Monday 28 January 2013

Banking is a mystery, misery and mockery

The rituals of one doing the traditional banking.. what I mean is going to the bank, fill in the challan, stand in a queue, reach the teller wicket \ window, to the transaction, later come over to the person to update your passbook.. The irony is that this custom had a humane touch as we interact with so many individuals... you come to know them... that person inter acting had given opportunities to know one another.. When, I started PICK PACK CATERERS!!!!!.. OH!that was the name of my business identity... Mr P.Shanmugan. Branch Manager of SBI Siruthozil Branch... whom I interacted with... To be frank... I had never been to the Bank... Bala ( My brother) once got the application from a bank... I signed it at home and later had the pass book and cheques given by him to me that too on a hurry .... catching the coromandel express to Bhuvaneshwar when I left Taj... There after.. he got an account opened in a similar way at Indian bank . I was all the way ignorant of the rituals at the bank!!!!Observing my frantic activities with PICK PACK Mr. Shanmugam invited me to the branch with my uncle Mr. Ramalingam and Shanmugasundaram ( former Bankers)advised to me to get the company letter head and seal.I was just sitting and pondering in his office, he called the peon and made me sign few documents.. the peon took my seal and letter head, after half an hour, he handed me my first currant account with cheque leaves 100 nos. with over draft facility and term loan to my project... It took almost few days for me come to terms and reality... ( I was later upraised that those were social banking and now a days it is commercial banking!!!) The first advise by my cousin Muthu Ganesh was to have the seal affixed on all the cheques. Then whenever issuing,the sign to be similar as the earlier one... I was a bit puzzled.. I dutifully signed a specimen signature at the back of the book hence I would not falter. Before starting PIC PACK, the account that I had with Indian Bank was my salary account during my offshore employment!!There was a clerical error in posting of cash in my account with Indian Bank to the tune of Rs25000.00 I had the entry posted in my passbook. later after a month.. during which this was revealed to my Dad. I was pressed of finance for my - PICK PACK... with no hesitation, with a glare and stern look Dad made me go the bank meet the Branch Manager and had the entry reverted. As I was chidding myself on one hand had returned the money to the bank.. desperately looking out for fund as there were no taker or believers in my concept... Mr. Shanmugan was like an angel .. Even today, I am debating within myself.. HAd I not referred the issue to my Dad.. Had I not met Mr, P.Shanmugam.. the probabilities are umpteen... still a mystery!!!!

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