I called up the bank today to find out about some home loan details.

I am told by some absolutely incorrigibly uncomprehensible executive - Mr. Nigam -
".. being a bank holiday today, the systems are offline so I cannot provide any details of your account.."
And this, he tells me AFTER he has asked for my account number. wonder what he took my account number for... and where he noted it down if ever he did..

And I go WHAT!!!!!!!!! is this what a 24 hr customer service desk and online technology is supposed to achieve?
Go offline on holidays??????
WHAT a MESS we are all in...

What on earth is the matter with banks and their hype of using technology for the customer's benefit?
Is this the benefit that they are passing on to the consumers in this time of competition and information/knowledge age? What the hell are they doing with all the money they are using to deploy systems and operations if this is the kind of service they are providing to customers???

Is any respite going to come to the "customer first focus" that every business house has been harping about on paper.. and here in practice, have gone a further 50 years back in time???

Is this the India I should feel oh so proud of!!! The spineless Indian governance is though better when compared to our other less lucky peers, we are still making a mockery of everything that we talk about.

Glorified puffed up words are being used just to draw customers - who being stupid that they are, and for the lack of sufficient education they they should have - get drawn to these glorified images of business, service and customer focus which are nothing but white elephants; lines in sand.