MANY local banks seem to be abusing clients who spend hours in queues standing and waiting for services.
A visit to a number of local banks around Bulawayo reveals that people are made to queue as if they are going to a dip tank with chains on either side of the queue.
Most banks have not more than three tellers at any given time serving clients.
Under the prevailing economic environment, the need to reduce staff to cut costs is understandable. However, it is my proposition that banks must consider introducing benches or chairs for people to queue while seated.
Scores of aged and sick men and women have been seen struggling to cope with standing on the queues to get services.
I aware that in most banks’ first preference is given to senior citizens who are over 65 years, but these days many people are sick due to various diseases and need not to be tortured while seeking services at the banks.
Some clients interviewed in the queues emphasised the need to introduce benches and chairs. They said it would not cost must to introduce benches in banking halls.
Others said some banks in the Southern African region and local banks and other service providers had facilities that allowed people to queue while seated and this was very convenient for clients who should not labour to get services from the banks.
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Most local companies do not have such facilities.
Is there a law that states that people should queue while standing or the banks and service providers simply don’t care about their clients?
One begins to think that management at these entities enjoys seeing people queueing for more than 30 minutes while moving at a snail pace due to slow services rendered by banks and others service providers. It appears others are always on go-slow.
There is need for residents’ associations to carry our surveys and engage various stakeholders on this issue before someone collapses while queuing at these entities.
Michael Ndiweni is Youth Network for Alternative Development programmes manager. He writes in his personal capacity.
