Eggfirst

Hostile reception!

A fortune 500 company… one of the biggest banks in the world… customer base of more than a million, worldwide. You expect such a bank to be welcoming, friendly and pleasant, don’t you? But is it so in reality?

Recently, I was on a personal visit to the Mumbai (India) branch of the Bank (described above). Right at the entrance, I saw a bottle of a hand sanitizer with a message that read, “Clean your hands with this hand sanitizer before entering our premises.” My first reaction was, “That’s insulting!!” Are they telling me that my hands are dirty and would contaminate their premises? This ain't a hospital, is it? I understand the concern for employees. I understand the need for a 'clean' environment. But what’s with the arrogance? The intention may be fair, but the way it was communicated was distasteful and quite insensitive. How about being a little friendly and warm while communicating. Something as simple as, “It’s your bank. Let’s keep it germ free.”



Being direct is one thing; being outright offensive is another. Never undermine the importance of communication. No matter how big a company you are.


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