- and social being of status customers. Behaviour of A symbiosis Friendly Responds Threatenin Intimidating service of and willingly to g and and provider. enhanced proactive requests. uncaring malevolent self-esteem or total for both uncaring parties Care- the A holistic Convey a Provides a Indifferent Totally existence of a approach sense of basic to the uncaring. genuine which concern for standard of needs of concern for transcends meeting care the the customer the customer customer. immediate needs situation and aims to provide a continuing experience. Communicati Displays Information Basic Information Information ons- complete is provided information is provided is conveying empathy clearly and is provided sporadicall misleading data required with at the on request. y and is or is or requested customer appropriate difficult for withheld by the and time. the with serious customer communicat customer problems es to for the accordingly understand customer.. Competence- Displays Shows a Able to Displays Totally the mastery of complete high level of perform to incompeten inept; a knowledge mastery of competence an adequate ce on danger to and skill a situation.. standard. matters self and necessary important customer tom perform a to the task efficiently customer. 16 Table of Contents  Courtesy- A culture of Staff are Staff are Staff are Staff are interacting in courtesy polite and correct but unintention deliberately a manner permeates warm. cool. ally rude. rude. which all dignifies the relationship experience s regardless of the circumstanc es. Flexibility- the Circumstan Customer Requested Procedures Total ease and ces are requests for changes are are rigidly inflexibility extent to spontaneou changes accommodat adhered to regardless which effects sly adjusted are met ed, provided regardless of adverse on to enhance spontaneou they are of changed effects on circumstance customer sly. within the s can be satisfaction, company. circumstan customer. changed for often ce. the benefit of without the the customer. awareness of the customer. Follow- Customers Customers Customers Customers Customers through – are kept are are told of are kept in are mislead ensuring that aware of informed of difficulties on the dark as to promises are progress problems / request/ progress fulfilled. and shortcoming enquiry and forewarned s as they problems. of potential occur problems. Innovation- A sense Initiative is Limits to Initiative is Rigid finding new customer displays as initiative are absent/ adherence and better focused necessary. defined. missing. to ways to meet creativity prescribed customer’s pervades procedures need. every regardless experience. of customer’s needs. 17 Table of Contents  Reliability- Standards Standards Standards Performanc Standards consistent and and and e regularly and conformance commitmen commitment commitment falls below commitmen to standards t are treated s are often s are met. standards. ts are either and as minimal exceeded. undefined commitments conditions or ignored. for customer care. Security- Security is Safeguards Legal Legal Customer safeguarding discreet, beyond requirement requiremen is wantonly the person, totally statutory s are met. ts are placed in property and efficient and requirement ignored. jeopardy. privacy of the effective. s are in customer. operation. Technology Technology Technology Technology Necessary Technology Support- the adds value is is available technology is ignored extent to to the appropriate but difficult is or misused which experience. to customer for the unavailable with technology is needs are customer to or adverse available to available. benefit from. unreliable. effects on enhance the the quality of the customer. experience. Customer Orientation: Orientation to customer is not for the customers’ sake alone, nor because it’s fashionable, but because it makes good business sense. Customers are the lifeblood of any business. And the success of any undertaking/ company depends on how well it ties in with customer needs and priorities. By looking at the bank from outside in, as a customer does, it can be seen – and its capabilities – in a new light/ perspective and it will reveal opportunities which was not seen earlier. The outside-in-view also suggest, how different departments should work in synchronisation to compete effectively. The final result is lasting improvement in financial performance. 18 Table of Contents (Source): [Making Customer Satisfaction Happen: A strategy for delighted customer] The figure shown above depicts that the value of a customer increases over a period of time (10 years) and the total profit out of customer relation increase with various other heads. Although the base profit remains more or less the same but the share of other different heads of profit in the profit index of an organisation increases. In case of the profitability of our Bank as well, although, the direct profit from a customer may not seem to be high but the profit out of his all other profit index like, profit out of his referral, availing other facilities, opportunity cost of onboarding a new customer, etc will be much higher. How does a service manager lay his plans to promote good customer relation? Whether marketing and service are corelated? Whether Marketing can be done without proper customer relation? The service manager has to ensure many facilities which are directly/ indirectly related to the customer service/ customer relation. Uninterrupted Back up service support: Customer education Training need of staffs are met. Handling customer grievance quickly. The High Cost of an Unhappy Customer: In such fiercely competitive market, no business can long survive without satisfied customers. A study was conducted in 1985 for the White House Office of Consumer Affairs, as reported by the Research Institute of America. Some significant findings are as under: 19 Table of Contents 96 % of unhappy customers never complaint about rude or discourteous treatment, but 90 % or more who are dissatisfied with the service they receive, will not buy again or come back. Worse still Each of those unhappy customers will tell his or her story to at least nine other people, and 13 % of those unhappy former customers will tell their stories to more than twenty people. Price tag of Customer Loyalty: Albrecht and Zemke in their book Service America, cite some generally accepted price tags on customer loyalty and according to the book in banking, it is estimated that the average customer represents at least $ 80 a year in profit. Chapter-1-(b) (i) Bank’ Vision Mission Values 1-(b) (ii) Customer Orientation: Customer orientation is a business approach that puts the needs of the customer over the needs of the business. At individual level, it refers to some qualities which everyone in the organisation need to exhibit while dealing with customers. Customer orientation is an act that aims at resolving customer problems or meeting the needs of the customers. It means being proactive to the needs of the customers, taking responsibility to provide customers with an experience that they can cherish. This can be achieved by satisfying their needs in a timely and cost-effective manner. 