Saturday 7 January 2012

RANTINGS ON THE JOB

I absolutely hate it when people outrightly refuse to do their jobs. Right now, I'm so angry with some of my colleagues. I could just slap them off their seats and make them do what they are supposed to do. If you have been following my blog, you would know that I resumed in my second new branch on the 19th of December, 2011. I did a post on it titled: A New Beginning. Usually, when you resume in a new branch, you are expected to fill out a form where you specify your new job function and other things. This form is then scanned and sent as a mail to the Group Head Operations (G.H) and to a group of people in the Systems Control Unit (S.C.U).  The G.H approves the change and the guys in the S.C.U then effects the change. All this is supposed to be done in a matter of minutes. However, until the change is done, you do not have the work rights to function in your new department.

As I resumed, I was faced with the challenge of not been able to work on the system. I needed to be configured first. Some branchs have an I.T person working with them, but most of the branches would have to call an I.T person to come and help out when issues arise. The I.T person assigned to our region was not readily available, so I had to learn to configure my system via chat. It was an annoying process, but I eventually got that sorted out. The S.C guys efficiently changed my work rights and so I was enabled to function as the Funds Transfer (F.T) person in my new branch. It was quite challenging learning and working at the same time. I'm sure I made a pretty sight armed with my notebook and hopping on heels from my desk to my bosses desk. ^_^. , and at the same time attending to customers. :-).

After working in the capacity of an F.T for one week, the Customer Service Officer (C.S.O) went on leave and I was assigned to relieve him. I configured myself on his system (I'm now a pro on that :-) ), filled the form for my work rights to be changed from FT to C.S.O, scanned it and sent it to those in charge. Now it is from this part that I wish I could slap some people. *insert very angry face*. As soon as the G.H approves, it shouldn't take the guys in S.C.U more than a few minutes to effect the change. My G.H immediately approved the mail sent and you all will not believe that up till now, part of my work rights as the C.S.O has not been given to me.

I will try to explain it as much as I can without outrightly abusing my colleagues, cos I'm so pissed at them. It took the guys in S.C.U almost two days to effect some change to enable me do my core C.S.O functions. Can you imagine that I had a lot of account opening packages to work on, but could not open these accounts because my work rights had not been enabled. The account officers had to keep lying to the owners of these outstanding accounts that our link in the office was epileptic and that was why they hadn't received their account numbers. Also, when a customer collects his cheque book, the C.S.O is supposed to immediately upload the cheque range on the system. This is to enable the customer to use the cheque book to withdraw without any delays. There were situations where other branchs sent us mails asking us to upload the cheque range of customers so they could withdraw. I couldn't upload them because my work rights had not been changed. The customers were eventually paid, but it was service failure to have kept them waiting for a while through no fault of theirs.

I sent a series of reminders to the guys at S.C.U to do their job, so I could do mine, but it was almost as if they see the mails and wait for someone else to do the needful. I called several times and a different person will always pick the phone. I would narrate my issue and they would promise to do their bit immediately. I'm still waiting for them to do their bit thoroughly. I told my boss that it's almost as if part of their brains are on leave. I just don't understand anymore.

As i type this, I have close to 25 customer's requests for ATM cards. It takes just a few minutes to process these cards. I have debited the accounts, but can't process the cards because my work rights in that area has not been done. All thanks to my colleagues at the S.C.U, i have almost perfected the art of sympathetic lying. I just keep on lying to the customer's that the part of the system used to process ATM cards has been down for a while, but also promise them that it will be up soon. *insert guilty face*. Just yesterday, a customer came again to collect his ATM card and I felt so bad cos it still had not been processed. He was really sad cos he needs it especially in the face of this impending strike.

Sincerely, I wonder at my colleagues in S.C.U. Is it that as soon as they receive I, my boss or even the G.H's mail, they "mistakenly" delete it? Or do they plan on effecting the change on my work right after I have called, but forget? Do they want me to come to our Head Office and shake them up before they can do their job? Don't they understand that because of their negligence, some people are rendering gross disservice to the customers?  I tire o.

