[Resolved]  HDFC Bank — Reporting grievance for unacceptable personnel standards

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am a customer of your bank and have been banking with you since 2004. Currently, I have bank accounts in your New Alipore (Kolkata) and Behala (Kolkata) branches. I have always found my banking experience with HDFC to be wonderful. However, there has occurred a few instances recently which has led me to believing that not all your banks follow similar (read that high) standards. I feel bad that I had to resort to writing to the Grievance cell to report such occurrences.

It started with the opening of Behala branch a few months back. Since I live in Behala, I chose to open an account with the branch too. I visited the branch along with my wife when it was still under final touches of its construction and service was yet to start. I found your sales executives there who assisted me in filling out the application form for opening an account in Behala. I also enquired about locker facilities and submitted an application letter to obtain one.

The branch opened drawing a lot of interest from local people since there were no other HDFC banks nearby. I visited the branch to enquire the status of my applications and came to know that they had gone for processing. I got a chance to talk to the Branch Manager, Mr.Anamitra Bhattacharya, about obtaining a locker and he assured me one, softly mentioning that it would be faster if I could get some deposits done in the bank, like Fixed Deposits and other deposit schemes. I didn't like this unfair proposition but since I needed one truly, I accepted it. I went ahead and liquidated my FDs in New Alipore and created new ones in Behala in anticipation that I could get a locker.

Days went by. Every time I visited the branch, I asked about the locker and got a reply that I will be allotted one by the end of the month. This had been going on since October 2008. I visited the branch again last Saturday and the Personal Banker, Mr. Subhrangshu Bhattacharya, assured me they are ready and I, along with my wife, should pay a visit again this Saturday.

Things took a different turn when my wife paid another visit on Friday, March 6, 2009. The Branch Manager, Mr.Anamitra Bhattacharya, told her that there were no lockers available and we should wait for another 6 months till the new set got ready. Upon querying the Personal Banker, Mr. Subhrangshu Bhattacharya, she found out that his assurances were for the sake of pacifying me. This was it! If it was not possible to provide lockers in the first place, why were we given false assurances and made to create new FDs? We have been tricked! Not only were we getting frustrated by visiting the branch over and over again, how could it be possible that there were no lockers available? We had applied even before the branch started its operations and had been following up since then. The only way this is possible is if the Branch Manager allotted the lockers to big ticket depositors who have even greater deposits that ours or those with whom he shares personal relationships, neither of which fall under HDFC policies and Code of Conduct. I do not know if the Higher Management is aware of such double standards and false assurances, which cause great disappointment to customers.

It's a pity to report such incidents which deface the bank's reputation. I request for strict action against this. I hope the Grievance cell takes a note of this otherwise I will have to report this to the Consumer Forum and resort to other means for justice. I apologize for being tough and would appreciate an email or phone call from the cell informing me of strict action. Thank you and have a great weekend.

Sincerely,
Sourav Chanda.