20 Table of Contents For any business, the differentiating factors generally are the Product Quality and Customer Service. But when all things remain the same, it is the customer service that is the differentiating factor. If customer service is not good, even the best products cannot survive. Maybe customers may forgive a small lapse. But when it comes to the service industry, particularly in Banks, because product differentiation can be minute, it is customer service that provides the strength to its marketing efforts. Customer service is paramount because it not only is a big support to acquiring new customers, but it is also imperative for our efforts to retain customers. When it comes to our customers, most customers agree that our reach across the country and the trust that SBI brand provides is what appeals to the customers. If this trust and reach is supplemented by service quality, customer connect, quick and efficient service, and proper customer attention, our position becomes impregnable. Customers now consider the experience a company provides to be as important as their products and services. Customers expect personalization, customization of products and services to meet individual customer needs. Customers expect innovation, and thus service providers will have to constantly keep pushing their limits. With the increasing data sharing available, customers expect data protection, and hence trust will have to be a priority. Customers are comparing us not only with other banks but with other service providers like Amazon, Google, Swiggy, Uber etc. Customers being increasingly open to engage with service providers over email, the web, self-service applications, and mobile devices, the digital interactions account for a growing share of customer-initiated contact. Customers seek offerings that are smart, tailored to their individual needs, easy to use, and an experience that is channel agnostic. Customers want greater omnichannel integration. While the online is becoming the preferred choice for customers, there are services which still require a physical presence. Locker, Safe custody facilities require a physical presence. Psychologically some of the customers would prefer a human face or a physical interaction for services like wealth management, financial advisories, and for big value investments. 21 Table of Contents The order of the day is the phygital i.e., both physical and digital. Customers expect a frictionless delivery, on whichever channel they choose to engage with the service providers. Customers are most willing to use digital tools and practices that create a consistent experience both online and offline and journeys that move seamlessly across different touch points So, what are the qualities that customer orientation should exhibit. Here the Servqual model conceptualised by three authors Parasuraman, Zeithmel and Berry. They say, in a Service industry, there are many parameters in which customer service is measured. Broadly these parameters fall under the following five groups known by the acronym RATER: Reliability How companies are able to deliver on their promises in a consistent and accurate manner. Reliability implies that the company delivers on its promises, such as service provision, problem resolution, and pricing. Customers prefer companies that are reliable. Assurance Assurance can be defined as employees’ knowledge of courtesy and the ability of the firm and its employees to inspire trust and confidence. Tangibility Since services are tangible, customers derive their perception of service quality by comparing the tangibles associated with the services provided. It refers to the physical appearance of the facilities, equipment, personnel, and communication materials. Empathy Empathy is the ability to emotionally understand what others are feeling and to see things from their perspective. Essentially, it is putting yourself in the shoes of another person and feeling what they must be feeling. Responsiveness It is the desire to assist customers and provide prompt service. This dimension emphasises attention to detail and promptness in responding to customer requests, questions, complaints, and problems. Responsiveness also encompasses the concept of flexibility and the ability to tailor the service to the needs of the customer. 22 Table of Contents Significance of Business Etiquette Business etiquette is a set of manners that is accepted or required in a profession. Often upheld by custom, it is enforced by the members of an organization. Business etiquette is important because it creates a professional, mutually respectful atmosphere and improves communication, which helps an office serve as a productive place. People feel better about their jobs when they feel respected, and that translates into better customer relationships as well. In business, the relationships we build are critical. Establishing good rapport is significant if we want to progress our professional future. The way to build positive relationships in the business world is by exercising good etiquette, specifically by exhibiting good communication skills. In the business world, people with good etiquette are rewarded for their professional and polite skills. Those who exemplify good business etiquette are prove that they respect their position, job, co-workers, and take their performance