P.S: I wore a purple peep toe shoe to work last Thursday and my boss told me that the color is not compliant. I told her (politely and smiling while slapping her in my head) that it was compliant and besides I have a copy of our dress code. I was even wearing a pair of trousers, so how did she notice my shoe. *smh*.  She still insisted that it wasn't compliant. I told her I don hear. *sticking tongue out*. I am working my ass out managing the customers with my non existent work rights and you are here noticing the color of my shoe. Mscheww.. .. I just fixed a sanely crazy hairstyle today and painted my toe nails blue. Let me hear what she will say about it when i get to the office. *evil grin*.

P.P.S: So sorry the post is long. I'm just pissed at my colleagues. :-)

32 comments:

  1. Lol@d last paragraph. Ur such a rebel & I lurv it. Sorry abt dem stupido pple stressing u & ur customers *hugs

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  2. @ Toinlicious: Thanks dear. I'm not a rebel oooo. I just don't appreciate it when people try to use their position of authority to intimidate me. That does not go down well with me at all.

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  3. We enjoyed reading, so you are forgiven.
    Can't you escalate the issues you are facing wit d SCU? or are they untouchable? This is some serious control issues your bank has o.

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  4. As rants go this ranks right up there..
    Hopefully someone in SCU isn't just keen on playing a prank on you.

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  5. @ @ilola: Awwww, glad to know you enjoyed my rant :-). The S.C.U guys are not untouchable. I'm actually surprised at this, cos they were the same people that enabled my change as an F.T person in a matter of mins. For the life of me, I can't figure out what the problem could be. We have escalated the issue, but still no solution has been rendered.

    @ Roc: I hope its not a prank directed @ the wrong person. I don't know this people personally, we just relate via mails, office chat or calls. Thanks for stopping by.

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  6. the last paragraph got me smiling...This post reminds me of what I went through with my internet provided here for 2 weeks. As in some people are just incompetent. I really do not know what goes into their head with their refusal to do their work. If they get sacked now, they will start blaming the Iya mulika that is in their village. All the best girl.

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  7. @ Lara: Don't mind them, they won't realize that it's their incompetence and not some witch in their village that is the cause if they are sacked. Thanks babe.

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  8. I understand your frustration. its annoying when people become very reluctant with what they are suppose to do. funny enough, the "supervisors" I am sure have seen what is going on. take heart babes, things can only get better! **hugs**

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  9. Hahahaha, rebellious Che!
    D blue nail polish should send the MSG across to her.
    Mschewww, instead of them to focus on things that improve job performance etc

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  10. @ Priscy: My dear, saying they are very reluctant is an understatement. Thanks a lot babe.

    @ Lili: Sweetheart, she berra get the message clearly. Don't mind them and their misplaced priorities.

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  11. Jeez please take it easy at work & take your time with your boss oh,she might have something funny up her sleeve..

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  12. @ Didi: I'm taking it real easy. Thanks.

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  13. Eyaah! i can imagine how you must felt lying to all those customers through clenched teeth. And Che please stop making your boss jealous with all this your attractive accessories and hair do o! because for her to notice your shoes despite the trousers they must have been really hot o ;).

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  14. and i tot bankers where only there to frustrate customers..lol.. Pele dear. And du rock thoz peeptoes!

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  15. Your rant took me down memory lane. One of the first things I learnt as a banker was to tell sympathetic and systematic lies. Even though I didn't like it. Most times, it was to save face at my own desk as the problem might just be coming from another unit not even close to me, just as it was on your case. I hope this issue doesn't get nasty as it did on one case with me. I will try to rationalize with the S.C.U staff, maybe they are short staffed or the person to authorize the rights you need is not available. I don't really want to think that someone will just sit down for two days without fixing profile issues. Maybe you should do a strongly worded reminder stating the consequences of them not fixing your profile rights with a copy to your G.H and their own head. That always worked like a charm for me. :-)Take it easy dear.
    As for your supervisor, she has to notice your shoes oh. That is what they are there for. :-)

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  16. @ cee: It hasn't been funny at all. Thanks dear.

