Standard bank is intentionally placing their customers at risk of contracting COVID 19!

Standard bank is intentionally placing their customers at risk of contracting COVID 19! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Due to Standard bank's decision to close around 130 smaller branches, customers are forced to go to certain bigger malls should they need to visit the bank. I stay in Pretoria East and was advised that the only branches available in my area is Menlyn Mall, The Grove, Brooklyn Mall and Hatfield. (Even branches in other malls were closed - where is the logic in that?)

My blue debit bank card expired and I was advised that I can only get a new card by visiting a branch. I therefore had no choice but to visit a branch. As Menlyn Mall is the closest option I decided to go into the bank on Monday morning after I dropped my daughter off at class. Fully expecting that I will face some delays due to the current COVID 19 implications on various businesses I had no idea how ********** my day would turn out.

I arrived at the bank at 11:10 and had to join a queue. I was number 40 in the queue, the lady in front of me advised me that she was at Brooklyn Mall and the branch was closed, the gentleman behind me advised me that he had to face this queuing on a weekly basis since the smaller branches were closed (as he is small business owner). I was still hopeful as this stage that all would go well. Needless to say it took me 3 hours 15mins standing in the queue to get into the bank. It took me a further 1 hour 20mins hours to be helped once I was inside the branch.

During this time I’ve been in contact with my private banker sharing my experience. Directly opposite the Standard Bank branch was an ABSA branch, their queues never exceeded 6 to 7 people and the people where helped at a rapid rate as it took ABSA 15 mins to attend to 6 - 7 people at a time. I only finished my business inside the bank at 15:52. This process has nearly taken me 5 hours to complete. When I finally got outside the bank the remainder of the customers that have been in the queue after me (some for 2,5 hours or longer) were asked to return the next day as the bank was now indeed closed!!!

As a customer of Standard bank I was appalled at the way we as “Supposedly valued customers” are forced (with no other option but to comply) into standing in queues, in a busy shopping centre with over a 190 people passing us by. Increasing our chances of contracting COVID 19 with over 200%!

The decision of closing smaller branches has clearly not been thought through and seen as an opportunity by shareholders to gain higher profit margins using COVID 19 as an excuse. How can you even think to service a few hundred thousand customers in the affluent Pretoria East market with such limited choices of open branches and staff that clearly has no means of supporting the number of customers being forced to make use of their branch!