seriously and get ahead in their careers. Difference between Etiquette and Business Etiquette. Business etiquette is about building relationships with other people. Etiquette is not about rules & regulations but is about providing basic social comfort and creating an environment where others feel comfortable and secure, and this is possible through better communication. Etiquette is the customary code of polite behaviour in society or among members of a particular profession or group. Business Etiquette is a set of rules that govern the way people interact with one another in business, with customers & clients. It is all about conveying the right image and behaving in an appropriate way while representing an organisation. It creates a professional, mutually respectful atmosphere and improves communication, which helps an office to be productive place. Business Etiquette Expectations Greet Everyone Greeting the people that you come in contact with isn’t only polite but it establishes rapport. You never know who the people that you greeted could be, so it is important to greet everyone with the same degree of kindness. Offer a handshake and make eye contact Handshakes are the universal business greeting. A firm handshake is still considered a positive trait. A weak one is negative. 23 Table of Contents  Usually, the higher-ranking person will offer their hand first, but if they don’t, you can still offer yours. Make eye contact when you shake their hand and smile. Those who avert their eyes are viewed as lacking confidence and honesty. Give cues that show you are paying attention Through simple gestures or replies, paying attention tells people that you care and value their opinions. Most of the time, showing attention is about your body language. Actively listen to the person you talk to by nodding your head, smiling, or giving gestures that show responses. Introduce others The strong skill of introduction can lead to more opportunities for your professional growth. It helps build relationships among co-workers and widens your business network. When introducing others, what matters is the current social situation you’re in. Make sure to understand their seniority or status and adjust accordingly. Introduce them with more than their names by including professional and even some details, as long as it’s brief and within the context of the conversation. Be polite and professional in all forms of communication It doesn’t matter if you are meeting face-to-face, by phone or through email, each interaction needs to be professional. When you communicate through text only, you don’t have the tone of voice, facial expressions and other nonverbal cues that accompany it. Remember this when writing emails. Keep messages short and to the point, but don’t send anything that you wouldn’t say in-person. Always be on time In business, time really is money! Punctuality applies to situations like coming to the office, attending a meeting, or finishing your tasks. Timely arrivals tell a lot about your behaviour and manners. Arriving on time for meetings shows that you respect the attendants. As a result, you gain mutual respect. Additionally, being punctual adds professionalism and shows that you take responsibility. Dress appropriately Humans are naturally visual beings, so even if people you meet don’t consciously judge you based on looks, dressing appropriately still creates an impression as much as your words and actions. Dressing like a professional you aspire to be is proper etiquette that impacts how credible you look. Keep your workspace neat It’s easy to get lost in your work and not mind your working area. However, it’s also important to remember that you’re sharing the office with other workers. This is about keeping your desk organized, which affects productivity. 24 Table of Contents Simplifying Business Etiquette Webinar Etiquettes FOR PRESENTERS ❑ Test the software early ❑ Slow down ❑ Do not read your slides ❑ Use graphics to illustrate your points ❑ Repeat the question ❑ Know your audience FOR ATTENDEES ❑ Show up on time ❑ Turn off your webcam/mic during the presentation ❑ Wait your turn ❑ Ask questions concisely ❑ Post useful comments in chat box ❑ Turn off your camera during breaks DURING SMALL MEETINGS ❑ Have a clear agenda ❑ Invite everyone to use their webcams 25 Table of Contents  ❑ Remove distractions ❑ Make use of the software's engagement features E-mail Etiquette ❑ Consult your organization's rules for email use. ❑ Include a subject line that is short and aptly conveys the content of the mail. ❑ Keep the mail content brief. ❑ Pay attention to grammar and spelling. ❑ Use a pleasant tone. ❑ Don't forward junk mail. State Bank Staff College has placed standardised Customer interaction scripts, telephonic script and in person scripts on its site for enabling the operating staff to building long term relations with its customers. Path: SBI Times – STU – ATI – SBSC – Reading Lounge - Magazines 1-(b) (iii) PROFESSIONAL DRESS CODE One of the key elements that contributes to the emotional value and image of a service brand is the way its representatives carry themselves while interacting with customers, associates and other relevant constituents. Every employee is a Brand Ambassador for the Bank and his or her appearance and demeanour have an impact on the image of the Bank. The Bank has prescribed uniform for certain groups of staff performing only specific duties, like subordinate staff and security personnel in Award Staff and Security Officers, Fire Officers, Liaison Officers etc in Supervising Staff. However, in respect of others, though a specific uniform has not been prescribed it is expected that they will present a clean and professional image of the Bank while performing official duties or representing the Bank elsewhere. In order to ensure an acceptable level of decorum in workplace is maintained, all employees should adhere to a model dress code as under: i. All members of staff should wear the official ID provided to them. ii. All members of staff provided with uniform should wear them while on duty. iii. Staff at branches should wear their name badges (where provided) while on duty. iii. Staff should wear clean shoes/footwear and not slippers while on duty. iv. Shorts, three-fourths i.e. trousers others than full-length trousers, T-Shirts, Jeans and sneakers/sports shoes etc. should not be part of attire. 