[shajufx]

Originally Posted by Ragavsr

I would suggest you avoid Kotak. They are one pestering lot......

Your words have come true in its true sense. I went ahead with Kotak inspite of your warning, thinking mine is a face to face interaction with the bank, avoiding all the online modes. Guess what !!! A team of 3 people came to visit me, one as a current account executive, another sales manager, another as a life insurance consultant. They painted the picture in such a way that the kind of current account I prefered (start up-premium) needs to link to another product like a life insurance term plan. I had filled up all the forms with signatures on all their docs and company doc copies. Now its been 5 days, topic is still the additional product via emails.

I have replied them, "I dont want any additional products, nor interested in anything in the future. Give my current account or allow me to proceed with some other bank". Waiting for the reply.

[Ragavsr]

Originally Posted by shajufx

They painted the picture in such a way that the kind of current account I prefered (start up-premium) .

This seems to be a common scam going on. I had just taken an educational loan a few days back. While an insurance cover for the loan is compulsory, the insurance agents of the bank came home and were trying to push me into an investment linked insurance plan where I would have to shell out 1/3rd of the loan amount as premium for the next 5 years.

The basic insurance was only about 500/year and I stood firm that I would pay only that. It made no sense and criminal on part of the bank to take property as collateral for the loan and push for 1/3 rd the loan amount as insurance premium. The loan amount minus the insurance premium would have made me eligible for a collateral free loan.

The agent kept on saying that this policy was compulsory and I threatened to cancel the loan and go with another bank if that was the case. I had to resort to literally yelling at him, so much so that my grandparents couldn't understand what was going on.

The bank in question : Karnataka Bank.

[shajufx]

Originally Posted by Ragavsr

This seems to be a common scam going on....

Thanks for the info. I have made myself very clear to them, not wanting to take any other products in offer. I have dealt with HDFC since 15 years, never had any such situation till date. Yes Bank, I must say, tries similar pattern of Kotak. They try to sell you lot of their products just by emails, calls and forcible home visits. So far, I have avoided all of them at the first instance !

[SilentEngine]

A general query about cheque returns with reason as "Connectivity failure". As mentioned in this RBI notification, it says customer is not at fault, so is it correct for bank to debit cheque return charges?

https://www.rbi.org.in/scripts/Notif...Id=7971&Mode=0

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted by NetfreakBombay

Maybe that explains it. They need to generate work to keep these people busy.

I had an account in the erstwhile State Bank of Mysore. After the merger, I wanted to integrate it with my primary account which is in State Bank of India. I first applied for CIF de-duplication. After four visits in five days, it was done. But I started receiving messages asking me to provide PAN and AADHAR. Took care of it and requested for mapping both accounts under a single internet banking user id. Four days have passed without any result and I have been asked to call/visit on Monday so that they can figure out the bottleneck. Funny thing is that three employees, all of them (I guess) under 30, are working on my case. The poor manager - a year or two away from retirement - washes his hands off the matter saying he can't do much as things are too technologically complicated for his understanding. Digital banking - zindabad .

[sgiitk]

I have been banking with an MNC_bank for almost forty years. The branch manager has quit citing the complication of coping with ever changing compliance requirements. He thinks it has been taking over 75% of his time just coping with these.

[V_Gupta]

I have opened a savings account with HDFC bank a few years back and although my family members have account in SBI and PNB but seeing the overworked staff and somewhat uninterested in sorting out the problem a customer is facing I decided to go to HDFC bank, and it has been a wonderful experience banking with them. Just had to make a home visit appointment with them after opening the account and no pesky phone call about loans, credit cards apart from a few occasional ones. The staff at my branch gave me enough time and personalized service when an issue of international payment thru my debit card arose and did very well in sorting out the issue. I'll definitely recommend HDFC.

[Dry Ice]

Be cautious of the schemes recommended by the bank reps. Some poor souls who weren't really too careful. See this report from Wire, India -

https://youtu.be/q1mfD9EuRAs

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted by dailydriver

Digital banking - zindabad].

Forgot to update. The issue was finally resolved on day thirteen! It would have stretched further had I not given them a piece of my mind and threatened to escalate the matter on the twelfth day. The problem with SBI is that most employees still suffer from the government office mentality. The higher ups need to invest a bit of their profit in training and readying their workforce to meet the changing needs of customers.

