The bank recently launched an additional channel for customer
grievance redressal, called ‘SMS Unhappy Service’. This is a dual mobile and
web-based system, under which SBI head offices have ‘Happy Rooms’ which deal
with customer grievances.
Any customer wanting to lodge a complaint, sends an SMS
“UNHAPPY” to a specified number (8008202020). The Happy Room responds to the
SMS by calling back the customer on the mobile number and records the details
of the complaint. The complaint is then forwarded to the respective branches
through a dedicated website, and they are required to advise a resolution
within 48 hours.
Ordinarily, a consumer who has a complaint, or has
encountered a problem, would need to lodge a written complaint with his branch,
or send an email to the Bank, giving the details of his account number, and the
problem to be resolved. Many customers
find it difficult to do this in the midst of their many priorities, and so put
off reporting a complaint, even though the issue remains alive.
For the first time, here we have a Bank going out to its
customers, inviting them to just send one SMS, “Unhappy”, to the number
8008202020. The rest of the action rests
with the Bank.
In a perfectly automated fashion, this message reaches the
“Happy Room” at the Bank’s Circle Headquarters, from where executives who are
passionate about customer delight, call the customer on his mobile phone,
understand from him the exact nature of the problem faced by him/her, assure
him/her of prompt resolution, and escalate this issue to the office which has
to take action.
What is more, when the required action has been taken, the
customer is contacted by his branch and the Happy Room to update him on what
has been done. Most of the complaints
are closed within 48 hours. Needless to
say, this results in absolute delight for the customer.
Feedback received from the pilot run, has been very
encouraging. Initial customer reactions
to this proactive initiative on the part of the nation’s largest Bank, have
been very positive. Already complaints
have shown a decreasing trend.
What is so special about this initiative is that, having sent
one SMS, the customer has absolutely nothing to do; his mind can be at rest,
and he is assured of speedy results. Working just on SMS, the facility can be
accessed at any time of day or night, from anywhere-- even while waiting for a
flight to take off! And what’s more, being paperless, it is a Green Banking
initiative.
With the national launch of this initiative, and widening of
its reach, consumers of banking services can look forward to a new era of fast,
hassle-free complaint resolution, and, better, delightful experiences with
their Bank.
I sincerely hope that every private and public sector bank
should start this kind of customer grievance redressal as soon as possible in
India.
Happy Banking!