26 Table of Contents Within these overall guidelines, the suggested attire for the staff is given below: (Circular no. CDO/P&HRD-PM/80/2017 – 18, Dated: Sat 6 Jan 2018) Men Women Senior Staff at Smart Formals (Suit /Blazer / Formal Indian OR Administrative Offices Indian Jacket) or Smart Semi- Western Formals. (Optionally Tie while meeting with customers or other external dignitaries) Other Staff at Formals Shirt & Trousers and Formal/Semi-formal Administrative Offices shoes (Branch Managers and Indian OR Western Staff at Branches and Heads of outfits may consider Attire other customer facing wearing Tie) outfits Clean environment, personal hygiene and appearance are also important in the workplace. We give below certain tips in these respects for the benefit of staff. Grooming / Hygiene Suggestions Personal hygiene and appearance is essential to work place and all are encouraged to: 1. Avoid unkempt look (unshaven / ruffled hair) 2. Practice adequate personal hygiene to keep bad breath / body odour away. 3. Keep footwear clean at all times. Other Grooming Tips 1. Shoes and belts should be of same colour 2. Socks should ideally compliment / match colour of trouser 3. Plain ties suggested on check - shirt 4. Ties with designs suggested on plain shirt (any solid colour) 5. Unless wearing a blazer, suits should be from the same fabric length 6. Blazers, mostly go well with contrast or same colour trousers 7. Shirt collar around the neck should always be visible when wearing a suit / blazer 8. Shirt sleeve should exceed the suit / blazer sleeve length by half an inch. 1-(b) (iv) Team Meets It aims to keep staff members motivated as we discuss previous days’ (or weeks’) performance and sharing ideas to perform better each day. Initially, the Branch can call for voluntary participation in such team meets not exceeding the 15 minutes. However, there shall be no payment of overtime for any workmen. The details of the three Team Meets are as follows: 27 Table of Contents  SWC Team Meet Service Desk BM Team Meet Team Meet Leader Service / Case Manager P Branch Manager Division Manager Attendees All SWCs All Service Desk Manager ‘P’, employees Service / Case Manager, RMPB, Grahak Mitra Objective - Review previous day’s performance for the overall team and discuss things to improve at team level - Discuss reasons for low performance. Also share success story of one top performer and solve problems, if any, of the low performers. - Share good & bad customer experience stories and ask what could have been done differently to make the customer experience better - Plan for the day ahead and sharing ideas that can improve performance. - Location SW counter Manager ‘P’s desk BM’s Cabin Metrics to be - No. of transactions. - No. of CASA a/cs - Customer discussed - Average customer opened Service waiting and processing - No. of FD/RD Metrics time of the customer opened - Sales of served - No. of existing various - No. of products sold ; account related products third party, Bank activities - Alternate products. - Avg. processing channel - Target no. of time usage transactions - No. of products - Target processing time sold – Third - Alternate channel usage party, Bank here products Dashboard Service Manager at EOD Manager ‘P’ division Branch updation at EOD Manager at EOD Team meets will be organized in Branches at regular intervals based on the size of the branch as per the table below: 28 Table of Contents  Medium Particulars Small Branches Big Branches Branches No. of Staff Less than 5 5 to 10 More than 10 Every Alternate Frequency daily Twice a week day Daily *9.45 a.m. (*15 Monday morning Monday, Suggested Day minutes before *9:45 a.m. and Wednesday & & Timing commencement of Friday evening Friday * 9:45 a.m. business hours) *4:55 p.m. 10 min & 20 min Duration 15 min 15 min respectively In case of big branches, the Monday morning meetings will set the tone for the week, while during Friday evening meetings, the week’s performance will be discussed. The controllers and change leaders will make surprise visits in the Branches to see whether “Team Meets” are happening, as scheduled. 29 Table of Contents  Chapter -2 (a) (i) Policy on General Management of Branches: Broadly, a customer can be defined as a user or a potential user of Bank services. So defined, a 'Customer' may include: a person or entity that maintains an account and/or has a business relationship with the Bank. one on whose behalf the account is maintained (i.e. the beneficial owner). beneficiaries of transactions conducted by professional intermediaries, such as Stockbrokers, Chartered Accountants, Solicitors, etc., as permitted under the law, and any person or entity connected with a financial transaction which can pose significant reputational or other risks to the Bank, say, a wire transfer or issue of a high value demand draft as a single transaction. As a customer plays the pivotal role in the Banking industry, customer service has great significance and, therefore, it is of paramount importance for us. Keeping in view the vast network of branches spread over the entire country with millions of customers, the Bank's systems are required to be oriented towards providing better customer service. Accordingly, it is prerequisite for the Bank to periodically study its systems and their impact on customer service. Objective: Following is the objective of the Branch Management Policy: (i) To ensure availability of customer amenities to meet customer expectations & improve customer service (ii) Compliance of regulatory guidelines issued by RBI vide Master Circular No: RBI/2015-16/59 dated 01.07.2015 on Customer Service in Banks. The Reserve Bank of India vide their Master Circular on Customer Service in Banks, bearing No: RBI/2015-16/59 dated 01.07.2015 has stipulated that Banks should have a Board approved policy for general management of the branches. Policy on General Management of Branches (ver. 4.0) has since been reviewed, updated and approved by the Central Board of the Bank. Circular No.: NBG/BRNWM- BRANCHES/6/2023 - 24 Date: Sat 16 Sep 2023 Therefore, our Bank is putting in place this Board approved "Policy for General Management of the