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted by dailydriver

The problem with SBI is that most employees still suffer from the government office mentality. The higher ups need to invest a bit of their profit in training and readying their workforce to meet the changing needs of customers.

Pleasantly surprised to read this report in The Hindu. An excerpt:

...all employees should adhere to a model dress code... Avoid unkempt look (unshaven/ruffled hair) practice adequate personal hygiene to keep bad breath/body odour away; and keep footwear clean at all times.

Other tips included: same colour for shoes and belts, matching socks for trousers, plain ties for check shirts and ties with designs for plain shirts, suits should be from the same fabric length, and shirt sleeve should exceed the suit/blazer sleeve length by half an inch...

The tips on social etiquette included a strong injunction against belching, especially when in a meeting or among others; it is highly irritating. It also advised the staff against slipping into common language in a formal meeting as it is considered unprofessional.

Would have been happier had the instructions included a word or two about greeting and treating customers politely and delivering services in a time bound manner.

[centaur]

I am currently having a salary savings with Citi. It's a decade old account but today visited their branch for some work and had a terrible experience (not the first time but this time have kinda made up my mind to move out). Looking to choose for a salary savings between Kotak and HDFC. Which is a better option? I know about Kotak paying 6% interest but I suppose they have some charges too, which other banks don't have. With Citi, I don't have any unwanted charges (NEFT/IMPS, Debit card, ATM withdrawals etc.) but they have only one branch and its a real pain going there for some work which cannot be done online. Adding to it, their attitude on my visit today has pissed me off. So any pointers from bhpians holding accounts with Kotak/HDFC/both would seriously help. Thanks

[Tanveer_2558]

Originally Posted by Dry Ice

Be cautious of the schemes recommended by the bank reps. Some poor souls who weren't really too careful. See this report from Wire, India -

Another trap that ICICI uses a lot, After you make a debit card transaction you get an email after a few days saying you have won a provogue belt/Watch/ Bag worth 3000/5000 INR and all you have to pay is 299 rs as shipping and handling charge, But guess what? When you receive the item you'll soon know you have been ripped off, The quality is cheap and isn't even worth 100 bucks!!
And we just paid 300 for it!

Completely HATE ICICI for doing this.

[jbpanda]

Originally Posted by centaur

So any pointers from bhpians holding accounts with Kotak/HDFC/both would seriously help. Thanks

I have been maintaining my salary account with HDFC for past few years and am very satisfied with their services. The personal manager appointed is also very helpful and cooperating to your requirements and needs. I also have an auto loan, demat account and fixed deposit account linked to the main savings account. I find them to be the best amongst the private banks. I have dealt with/ deal with ICICI, Axis and Standard Chartered apart from HDFC. You may consider to shift your loyalty to them.

[hserus]

Originally Posted by jbpanda

I have been maintaining my salary account with HDFC for past few years and am very satisfied with their services. The personal manager appointed is also very helpful and cooperating to your requirements and needs. I also have an auto loan, demat account and fixed deposit account linked to the main savings account. I find them to be the best amongst the private banks. I have dealt with/ deal with ICICI, Axis and Standard Chartered apart from HDFC. You may consider to shift your loyalty to them.

Kotak are good to deal with and the signup process is quick and simple. Of course as at any bank, please ignore all sorts of helpful suggestions on sure shot money making investments from your relationship manager.

Though I used to be a citi customer for over 11 years, only stopped because I moved to a new company in 2009 and they did not support Citi as a salary account. I had zero complaints with their service, and high praise for it.

[digitalnirvana]

Originally Posted by hserus

Kotak are good to deal with and the signup process is quick and simple. Of course as at any bank, please ignore all sorts of helpful suggestions on sure shot money making investments from your relationship manager.

Though I used to be a citi customer for over 11 years, only stopped because I moved to a new company in 2009 and they did not support Citi as a salary account. I had zero complaints with their service, and high praise for it.

Have paid the price heavily. Ended up with 5 ULIPs, all forced down my throat (and at times when I was in personal distress e.g. Father's hospitalization and not thinking straight). All 80C and have no money left for MFs and the like.

Very disappointed in their RMs for a so called Prima customer. They call every year in March and force a ULIP on some pretext of the other.