    @ Tamie: LOL, change that thought of yours dear cos we are there to delight the customers. You bet i will keep rocking my highly official shoes.

    @ Okeoghene: My dear, you understand perfectly what I'm going through. Will stick to your advise. Thanks dear.

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  17. This is hilarious and sad on all levels. Atleast we have you on the inside explaining to us some of the reasons why we get (unnecessary) delays at the bank. It's crazy cos no matter the excuse it looks bad on the bank in general and delays are one of the main reasons people switch banks

    Na wa for you and your boss o, your tales always crack me up. E go beta jare

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  18. @ dosh: Can't believe you found this hilarious. :-)..Yeah, you now know some of the reasons for the delays when you visit the banks. Thanks for stopping by dear.

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  19. Heeeyy!!! Is this what I'll be facing?! Chai!! I'm afaid but sorry sha (lol)

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  20. @ mstizzle: It's not always like this dear. Hopefully, your bank would have a stronger structure, so you won't have to experience things like this.

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  21. I feel your pain cos in the end the whole thing will come back to you. Stress and all. Lol @ your being a rebel. Sometimes I like to just do my thing and stand out too. But i'm a HR person so it has to be compliant if not i'll be sending the wrong messages to others. do your thing jare

    Btw, have you noticed that blogger now enables nested comments so you dont have to reply with @ Stelzz or @whoever. you can just click the reply button after each comment. makes it so easy. yayyy blogger! :-)

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    1. Thanks dear for pointing the reply button out to me. :-)...I don't envy your being a HR person at all cos you have to lead by example. But on my own, I always try to be compliant in my dressing and I don't like it when my boss or someone superior tries to ride me in that regard. I will do a seriously worded mail to the S.C.U guys moro and copy some top shots and hopefully they would do their job.

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  22. Eh yah! Calm down, sorry it's not easy having to deal with people my dear

    Love JB
    http://janylbenyl.blogspot.com

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    1. Thanks dear and it's good to have you on board. Will check out your blog ASAP.

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  23. I hope the issue has been sorted out now. I didn't have to deal a lot with SCU cos I was in marketing, but my operation peeps had their issues, lol...

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    1. It wasn't sorted out, but I'm done relieving my colleague, so I'm off to my branch. It's really crazy in operations but what can we do? :-). Thanks for stopping by.

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  24. Che, you are hilarious. I do know what it feels like to have customers' requests pending because some havent done their job. Pele u hear?

    I'm sha with you on the dress code thing. Luckily, my bank doesnt have any restrictions on dress code. As long as it's corporate, rock on! But I'm forever shocking them with the color of my nail polish!

    Happy new year boo x

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    1. Thanks sweets. I know you understand perfectly well. You don't know how lucky you are that you are not restricted. I love to play around with colors on my toe nails too. Keep rocking jare.

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  25. Ha, I totally understand you. Its really crazy and the customers look at you like you are the one sitting on their transactions.
    When I used to work in the bank and I need action on a particular thing, I would send out emails, if no one responded, I used to copy the HOPs, and BM, when nothing happened, I would escalate and cc the Regional HOPs...It always worked like magic for us (positive for me and negative for the defaulting party.

    Do what you think you have to!!!
    ...and please be careful with ur boss (its always an appraisal issue)

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    1. My dear ehnnn, those looks from the customers. Chai. I didn't blame them though cos if i was in their shoes, I would be frustrated too. Going forward, I'll adopt your style and copy people that will send holy fear down their spines. :-)...I'm cool with my boss though. Thanks dear, can't jeopardize my appraisal.

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  26. Are you sure you're not working in Africa's global? lol. pele. that would have been so frustrating! My dear you need to learn the fine art of escalation.

    find the offending colleague;s direct boss, copy them in the mail. repeat every 30 mins adding new people in the copy zone. Note at the bottom of each new mail howclong it has been since your first mail. also note the bad customer experience being given cause of them. Works like magic all the time

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    1. Yeah, going forward, I will adopt this method and copy so many people that the eyes of the defaulters will pop. :-)

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