Branches" which includes the following aspects: - a) Infrastructure: As a policy, all Branches of our Bank shall provide infrastructure facilities at branches, so that customers feel comfortable while transacting business, by bestowing special attention towards: adequate space for the customers proper furniture 30 Table of Contents  drinking water and washroom facilities space for parking, wherever feasible Ramps at Branches/ATMs, wherever feasible. Step ladder with railing in the locker room to access the lockers at a height. Step ladder provided should be without wheels and wherever step ladder is having wheels, provision of brake arrangement for enhanced safety should be made with specific emphasis on pensioners, senior citizens, disabled persons, etc. Bank shall display information about working hours / weekly holiday outside the branch premises. All Branches shall pay attention towards general up-keep, cleanliness and maintenance of Branch Premises (including washroom maintenance) to provide convenience to the customers. b) Enquiry Counter In compliance of RBI guidelines vide Circular No: DBR No. Leg.BC.21/09.07.006/2015- 16 dated 07.07.2015, bank shall provide “Enquiry” or “May I Help You” counter at all branches except small branches. In small branches “May I Help You” counter will be combined with the counter located at the entry point. This will provide necessary assistance to the customers in dealing with their Banking requirements. c) Indicator Board Indicator boards shall be displayed at all the counters in the concerned regional language, Hindi and English. Business posters at semi-urban and rural branches shall also be in the concerned regional languages. d) Roving Officials Grahak Mitra shall be made available at branches with high footfall for guiding customers in carrying out their day-to-day transactions. At other branches, employee with other duties to be assigned the role of “Grahak Mitra”. They will ensure that the customers are provided necessary assistance in transacting the business and oversee the employee’s response to customers. The Branch Manager or any other senior officer will periodically visit the banking hall and keep an eye on developments; and interact with few customers to get feedback about delivery of services. e) Language of Booklets / Pamphlets etc Booklets in relevant regional languages, Hindi and English, consisting of all details of services and facilities available at the Bank shall be provided to customers. The order of the language shall be regional language, Hindi and English as per GOI guidelines. Compendium of Customer Information shall be placed in a prominent place in the Banking Hall, easily accessible to the customers. f) Language of Communication / Transactions 31 Table of Contents While communicating with the customers, regional language and Hindi along with English shall be used. For effective communication with the customers, the language known to them shall be used at all levels. g) Security System The existing Security System and Security Arrangements at the Branches shall be reviewed on annual basis as per Online Security Audit (OLSA) format by Security Officers along-with Risk Assessment Matrix (RAM). In addition to, Security Officer during his annual surprise visit to Currency Chest must specifically comment upon 24 value statements provided in Security module of CCOnline portal as these are included in portal as per revised guidelines of RBI. The Security guidelines shall cover not only the Bank’s assets, currency chests etc, but will also create a secured environment for both the staff and public in relation to their banking operations. h) Identity Card and Dress Code As a policy, Bank expects that all employees shall wear on person an identity card displaying photo and name thereon. Compliance in this regard will be ensured by the Branch Manager. Bank has a dress code for subordinate staff and for small group of officers holding specialist posts like Security Officers, Liaison Officers. Though the Bank does not impose a dress code for others, all staff members are expected to follow certain decent dress code while representing the Bank in the office premises or attending seminars, meetings, training courses etc. i) Staff rotation and Vacation Policy Bank shall ensure that there is a periodic change in allotment of desk and responsibilities to all employees. A well laid-down policy stipulating period of stay for different categories of employees at the Branch and Centre, in compliance with RBI and CVC guidelines is in place and followed meticulously. Bank shall ensure that all employees posted in sensitive positions or areas of operation are sent compulsorily on leave for not less than 10 days in compliance with RBI guidelines. j) Training of Staff Training shall be imparted to all staff members in line with customer service orientation. The employees shall undertake mandatory training in the areas like KYC, AML& CFT, Role Based requirements etc. Training in Technical areas of Banking shall be provided to the staff at delivery points. Innovative ways of training / delivery ranging from e-learning, availability of Circulars, helpline, institutional training, online course quiz and tests etc. adopted. k) Visit of Branches by Senior Officials Senior officials from Controlling Offices and LHO shall conduct structured visits of the branches as per Bank’s norms at periodical intervals for on-the-spot study of the quality 32 Table of Contents of service rendered by the branches, record their observations / findings in the visit register / CVS and necessary remedial measures will be initiated on the deficiencies, observed, if any. l) Reward and Recognition Bank shall felicitate three best performing branches in each Circle covering all population groups, for “Excellence in Customer Service” by the Chairman. The Branches shall be selected based on the parameters prescribed by Bank for improving customer service. m) Customer Service Audit Customer service surveys shall be conducted periodically to get the feedback from the customers to assess the level of customer service and the expectations in order to improve the service. Customer Service Department at LHO shall monitor the performance of the branches relating to customer service under their control and