Banks living in the stone age

[meltingpot2015]

Not everything revolves around money. i.e. we don't need to hire an English language cunning linguist in every branch.

Just improve the English as a Foreign language element in school syllabuses. Have staff proficient in French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, etc. in at least some branches and make customers aware which branches. May be introduce these languages to the school syllabus, so students can choose one of these languages instead of English.

[hawker9000]

The truth is there are numerous, inconvenient but usually manageable, gaps in service capability, which simply vary from bank to bank. But most thai banks suffer from the syndrome to greater or lesser degree. A single knowledgeable, competent and fluent foreign consultant on staff would go a long long way, but perish the thought of a foreigner on the payroll. Thainess & all that. Short of that, there's usually a workaround. Banging your head against the teak door will get you nowhere.

Why the hell should Thai banks in Thailand pay a skilled linguist to be around every branch, just in case some farang can't use an ATM. From your post, I assume you mean English speaking consultant. I worked in an English bank for a few years many years ago, and foreigners always came in with an interpreter as a matter of course.

Did I SAY "in every branch"?? No. 'Not what i said. Not what I meant. Not something I think is necesary or would recommend.

Thanks for playing.

[Fab5BKK]

May be I missed something but I thought that Thai was the official language in Thailand

Very good support to foreigners can be found at Bangkok Bank, especially at the HQ on Silom / Bangkok.

BTW, all foreigners don't speak English

PS: when in London, dealing with banks, shops, etc. is done in the local official language (= English)

The truth is there are numerous, inconvenient but usually manageable, gaps in service capability, which simply vary from bank to bank. But most thai banks suffer from the syndrome to greater or lesser degree. A single knowledgeable, competent and fluent foreign consultant on staff would go a long long way, but perish the thought of a foreigner on the payroll. Thainess & all that. Short of that, there's usually a workaround. Banging your head against the teak door will get you nowhere.

Why the hell should Thai banks in Thailand pay a skilled linguist to be around every branch, just in case some farang can't use an ATM. From your post, I assume you mean English speaking consultant. I worked in an English bank for a few years many years ago, and foreigners always came in with an interpreter as a matter of course.

Did I SAY "in every branch"?? No. 'Not what i said. Not what I meant. Not something I think is necesary or would recommend.

Thanks for playing.

Edited November 8, 2015 by Fab5BKK

[chiang mai]

The truth is there are numerous, inconvenient but usually manageable, gaps in service capability, which simply vary from bank to bank. But most thai banks suffer from the syndrome to greater or lesser degree. A single knowledgeable, competent and fluent foreign consultant on staff would go a long long way, but perish the thought of a foreigner on the payroll. Thainess & all that. Short of that, there's usually a workaround. Banging your head against the teak door will get you nowhere.

Why the hell should Thai banks in Thailand pay a skilled linguist to be around every branch, just in case some farang can't use an ATM. From your post, I assume you mean English speaking consultant. I worked in an English bank for a few years many years ago, and foreigners always came in with an interpreter as a matter of course.

Did I SAY "in every branch"?? No. 'Not what i said. Not what I meant. Not something I think is necesary or would recommend.

Thanks for playing.

You seem to have missed the fact that Bangkok Bank in Thailand has at least two British consultants on staff, both of whom are members of this forum and have assisted forum members with BB related issue resolution over the years. Of course they tend to not jump in to every banking related thread, just because somebody is having a bad day and wants to have a whinge about nothing in particular, if however somebody raises a significant legitimate grievance, they will make themselves known. BTW banks in Thailand don't give good service is not a legitimate grievance, neither is the fact that teller X in branch Y wasn't fluent in English! I doubt also they'll be interested in a customers poor view of the banks internal processes.

[Sophon]

The truth is there are numerous, inconvenient but usually manageable, gaps in service capability, which simply vary from bank to bank. But most thai banks suffer from the syndrome to greater or lesser degree. A single knowledgeable, competent and fluent foreign consultant on staff would go a long long way, but perish the thought of a foreigner on the payroll. Thainess & all that. Short of that, there's usually a workaround. Banging your head against the teak door will get you nowhere.

Why the hell should Thai banks in Thailand pay a skilled linguist to be around every branch, just in case some farang can't use an ATM. From your post, I assume you mean English speaking consultant. I worked in an English bank for a few years many years ago, and foreigners always came in with an interpreter as a matter of course.

Did I SAY "in every branch"?? No. 'Not what i said. Not what I meant. Not something I think is necesary or would recommend.

Thanks for playing.

You seem to have missed the fact that Bangkok Bank in Thailand has at least two British consultants on staff, both of whom are members of this forum and have assisted forum members with BB related issue resolution over the years. Of course they tend to not jump in to every banking related thread, just because somebody is having a bad day and wants to have a whinge about nothing in particular, if however somebody raises a significant legitimate grievance, they will make themselves known. BTW banks in Thailand don't give good service is not a legitimate grievance, neither is the fact that teller X in branch Y wasn't fluent in English! I doubt also they'll be interested in a customers poor view of the banks internal processes.

I believe you are referring to ianguygil and Daveroc. Unfortunately, neither of them are active on ThaiVisa any longer and haven't been since 2013. They did provide valuable service, but I believe they did so on their own time and answering posts here on ThaiVisa ended up being too time consuming for them.

Sphon

[PhDEducation]

Perhaps my problem is unusual. I have made three police reports of hacking and skimming my accounts. I'm not complaining about the processes of BKK banks, but they assume no responsibility for monies lost. I've lost a considerable amount of money through hacking and skimming my accounts.

