Friday, September 19, 2008

Barclays Bank

Barclays Bank entered India probably a year or so ago . I'm quite aware of their presence in India . This has nothing to do with their advertising or PR . Every other week I receive calls from people claiming to call on behalf of Barclays Bank and offer a personal loan or a credit card . To each caller I explain that I need neither . The cumulative number of such Barclays Bank calls is at least 12-15 in the past 3 months . They all call on my mobile . If all these callers had called on my various office or home numbers it may have been understandable . By now every marketing agency in India that Barclays Bank has employed in the past 6 months should have on their database that this consumer was contacted and has repeatedly declined every product offering.Yet the calls continue . 

This could mean - 
a. Barclays Bank has no idea (yet) that their attempts to garner business are turning consumers off 
b.   They know . But have run out of ideas to reach consumers . So this kind of harassment has the tacit or explicit approval of the Bank folks.

Either way this isn't doing much for the bank other than make it appear rather desperate and clueless . Maybe Barclays Bank is a terrific bank that provides exceptional service . After the experience of the last few months would I consider a banking relationship with Barclays ? Nope.

Trust and comfort are essential for a consumer to establish a new banking relationship. This kind of calling may work for a mobile services provider seeking to offer a new SIM card . It's grossly out of place for a bank.


2 comments:

ecophilo said...

It may be a low key awareness strategy for all you know, but it has the effect of locusts swarming all about you. Try this, the next time someone calls, tell them that your number is on the DNC - Do not call registry :)

RAHUL AITHAL said...

Welcome to the world of call centers.