Customer Service Department at Corporate Centre shall monitor overall activity. The Inspection and Audit Department shall also conduct audit of Customer Service during their Risk Focused Internal Audit exercise of the branches. n) Customer Relation Programme Customer Relation Programmes and periodical meetings with customers shall be held to interact with different cross sections of customers for identifying areas which need improvement, so that overall customer service is improved. Similarly, Customer Service Meetings shall be conducted at periodical intervals to review the quality of customer service being rendered at the branches and devise ways to improve the services rendered by Branch staff members. During such meetings, Branch may invite customers, and at least one should be a senior citizen. Customer Day is observed on 10th and 20th of every month between 3 PM to 5 PM. In case of holidays on these dates, the meeting may be conducted on the following working day. Branch Officials will make themselves available for a minimum of two hours for customers to attend to their grievances and to listen to their suggestions. Bank will give wide publicity regarding the same. o) Approval of New Products and Services New Products and Services shall be introduced through a well-established approval process specially to ensure that rights of customers are not compromised. p) Compliance of Regulatory guidelines and Quality Assurance Bank and Branch are committed to the compliance of various provisions and guidelines of various codes on Customer Service besides the instructions of RBI on the subject. Some of the important guidelines are as under: 33 Table of Contents  Post dissolution of BCSBI and the launch of RB-IOS-2021 , complaints against BCSBI code have been diverted to other categories including Loan and Advances. Similarly, Citizen’s charter of State Bank of India containing key information on various facilities / services provided to customers in the branches of SBI, shall also be made available to customers on request. Bank shall display notice for creating awareness amongst the customers about Social Engineering Frauds. Display of notice on conduct of “Customer Relation Programme” meetings at Branches. Financial Inclusion. Provision of Drop Box with display of notice that customer may deposit the cheque across the counter and obtain acknowledgment etc, if he/she desires. Branches to display, above the cheque drop box that the cut off time up to which instruments dropped in the box will be taken for same day clearing. Display of Comprehensive Notice Board as per bank’s instructions at prominent place in Banking Hall with the date of updation duly filled in. Facility for exchange of soiled and mutilated notes shall be made available at all branches, and message displayed in comprehensive notice board. Facility for accepting / exchanging coins of all denominations shall be made available at all branches, and message displayed in comprehensive notice board. Display of Notice Board at the branches for creation of awareness regarding the Positive Pay System (PPS). Display of separate signage board containing name, addresses, official e-mail IDs and official landline telephone numbers of FAA/CPIO and CAPIO (RTI). For all practical purposes, the Branch Heads shall play a role of Quality Assurance Officer for ensuring the best possible customer service to all the customers and implementation of this Branch Management Policy in true spirit at the Branch. q) Contact Centre: Bank’s Contact Centre Toll Free numbers 1800 1234, 1800 2100, 1800 11 2211, 1800 425 3800 shall be available, 24*7*365 basis, for customers’ queries / requests and complaints, in multiple languages. Contact Centre shall provide various services / information, through IVRS (Interactive Voice Response System) and Contact Centre Agent, to eligible customers after due authentication, as per regulatory norms. Some of the Contact Centre services are based on RMN (Registered Mobile Number). The services shall include balance in account, last five transactions, interest rates on retail deposits and advances, generation of Green PIN, blocking of Debit Card and request for re-issuance of Debit Card after its blocking, dispatch status of Debit Card and Cheque book, manage Debit Card usage (i.e. switch-on/off channel and modifying transaction 34 Table of Contents limits), reporting of unauthorised transactions along with blocking of Internet Banking / UPI or Debit Card, SBI YONO & Internet Banking hand-holding, Pension related information, Deposit and Loan products information. r) Grievances Redressal Bank shall keep Complaint Book for recording of complaints by walk-in customers and provide acknowledgment to them. Branch shall also have Complaint/suggestion Box in Banking Hall and it will be prominently visible to customers in compliance with RBI regulations. Bank Branch shall display the name and contact details of Branch Manager, Controller and Banking Ombudsman etc on the Comprehensive Notice Board at Branch. Toll Free numbers for lodging ATM transaction related complaints shall also be displayed at ATM sites. Bank shall provide multiple avenues to customers for lodging grievances in addition to Branch, like Contact Centre Toll free numbers*, Customer Request and Complaint Form on Bank’s website etc. These grievances shall flow to the centralized CRM-CMS for resolution / redressal. * Complaints can also be registered by customers through the Contact Centre Toll Free numbers: 1800 1234, 1800 2100, 1800 11 2211, 1800 425 3800. These numbers can also be used to track the status of complaints lodged with the Bank. s) Adherence to licensing conditions Branch and Bank shall follow regulatory guidelines and conduct business as per the norms prescribed by Regulators as well as Banking Regulation Act. t) Uniformity in Record Management All Branches of the Bank shall retain the various books and vouchers pertaining to the customers’ transactions for specified period of time as per laid out policy of the Bank. Bank may retain the record at the branch itself or at a centralized place, where more number of branches are in the close vicinity. u) Branch Setup Branches shall have uniform set up as regards Branch Heads, Joint Custodians, Branch Signage, Notice Boards, stationary, registers, policies etc. The Bank shall also pursue towards achieving uniform layout across the Bank. v) Business Continuity and Operational Resilience (BC&OR) Plan: In case of emergency situations where the Branch is found to be non-functional on a banking day, customers can get details of alternate nearby branch for the purpose of business continuity from contact centre. The contact numbers are given in para (r) above. 