My other problem is not the problem of speaking English at the Bangkok bank but the training of employees at the Bangkok Bank. It appears there is no consistency from one bank to another bank even though they are all under Bangkok Banks systems. The call center is also not informing people correctly.

For 10 years I have never had a problem until recently. My monthly income has depleted quickly through transactions that are being hacked and one time at an ATM machine of being skimmed. I am now on my third police report!

Siam bank, forget that bank. I could tell you of a real horror story pertaining to that particular bank. 80,000 plus, gone!

[hawker9000]

May be I missed something but I thought that Thai was the official language in Thailand

Very good support to foreigners can be found at Bangkok Bank, especially at the HQ on Silom / Bangkok.

BTW, all foreigners don't speak English

PS: when in London, dealing with banks, shops, etc. is done in the local official language (= English)

The truth is there are numerous, inconvenient but usually manageable, gaps in service capability, which simply vary from bank to bank. But most thai banks suffer from the syndrome to greater or lesser degree. A single knowledgeable, competent and fluent foreign consultant on staff would go a long long way, but perish the thought of a foreigner on the payroll. Thainess & all that. Short of that, there's usually a workaround. Banging your head against the teak door will get you nowhere.

Why the hell should Thai banks in Thailand pay a skilled linguist to be around every branch, just in case some farang can't use an ATM. From your post, I assume you mean English speaking consultant. I worked in an English bank for a few years many years ago, and foreigners always came in with an interpreter as a matter of course.

Did I SAY "in every branch"?? No. 'Not what i said. Not what I meant. Not something I think is necesary or would recommend.

Thanks for playing.

Yes, you did miss something. Not only did I not say "at every branch", neither was I talking about mere translators. Not that printed and online materials in some instances can't use some improvement here & there.

[meltingpot2015]

If we are to rely on the local thai banks we need to be able to raise our grievances. Indeed, most Thai Banks provide feedback mechanism in order for us to do this. Bangkok Bank is one of those banks. Have a look at:

http://www.bangkokbank.com/BangkokBank/WebServices/ContactUs/Pages/ContactUs.aspx

It is important to know the difference between airing a grievance publicly and raising it with the bank.

Some members themselves have aired quite general grievances about SCB bank in the provinces, but now claim that raising a significant and legitimate grievance would see Banking staff magically appear on this forum to offer assistance. Incorrect, do not rely solely on this forum to raise grievances. Raise it with the bank using the proper channels AND mention it here so others are aware.

Edited November 9, 2015 by meltingpot2015

[chiang mai]

Mrs Chiang Mai was complaining to me only the other day, she told me that it's just not good enough that are not at least some Thai speaking counter staff in the branches of HSBC in the UK, how is she supposed to get by and how is she supposed to complain about the poor service she received. There there I said, calm down dear, I'm sure they'll change policy just as soon as we complain to them, after all I mean, they should, should, shouldn't they!

EDIT to add re SCB in the provinces:

FWIW a few years ago I received a letter from Lynn Kok, CEO of SCB Thailand following my complaint to her about service at the CM branch, in it she openly admitted that staff in the provincial branches have some way to go to reach the desired standard.

Edited November 9, 2015 by chiang mai

[Fab5BKK]

Reply to Hawker900's post # 67

Just too funny!

Where did I write "branch" or "translators"?

You wrote: "... A single knowledgeable, competent and fluent foreign consultant on staff would go a long long way...", I'd like to ask you 4 simple questions:

1. How many consultants and where should they be deployed?

2. The citizenship(s) you have in mind for this consultant role?

3. How many languages should they speak, fluently, to cover all the needs?

4. Who will pay for this service?

BTW, my previous remarks are still valid.

[meltingpot2015]

Sometimes one can ask the same question 6 times and still not get a straight answer.

BTW, 1 + 3 = 8... it's valid. But how come?. Because I say so.

[hawker9000]

Reply to Hawker900's post # 67

Just too funny!

Where did I write "branch" or "translators"?

You wrote: "... A single knowledgeable, competent and fluent foreign consultant on staff would go a long long way...", I'd like to ask you 4 simple questions:

1. How many consultants and where should they be deployed?

2. The citizenship(s) you have in mind for this consultant role?

3. How many languages should they speak, fluently, to cover all the needs?

4. Who will pay for this service?

BTW, my previous remarks are still valid.

1. I would suggest a couple or 3. Based in BKK, but duties would include some travel to branches throughout the country to observe operations, review written materials and procedures involving foreigners primarily, and consult with the branch management. Then back in BKK, meet periodically with each other to compare notes and collaborate on suggestions & recommendations in need of attention by the central management. Rinse, repeat on an ongoing basis...

2. English should be their first language, so most likely citizenship from an English-speaking country (NOT the usual Thai uni grad with connections...)

3. Banking services are simply not conducted in Swahili or Urdu... First-language English fluency an absolute reqt as most western foreigners pretty much expect services in English at least, but additional western languages a plus.

4. This is an investment in improved customer service. Obviously the banking company pays. 'Kind of a silly question indicating closed mindedness & unwillingness to engage in any serious discussion about this.

Edited December 2, 2015 by hawker9000

[bangmai]

Not that long ago, a customer at Wells Fargo in California, wasn't allowed to deposit checks at Wells Fargo, Nevada, Lake Tahoe. More recently, a CapitalOne360 customer can't use the counter at CapitalOne. Many brokerage firms will not let you deposit a check made out to yourself....

[JaseTheBass]

A few years ago my company asked me to open a BB account as it made it easier to do the Stone Age salary payment process as the company also banked with them. After 2 months I closed my account and told me company to pay into my K-Bank account as BB were not up to their standard and I wasn't happy using an obviously inferior bank.