AIB staff shortgages

Power2011

Anybody notice in AIB branches lately severe shortage of frontline staff

NIMAN

Very much soon.

Been in my local branch to do a lodgement twice in the last month, and one teller had a queue of maybe a dozen or more each time. Never any sign of anyone else opening another window to help her.

I ended up queuing for maybe 15mins each time. On one occasion, a senior member of staff came out and asked people in the queue if they could not use the automatic lodgement system.

SweetCaliber

I've noticed in my bank, no matte how much of a queue, theres only one person on and about ten other tellers in the back not bothering their arse to get up and do their job. Disgraceful.

passremarkable

It must be the same everywhere iv noticed this too ... It's dreadful

Power2011

I was told that in my branch it will soon be down from 2 cashiers to 1 and people will have to get used to using the self service machines

dubh laoch

SweetCaliber wrote: »

I've noticed in my bank, no matte how much of a queue, theres only one person on and about ten other tellers in the back not bothering their arse to get up and do their job. Disgraceful.

I'm not usually one to comment but I have to respond to this. As a former teller I can tell you that your comment is both ill informed and badly thought out. How is it in a teller's interest to sit in the back and 'not bother their arse to get up and do their job'?

Since the banking collapse, banks have moved towards self service capabilities to cut costs. As a result teller numbers have been cut back. This means the remaining tellers are under enormous pressure to serve an ever lengthening queue. Not only have they been bearing the brunt of public anger towards banks, even though they had no part in costing the state billions, they also have to deal with eejits like you who somehow got a notion in their head that they are conspiring in the back by to ignore the queue. There are a million and one other things they have to attend to in the back. Tellers are on the lowest rung of the banking ladder. They are low-paid workers, working under pressure. Bear that in mind next time you get to the teller window.

Anyone

Calling it a shortage is wrong, it's a policy from AIB. They don't want people in branches, and if they are, they want them to use the machines.

wmpdd3

I wouldn't dream of taking this out on the teller. Its policy buy it is funny watching the staff in the back trying to avoid eye contact with the waiting crowd.

Difference is if there are staff avoiding a queue of customers anywhere , you ask to see them manager and make your feelings known.

Ask for the manager in a bank and you will get a phone number for a complaints dept.

Compare that to the credit union where the manager is often on the floor managing the queue in between his own tasks. He is also approachable and will take questions on service at the agm.

AIB and boi just don't want to have to deal with customers.

SweetCaliber

dubh laoch wrote: »

I'm not usually one to comment but I have to respond to this. As a former teller I can tell you that your comment is both ill informed and badly thought out. How is it in a teller's interest to sit in the back and 'not bother their arse to get up and do their job'?

Since the banking collapse, banks have moved towards self service capabilities to cut costs. As a result teller numbers have been cut back. This means the remaining tellers are under enormous pressure to serve an ever lengthening queue. Not only have they been bearing the brunt of public anger towards banks, even though they had no part in costing the state billions, they also have to deal with eejits like you who somehow got a notion in their head that they are conspiring in the back by to ignore the queue. There are a million and one other things they have to attend to in the back. Tellers are on the lowest rung of the banking ladder. They are low-paid workers, working under pressure. Bear that in mind next time you get to the teller window.

I'm sorry if my comment came by you the wrong way but I completely disagree with you. I am not on about all tellers, just the ones in my bank.

My view is my bank is always mobbed. There are queues to the door when I go in and to have one teller on is simply unacceptable. There are plenty more people on lower wages than they are but at the end of a day it's a job and if your not going to do it right well then leave.

Unfortunately the country is in a recession and nobody is on good pay but that doesn't mean they can simply decided to not bother their backside to help out especially when there are two windows closed and a queue of about 30.

Like I said, I'm not going on about tellers in general, I've seen some great run banks, if you walked into my local bank you would see what I am on about and you would think fast about changing your opinion.

Another instance of this was actually the other day, I was in the bank waiting for someone from customer service. After waiting around 20 minutes I checked to see if there were anyone at the desks (a partition separates the waiting area from the desks) and there was nobody there.

I went up to the teller because for once it was actually quiet and he said, and I repeat 'Its nothing to do with me, they should be around soon'.

After waiting a further 40 minutes, to my shock one of the girls in the back behind the tellers finally came out and asked me was I okay, she was the one working on customer service.

LynnGrace

Anyone wrote: »

Calling it a shortage is wrong, it's a policy from AIB. They don't want people in branches, and if they are, they want them to use the machines.