35 Table of Contents Force majeure: The Bank shall not be liable on account of noncompliance if some unforeseen event (including but not limited to civil commotion, sabotage, lockout, strike or other labour disturbances, accident, fires, natural disasters or other "Acts of God" war, damage to the Bank’s facilities or absence of the usual means of communication or all types of transportation etc.) beyond the control of the Bank prevents it from performing its obligations within the specified service delivery parameters. 2 (a) (ii) Opening of Branches: Prerequisite: The pre-requisite for opening of Branches is Annual Branch Expansion Plan, which describes the number of Branches which are to be opened by Circles in a year. BRNWM department in consultation with the Circles prepares an Annual Branch Expansion Plan (ABEP) with a three-year perspective as per prevailing RBI guidelines and obtains approval from Central Board. The same is also communicated to the Circles for implementation. Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Opening of a Branch has since been reviewed and updated as on 07.10.2023 to facilitate with the guidelines for opening a new branch. Procedure: Circular No.: NBG/BRNWM-BRANCHES/7/2023 - 24 Date: Mon 30 Oct 2023 The stages involved in opening of new Branch are as under: a. Identification of Branch location after a thorough survey. b. Branch Authorisation c. Validity of Branch Authorisation d. Acquisition of Premises on Lease or Rental Basis e. Preparation for Branch Opening f. Issuance of Branch Code g. Opening of Branch in CBS h. Reporting of Branch Opening to RBI / Govt Authorities 36 Table of Contents  Monitoring Mechanism To ensure opening of Branches well within the validity period of Branch Authorisation, the following monitoring mechanism should be followed:- Nodal Officer for Opening of Branch(es) at RBO / AO level. Immediately on receipt of the Branch Authorisation, Chief Manager (Compliance and Operations) i.e. the nodal officer at RBO as well as AO, for the overall coordination of activities of opening of the Branch, should prepare PERT CHART (Format -I) and send the same to B&O through Regional Manager. The RBO will monitor the activities through checklist (Format -II) on weekly basis. Monthly Reporting System Monthly reports in the standard format are to be submitted as under: i. RBO to submit report to B&O by 3rd of the following month in FORMAT-I ii. B&O to submit LHO by 7th of following month in Format- III iii. LHO to BRNWM Dept Corp Centre by 10th of following month in Format -III Periodical Review The progress in respect of all the pending Branch Authorisation cases is to be reviewed by RBO / B&O / LHO / Corp Centre in monthly P-review / Structured Meeting / Operational Review Meeting DO’s & DON’T DOs 37 Table of Contents 1. Branch to be opened within a period of one year from the date of Branch Authorisation. 2. The proposal for opening of proposed Branch must contain Survey Format duly signed by the committee and viability calculations about branch and recommendations duly approved by Circle Management Committee. 3. While selecting site for branch, it should be ensured that network connectivity from more than two network providers is available at the site and ramp is also feasible. 4. The proposed Branch premises must comply with the latest guidelines on infrastructure specified by the Bank in the Policy on General Management of Branches placed at statebanktimes>>Department 1>>Br. Redesign NW Mgmt >> Policy on General Management. 5. The ambience of branch should be in line with the nature of services and customers proposed at branch. The Branch interior should be in line with the Uniform Layout Guidelines of the Bank. 6. All permissions from local govt bodies must be on record while finalising the agreement with landlord which includes occupancy certificate, use of the property for commercial purpose etc DON’Ts 1. If more than one network providers are not available at the location, do not select the location for proposed branch. 2. Do not open branch at the location where accessibility to DIVYANGJANs cannot be provided through ramp or wheelchair lift etc. 3. Do not take possession of premises / execute lease agreement if permission for commercial use and occupancy certificates in respect of the premises are not available. 4. Do not keep gap of more than two days in opening the branch in CBS and opening the same for public transactions. 5. Do not delay in updating BRHM table once the branch is opened. 2 (a) (iii) - Shifting of Branches: Shifting of Branches - Communication to Customers: General Procedure: The shifting / merger of Branches needs to be advised / reported to all stakeholders such as Customers / Vendors / Service Providers and Regulators. Customers of the Branch, should be informed well in time (preferably notice of two months if there is no branch of any bank functioning at the centre, notice of one month in all other centres). 38 Table of Contents  - Inform Govt. offices, - Notices at prominent - Bulk SMS & e-Mails to schools & and other places individual customers offices - Notice in newspapers - Notice at the new - In RUSU areas consider - Separate letters to location cable notification Service Providers - Address to be changed in - BCP & OR branches to Branch Locator / MIS be informed to serve customers - Pop-up messages when customer of the branch - Locker customers to be logs on to onlinesbi or informed individually mobile banking Intimation to Regulator: The details of shifting (i.e. new address, date of shifting etc.) / merger should be reported to Regional office of RBI immediately after shifting / merger of the Branch. The time limit in reporting to RBI is within two weeks of shifting. 