If only you could just get rid of your customers!

I understand that I am only a client of yours and that clients, (despite banking with you for over 20 years), are the lowest category of people in your bank.

Despite this knowledge, the two people I interacted with at Northgate this morning were truly terrible (or brilliant if you're trying to enforce staff superiority over clients as I suspect you are).

I called the branch yesterday to confirm that the bank manager could act as commissioner of oaths for my passport application. The person who answered the phone confirmed that the manager could act as commissioner of oaths but that she was not in and 'would only be back tomorrow", meaning today, Tuesday 10th.

I was at the dor at 09:00 this morning and was directed to the waiting area. within 5 minutes someone came to me and asked me to hand over what I need to be certified. After confirming he was not the Branch Manager I explained one of the docs required confirmation of my identity and signature so I needed to be in front of the manager to confirm this. He insisted I hand him the docs to be certified so I explained where everything needed to be signed. He was confused so agreed to go and get the manager.

The manager introduced herself by saying hello and holding out her hand to get the docs from me. She took one look and said she only certifies banking documents. I explained that the person I spoke to the day before said she would certify a passport application. The manager suggested that the person was wrong. At that point, I shared my thoughts about Nedbanks "service" as well as your drive to ensure that clients are treated as the lowest life forms within the bank and in all other communication.

She then asked to look at the application and after doing so invited me into her office. Without talking to me, or even offering me a seat, she began to sign the form. I had to correct her and point out where to sign and what details to include. She insisted that because her rubber stamp included her name that she didn't have to write it into the space provided on the form. Apparently too much effort for the sake of satisfying a client.

She then insisted on using her initials on the reverse of the passport photos which has turned out to be a problem since the people at the passport office immediately said her initials on my photos don't match the commissioner of oaths signature.

When I left the branch I called the complaints line and asked the person there to call me back. He said that they could only do that if he could find someone with a chance to do it. Not surprising really since I am only a customer.

As a client of over 20 years who has paid off the bond and car HP and who is in credit with my current account and credit card I guess I'm now more of a problem client than one you can make a profit off. But maybe, just maybe, there are one or two people at Nedbank who read this and are happy to address my complaint. I won't hold my breath.