Same with BOI.

hfallada

At least aib is puttingself service machines in their branches. My local boi has one old self service machine that takes about 3 mins minimum to lodge cash as its so slow. It would take 1 min with an aib machine.

Rubberchikken

i would be all for more machines/self service

why people still insist on going to a teller to make a logdement/withdraw totally puzzles me.
it's not as if we're unused to machines dispensing money.

No Pants

This is nothing new for AIB and they've been at it before the recession. AIB have been encouraging queue growth since at least 2000.

Thoie

I rarely need to go into the bank (about once every two years), and when I do it's generally something I need to go to the teller for. Last time I was in (and it was an AIB), I had to wait 30+ minutes while 1 teller served 4 people.

During the entire time, another staff member walked up and down the queue (of about 8 people in total) offering to show us how to use the machines. After everyone in the queue had declined, twice, she started saying it would be faster to use the machine. No, it would have been faster if she'd gone behind the desk and dealt with us there, as we'd already told her the machines couldn't help. So yes, it looks like policy to me.

Sheldons Brain

You sir are a customer, AIB doesn't give a damn about you and your ilk and has deployed its staff on other duties not involving talking to you.

Slutmonkey57b

SweetCaliber wrote: »

I'm sorry if my comment came by you the wrong way but I completely disagree with you. I am not on about all tellers, just the ones in my bank.

My view is my bank is always mobbed. There are queues to the door when I go in and to have one teller on is simply unacceptable. There are plenty more people on lower wages than they are but at the end of a day it's a job and if your not going to do it right well then leave.

Unfortunately the country is in a recession and nobody is on good pay but that doesn't mean they can simply decided to not bother their backside to help out especially when there are two windows closed and a queue of about 30.

Like I said, I'm not going on about tellers in general, I've seen some great run banks, if you walked into my local bank you would see what I am on about and you would think fast about changing your opinion.

Another instance of this was actually the other day, I was in the bank waiting for someone from customer service. After waiting around 20 minutes I checked to see if there were anyone at the desks (a partition separates the waiting area from the desks) and there was nobody there.

I went up to the teller because for once it was actually quiet and he said, and I repeat 'Its nothing to do with me, they should be around soon'.

After waiting a further 40 minutes, to my shock one of the girls in the back behind the tellers finally came out and asked me was I okay, she was the one working on customer service.

You're quite right that it's shocking service but you're missing the point that someone made earlier: this is bank policy, one that they've publicly admitted to. This is not down to lazy staff or the staff deciding not to do the work.

There could be a queue of 500 people, there will still only be one teller on. The bank want people to give up on branches so they can either close them, or use the excuse "your role no longer exists" to get rid of staff.

joebloggs32

Thoie wrote: »

I rarely need to go into the bank (about once every two years), and when I do it's generally something I need to go to the teller for. Last time I was in (and it was an AIB), I had to wait 30+ minutes while 1 teller served 4 people.

During the entire time, another staff member walked up and down the queue (of about 8 people in total) offering to show us how to use the machines. After everyone in the queue had declined, twice, she started saying it would be faster to use the machine. No, it would have been faster if she'd gone behind the desk and dealt with us there, as we'd already told her the machines couldn't help. So yes, it looks like policy to me.

It is the same policy as tesco. Replace people with machines as in the long run they are cheaper, in fact it has been going on since the industrial revolution.
It is nothing new, it is the way of the world. You can stand around with others in the que and give out, or learn to use the machine and get on with your day. At least people don't start telling the machine about their holidays, or talk rubbish about the weather as they often do with tne teller, all the time while holding up those behind them.
I know there are times when we do need the services of a teller, but if people only used them when needed queues would be much shorter.

Carawaystick

Aib is a semi state now, with the extra efficiency the public sector brings

See threads on cié customer service or the like

beauf

Happening with all banks. But in AIB they seem to be leading the pack with reducing the customer facing staff. The queues in AIB branches seem to be a lot worse than any other banks I've been in.

BuffyBot

Carawaystick wrote: »

Aib is a semi state now, with the extra efficiency the public sector brings

See threads on cié customer service or the like

A warning to all. I'd start cutting this unsubstantiated lazy crap, as of from now.

It's well documented that AIB have downsized quite signifigant numbers of front line staff, and (alongside most others) are pushing customers towards self-serve channels.

I'm not sure how this is a surprise to anyone. It certainly does not pave the way for stupid remarks, as exampled by the above.