2 (a) (iv) Branch Darpan: Branch ambience, cleanliness, proper display of notices in branch premises are important elements for standardised customer service and has a huge impact on the brand image of SBI. ‘Branch Darpan’ is a web portal that helps branches and their Controllers understand where the branches stand with respect to above parameters, and on what parameters they need to improve, to improve customer service, achieve customer satisfaction, and eventually customer delight. The parameters in the dashboard have been given appropriate Weightages, to arrive at a score for the Branch, out of 100. The Branch Manager would have to fill the questionnaire with branch data, which would then be validated by the Controller. Once validated, the data would be considered as Submitted and become visible on Dashboard for generation of reports. Circles will be ranked on the basis of the scores of constituent branches. Based on Branch Darpan Score, branches will be categorized as under: Platinum branches : 90 and above Gold branches : =80 < 90 Silver branches : =70 Branch Darpan. User Manual for Branch Darpan is also available on the portal for the benefit of Users (Branch Manager, Controller, Circle Admin). Single sign on will be used. The portal shows the month for which data is to be submitted. The data can be submitted by branches from 1st to 15th. Homepage also has the option to access Branch infrastructure and application. Progress chart on the homepage shows the status of pending / submitted data by the branches, Circle-wise. Note: Responses to choose from 0-4 range. 0=Poor, 1=Average, 2=Above Average, 3=Good, 4=excellent (in case of NA, score will be normalized for that section) (If no e- corner / no CEEP Branch, score will be normalized for the branch) Display of Important Contact Numbers: Circular No.: NBG/BRNWM- BRANCHES/2/2023 - 24 Date: Thu 10 Aug 2023 As per instructions given in Security Manual, page no 234, 243 and chapter-9, page no. 282, Branches should display following information at the premises: “The important contact numbers, such as Police Station, Fire Brigade Centre, Hospitals, etc. should be prominently displayed in the premises of Branches.” DISPLAY OF BOARDS AT BRANCHES - Circular No.: NBG/BRNWM- BRANCHES/10/2023 - 24 Date: Fri 23 Feb 2024 The guidelines for the display of noticeboards at branches were issued vide e-circular no. NBG/BRNWM-BRANCHES/2/2019-20 dated 20.08.2019 and have since been reviewed, consolidated with the instructions issued till date. As per RBI’s guidelines the noticeboards must be displayed in trilingual (Hindi, English and Regional language) at the branches, the list of which is given below. Please refer to Circular No.: NBG/BRNWM-BRANCHES/10/2023 - 24 Date: Fri 23 Feb 2024 for further instructions. 40 Table of Contents  Chapter - 3 (a) - ATM and Customer Service Anytime Channel – Automatic Teller Machines (ATM), Passbook Printing Machines (SWAYAM), Green Remit Card (GRC), Green Channel Counter (GCC), Cheque Deposit Kiosk, Drop Box ATM - ATM is still playing a vital role in Customer Service. ATM and ADWM are still playing important role for dispensation and deposit of cash. With increased adoption of digital and cashless modes of banking, incidents of failed authorized transactions (unsuccessful) and fraudulent unauthorized transactions are on the upward trend. Authorized digital transactions carried out by customers turns unsuccessful due to reasons not directly attributable to the customer such as disruption of communication links, non-availability of cash in ATM, time-out of sessions, non-credit to end beneficiary’s account due to various causes etc. The following aspects for ATM management is important for Customer service. 1. Upkeep of ATM 2. Uptime of ATM 3. Cash Replenishment on time 4. Vendor Management 5. Complaint management for failed Transactions and unauthorised Transactions. Maintenance of ATM Site: Upkeep of ATM kiosk is the most important aspect for customers. It creates a brand (Good/ Bad/ Ugly) for the Bank. By keeping clean and presentable our ATM kiosk, we will help creating good brand for us. Therefore, we should always monitor the ATM kiosks and ensure that (i) The main door is opening / closing properly (ii) Glazing and Glass Panels are clean (iii) Stickers are not shabbily pasted across walls and Panels (iv) Flooring Ceiling and walls are not damaged (v) ACs are in working condition (vi) There are no loose electrical wires in the kiosk (vii) Signage is clean and is not broken. It is properly lighting up in night. (viii) Maintenance for exterior is also done. Examination of cash before loading in ATM / ADWM is an important tool to mitigate counterfeit currency notes in ATM/ADWM. We should re-align our cash management in such a manner that bank notes of denomination of Rs. 100 and above are not put into re- circulation without the notes being machine processed for authenticity. It must be sorted through the NSM before loading in ATM Cassette. E-Surveillance System (ESS): ESS is a remote monitoring solution to strengthen the security arrangements at ATM sites. It is a security solution for ATM to avoid thefts, 41 Table of Contents burglary and vandalism. Under ESS, we use Various types of sensors, cameras, 2-Way audio communication system, Siren, Fire/smoke detectors and Panic Switch. It is one of the most important pre-requirements for ATM service. Availability of cash or non- availability of Cash Out situation: As per RBI notification, Cash-out at any ATM /ADWM terminal for more than 10 hours in a month will attract a flat penalty of 10,000/- per terminal. Vendors are given duty to take all steps for not having ATM out of cash. Bank has defined a concept of “Factor of Safety” which is required to be maintained for each machine where the cash replenishment is outsourced. “Factor of Safety (FoS)”, i.e., the ideal amount of Cash that should be present in the ATM to prevent Cash out and idle cash situation. It is a simple calculation which is fixed at 2.0 i.e. for every Rs.100 withdrawn, there should be upto Rs.200 in the machine. Maintaining uptime and availability: It is the most crucial point from customer service point of view. The Bank has, therefore, configured the Non-Stop Servers on the High Availability Mode to maintain the uptime of 99.99% and above. A Dashboard is available which provide various data pertaining to uptime of ATM. The Uptime pie-charts,