Bankable Standard of Poor Service

Good Day,

I have had three consecutive incidents with three standard bank call center agents in which each time they have been unprofessional, rude, and unhelpful.

The first two incidents I sympathetically swept aside and wrote it down to the pressures of having to work from home, dealing with all we are dealing with as a result of Covid, and plain simply making an excuse that said agents were probably tired after long days of work. However, the line gets drawn at the third successive incident coupled with the blatant disrespect and arrogance with which these agents dismiss one's complaints, queries and requests.

The issues I wished to report have little barring on my complaint when compared to how my requests for the matter to be raised with a team leader or manager get dismissed with a simple: "My team leader will call you back". Upon requesting an estimated time, the agent I spoke to (Thobeka S.) refused to give a time frame. When I requested a link where I can formally log a complaint, she provided me with an email address: "standardbankcomplaints.co.za". Upon pointing out that that was in fact a domain and not an email address, she rudely dismissed me and placed the call on hold. At the time of typing this call, I have been on hold for 68minutes (I am refusing to drop this call and will hold on until my line gets transferred, Thobeka drops the call, or my call be put through to rate the service).

Four calls, of which 3 had the exact same level of poor service. This indicates a fami**** pattern.

i) The manner in which these three different agents have responded to me as a client is shockingly disrespectful and disappointing; showing little regard for your customers and your organization.

ii) The sheer arrogance with which each has casually placed the calls on hold highlights a culture of cutting corners and 'wearing clients down' when failing to resolve client complaints. This further highlights poor management in this regard.

iii) The fact that it has happened on three occasions and has not once been picked up. This leads me to believe that it is most probably happening to other clients with little to no action being taken against said employees. Placing a client on hold for more than 60 minutes has good to be the highlight of service failure. I am curious as to how this matter will be addressed by Standard Bank.

- Elgee