NIMAN

They will operate the strange logic for a while, the same as Sainsburys, B&Q etc, until they get the public confident with self service.

At present when I go into Sainsburys or B&Q, there are loads of staff standing around the self service tills trying to teach people how to use them, dealing with errors etc, when logic would tell you they would be better sitting behind a till themselves and getting the customers served.

But as someone pointed out, its progress. In the long term it will save the companies money, as they can get rid of staff.

beauf

Cutting staff and switching to automation, is fine until it becomes so difficult to get things done, than you just switch to another bank.

Rebel1977

Found out today if you set up a standing order with paper in the branch it's 4.50 per standing order!!

JTMan

Rebel1977 wrote: »

Found out today if you set up a standing order with paper in the branch it's 4.50 per standing order!!

Fair price if one really wants to go down the manual route.

Free of charge online with PTSB.

Power2011

Apparently the waiting time for your application to be looked at if your in mortgage arrears is minimum of 8 weeks!!!!

the_syco

Question to OP; if there was 10 tellers there, and 4 were not in use, would you complain that there was too many tellers in the bank?

Power2011

One teller in the branch today and the self service machine was out of service

Rebel1977

It's going to get worse apparently with more automation planned

jetsonx

BuffyBot wrote: »

A warning to all. I'd start cutting this unsubstantiated lazy crap, as of from now.

It's well documented that AIB have downsized quite signifigant numbers of front line staff, and (alongside most others) are pushing customers towards self-serve channels.

But still plenty of money for their bilious TV adverts telling us how great they are...

NIMAN

I have had occasion to lodge money a few times for a local community group, and their rules are a bit limiting.

They don't want coins unless they are bagged and complete, round amounts such as €10, €20 etc (I know this allows weighing and obviously is faster).

Plus if you want to lodge coins I have been advised that they do it on a Tuesday only, or else you are charged extra for it. Seriously, on a Tuesday!!

Whatever happened with a bank being a bank and taking your money? And be glad to take it. Now its almost as if we are a hindrance to them. Bloody cheek I say!

wmpdd3

Particularly a the charge business handsomely for change.

If you know a local business with a weigh machine they may appreciate the change.

Or open an account in a credit union, the fees must be crippling a club?

NIMAN

How they are set up is nothing to do with me, but I think they have been with the bank since inception.

They need a cheque account, not sure if they could use a CU for that?

oldyouth

I haven't been inside my bank in years. I work next door to it and see hoards of people going in and out every day. I don't see the need if you are organised

AlexisM

Would you all be happy to pay higher/any fees in return for improved teller service? My guess is no. How much money do you think a bank can make on an account where a salary comes in once a month and then disappears pretty quickly? People seems to hate the idea of paying fees now - so it's not really fair to expect the same service as when fees were charged.

wmpdd3

in relation to most business I would agree, pay for what you get, but it's when you see the balance sheets for a credit union that I cannot see how a bank isn't making money.

I think its the same as the country, there's a black hole to be filled and until that is sorted banks will not a functioning business. Let's hope the customers jumping ship now will want them when they return to profitability.

The only people I can see who cant survive with out a bank are business and self employed and the hot topics in these circles are' how can we cut out the merchant accounts / bank charges?'

Thoie

AlexisM wrote: »

Would you all be happy to pay higher/any fees in return for improved teller service? My guess is no. How much money do you think a bank can make on an account where a salary comes in once a month and then disappears pretty quickly? People seems to hate the idea of paying fees now - so it's not really fair to expect the same service as when fees were charged.

We used pay no/little fees and get way better service. I'm now paying far higher fees with AIB than I ever did before, including charges for doing my own transactions online, and even higher if I need to go to the bank, and the service is ****. As I pointed out earlier in the thread, I rarely need to go to the bank, and certainly wouldn't queue for a teller unless I had to. The last time I had to, one staff member stood around doing sfa except repeatedly ask people if they wanted to use a machine. After everyone had said no a few times, it would have been far more useful if she'd got behind the counter and bloody well served us. I'm sure she was just following orders, but it was very irritating.

I currently give them €14 a year just for the pleasure of handing them my money. If I then want to do anything with that money (like lodge, withdraw, pay bills), I have to pay them more for every transaction. If I need to actually talk to a human, I pay extra again.

Notus

AIB have been doing this for years, always the slowest and longest wait of the main banks

anncoates

Have to go in once a month and I can't do what I need to do by self service. The queues are getting worse and worse (last time was about a 35 minute wait ) and ironically it's at a time when their banking charges have gone through the roof.