I Hate Going to the Banks

I have very little money, but I still keep it in the bank before I realize too late that it's gone down the drain. But I hate going to the banks, not just because I have only a small money there and I see all these other customers flapping their thick piles of money for deposit or which were withdrawn, and I always ask myself why others have so much and others have so little, but more because of the inconvenience of transacting in a bank these days.

All banks have this number system where you take a number or you are assigned one, so that you do not have to all stand up in line for long periods before reaching the front line. Although there are still banks that have these long queues, as if people are lining up for food ration or something life-saving. Still, there are a few banks where you can input into a computer your transaction so that when your number is called, the teller/cashier already knows what transaction you are going to make. But even with all innovations in the banks, there seem to be an indifference on the part of the banks on the inconvenience brought about by a large number of clients inside the bank congesting the floor, waiting for their number to be called. On most occasions, when you see a jam-packed bank, it is because there is just one or two tellers/counters attending to them. Either the rest are on their break, or are attending to more important clients who have large deposits in the bank. And the bank does not care much if their office is bursting with exasperated people who have to wait for unreasonably long time before getting served.

Some cheesed off clients would rather change banks specially when they see the newly opened banks on the next block with very few clients. They can enjoy fast banking transactions and they leave the banks with their smiles intact. After a few months however, these other banks would still pose the same exhausting banking experience.

There are a few banks who now offer online transactions where one does not need to go to the bank because transactions maybe made online. But this has yet to solve the exhausting queues in the bank as seen in reality. And even with these online provisions, many transactions still need your personal appearance at the bank.

These poor people who have to bear the exasperation of seeing their time wasted while waiting for their turns in the banks, are not even given any comfort by the environment in the bank. The use of cellular phones are not allowed, so one cannot even start playing some games on the phone to while the time. They provide couches but even if one gets so very sleepy waiting for his/her turn, nobody can sleep otherwise the security guards will be at your back tapping you and waking you up.

I just want a banking experience where you wear a smile both when you enter and you exit. I hate the long lines. I hate it when the bank does not provide immediate solutions to long queues. If only there's another safe way of keeping my small but hard earned money, I would not go to the bank.