Dear Editor,

When a company such a National Commercial Bank (NCB) boasts annual profit of nearly $20 billion, one would expect that the company can also boast having systems in place that assure accuracy of customer information as well as the capacity to solve problems at a pace that suggests deftness and efficiency.

My experience with NCB has shown repeatedly that this is not the case. I suspect that my experience is not unique and for this reason, I am speaking out.

Credit Card

In late October I discovered that my credit card had been hacked. I brought this to the attention of the bank via a phone call and a message on the banking electronic platform. In the phone call, the agent stated that I would need to write a letter and drop it off at the nearest branch. I protested and insisted that in the same way security checks are made to establish the identity of a caller she can establish that I am the lawful owner of the card. Eventually my report was accepted and, in a few days, the card was blocked and about five days later a new card was issued. But that is where the trouble started.

About two weeks after receiving the new card and having called the bank to activate it, I noticed that I got a pop up on the banking platform saying that the card was invalid. I called the bank and the agent told me to ignore that as what she was seeing from her end indicated that the card was okay. I told her I did not trust the info and therefore would not use the card. She encouraged me to go out and spend.

Several weeks have passed and as at the time of writing this letter (December 23, 2017), and despite repeated assurances from the bank that the card is okay and ready for use and again available on the banking platform, the card is still not available. This after several e-mail sent by me directly to a senior employee as well as via the banking platform and calls received from nice-sounding customer service agents.

I repeatedly tell businesses that customer service is not merely, or hardly about being nice; it is about having systems in place to prevent problems or fix them quickly when they occur.

In addition to the back and forth about the usability of the card, for several weeks the card was showing an inaccurate balance owed, which was several times the actual amount owed. What confidence do I have that the bank will not charge me for what they incorrectly say I owe, rather than what I actually owe? Absolutely zero!

Investment account

But the problems of unreliable records at NCB are not only related to credit cards. I closed an investment account with NCB in November 2014. Months after the closure the account was still visible on the banking platform showing the amount that was in the account at the time I closed it. Though not my problem, I brought the matter to the attention of the bank. I was told it would be addressed. As at the time of writing, the account is still showing the amount that was withdrawn plus other details.

The simple question is: If the bank is making these kinds of errors on these two accounts, on how many customers’ accounts are similar or worse errors being made and with what consequences to customers?

For this level of inaccuracy to occur in a multi-billion-dollar profit-making bank is, as my mother would say, a crying shame.

Canute Thompson

canutethompson1@gmail.com