Letter to a bank
Andrea
Reynolds
359
Geneva Street, Suite 401
St. Catharines Ontario L2N 2G5
www.AndreaReynolds.com
info@AndreaReynolds.com
905-280-0223
November
16, 2007
XXXX XXXXXXXXX
Toronto Dominion Bank
364 Scott St.
St. Catharines Ontario L2M3W4
XXXX,
I have an appointment with you on Wed. the
21st
at
1:00 PM. However, I am troubled by what I observed about
your behavior. One of my business services is to observe
how businesses treat customers… do they demonstrate empathy
for the people they serve? I am hired by corporations to
address this issue with employees and staff and I speak to
business associations.
Here is what I observed yesterday:
1. You laughed out loud when I said I had been in hiding
for 8 years in order to save my life. If you find humor in
my decision to stay alive rather than be killed, then how
can I expect you to ever take my financial matters
seriously?
2. When I said I was in the bank to support a friend and
neighbor you started speaking about the details of her
situation. You didn’t know me and my neighbor was not
present, so the conversation was, in my opinion,
inappropriate. If you can discuss your customer’s personal
matters with strangers, then I don’t feel my financial
matters will be kept confidential.
3. I didn’t realize when I was speaking to you that you
were the one who told my neighbor the day before there was
nothing your bank would do to resolve her problem. Your
statement added considerably to my neighbor’s distress.
That’s not a kind or professional way to treat an elderly
person who is a good customer.
Because of these 3 reasons I’m not going to keep my
appointment with you.
Andrea Reynolds
Update,
Dec. 1, 2007: The bank manager called me to apologize and
say that a meeting had been called and they were still
deciding what to do about it. This bank is making a major
effort to show kindness, warmth and empathy and of course,
my letter caused them some discomfort.
I had sent the letter privately to the person, but she,
strangely enough, shared the letter with her boss and
department. I thought she might keep the letter private and
contact me herself with an apology and a plan to make
changes in her behavior, but she did the opposite. The bank
manager did the right thing. I'd be interested to know what
else transpires with the bank employees.
I would have preferred to receive a letter of apology
rather than a phone call, and to hear a definite plan of
action: an employee reprimand and some kind of benefit to
me. But I got nothing. Not even a fridge magnet.
TD Bank won't be the repository of my monthly Canada
Pension payments when I am entitled to receive them.
PS I didn't tell anyone that I'd written this letter
including my friend/neighbor.