to think it would have been more efficient if this cashier had broken the rules

[someonestolemynick]

I have a self-service current account that comes with a higher interest rate than an account with human interaction.
Today I went into their branches to pay in some cash. There was a slight queue for the machines but no queue at the counter with a staff member free. It didn't look like he was carrying out another task. I went up to him and asked, very nicely, if he could pay the money in for me.
He replied, very nicely: "Sorry,it's a self-service account. You need to use the machine.'
Fair enough, I got back in the queue and paid my money in at the machine.
I know they HAVE the facilities because I have used the counter in similar situations (in some instances I was told by a staff member to use the counter as it would be quicker.
In our scenario the cashier would have shortened the queue for the machines and created a positive customer service experience and I can't really see a downside to serving me at the counter. Aibu to think that sometimes it improves everyone's day to go against The Rules? Just to clarify: I'm not fuming, livid or upset - just interested to see what other's think.

Nope, yabu I think. You specifically have a self service account for the higher interest rate - delays are just something you have to accept as part of what you signed up to.

I agree there's no harm in asking but he was right to say no.

que so the actual people living in the UK can't work.... we have to have immigrants coming in to work instead? Bit ridiculous! Can't see why less immigrants = robots doing jobs instead of people...

Nationwide Flexdirect?

YABU there are rules for a reason

However YANBU because you didn't make a fuss, good for you on that front.

Yabu. Once you break the rules people start taking the piss and expecting all sorts. Especially in banks where people can get really angry about trivial stuff (not saying you did op before Mrs McLiteral pitches up )

On the other hand I do feel that bank staff are in an impossible position because they are actively making themselves redundant but powerless to do anything about it by offering a service that cannot be delivered by machines.

Higher interest rate for self service? Fab! Who's offering that?

I know what you mean OP. When people are obsessed with following the exact procedure that actual common sense goes out the window.

I went to buy teething gel for DS yesterday, I forgot my bank card so used Apple Pay on my phone to pay on the contactless machine. It went through OK but for some reason it asked for a signature also, she asked to see the bank card my phone was linked to. I explained that I didn't have it but here's 2 credit cards with my signature on. Not good enough, she wanted to see ID. Showed her my driving license, and she still rang her area manager for advice.

Meanwhile a massive queue formed behind me of some very pissed off customers. Even though the transaction had actually gone though according to my app, she was all "it's not usual procedure but we will let you off just this once" it was a £2 tube of gel. Not like I was buying a fecking Tag Heure watch. I had the money in my purse in silvers but didn't wanna give small change, wish I just had now. I didn't say anything as I don't like being awful to service staff but she made me feel like a total thief and was a massive jobsworth

When people are obsessed with following the exact procedure that actual common sense goes out the window.
I take it you haven't worked in retail recently? It is drummed into you that you must follow procedure, and any failure to do so could be a disciplinary affair.

Oh god this brings me back to the utter hell of retail and other similar jobs.

People who cannot fathom that there is little to no room for 'common sense' and it is not the grassroots person's fault that the whole system is stupid.

I am soooo glad I don't work in that sector anymore.

I work in retail with a similar set of rules in place. Retail can be erratic. People coming and going. The shop can go from a few to many people in the space of a few seconds.

The reason that this doesn't make it efficient is because imagine if 2 or 3 people walked in after you who did pay for the service. They would have to queue behind someone who hadnt. Thats awful service. Id be fuming if i had to queue behind you and id paid for that service and you hadnt. If you break the rules fot one, another person may spot this and ask for the same even though they hadnt paid for that service either. Ive seen it happen and it can lead to end of problems.

What the cashier did was correct and efficient.

Yabu. You can't cherry pick the services/interest rate you want.

I'd like to say this again: I did not expect him to do anything.

Yes you did. You expected him to process your transaction.

I've not worked in a bank, but in post offices/retail and the thing about rule bending is that you risk the customer getting stroppy with your coworkers saying "well the guy over there did it for me" next time they're in, they often don't accept it as a one off kind deed.

I do have some pretty serious concerns that we don't allow people to use common sense/make decisions on the ground any more. It's infantilising and is often an indication of poor organisation and piss poor training. If you can't even trust your employees to make basic decisions you might as well use a machine.

I see it all the time on here given as a reason or justification "It's head office rules", "we're not allowed to", "it's more than my job's worth", "we have to do it because management says so". None of those are justifications or valid reasons. They are just symptoms of a continuing downgrading of skills in the service industries. A valid reason would be "because it's a breach of the account terms and conditions which give you an enhanced rate of interest in exchange for fewer facilities - as you chose" or "I can't sell you this bottle of wine without seeing proof you are over 18 years because you don't look over 25 to me and that's the scheme we're signed up to, to ensure we don't accidentally sell to minors".

You only have to look at the thread running about declining to sell alcohol to adults, where retailers are using procedure that extends far beyond the actual law because they don't trust their cashiers to operate within the law, to see it.

That worries me.

"I can't sell you this bottle of wine without seeing proof you are over 18 years because you don't look over 25 to me and that's the scheme we're signed up to, to ensure we don't accidentally sell to minors".

Another person who clearly hasn't worked in retail recently. Try getting all that spiel out when you've got a queue of customers behind rolling their eyes because they are being held up.

It's a low paid job, you are hectored and badgered from store management to follow process, meet targets whilst putting on an acceptable performance to customers, far too many of which treat you like shit.

Ifailed I know and I know it's not the individuals but rather the culture of fear there is in retail. There's a thread at the moment about upselling and people talk about how managers stand by eyeballing to make sure they're doing specific things and even sit in a room watching the staff on CCTV to make sure they're doing everything right. It's bloody awful and I know people literally lose their jobs if it isn't done properly.

What the OP is disagreeing with is the principle of it all and I agree with her, I really don't think people are getting her post at all

What the OP is disagreeing with is the principle of it all and I agree with her, I really don't think people are getting her post at all

I get her post, I was commenting on another post. People get the 'service' they pay for, and as most people shop on price, that'll be the cheapest. That means low-paid staff being chased around to do too many things in not enough time.

My branch is the complete opposite OP and this is the reason I go into the bank. DH otoh uses telephone banking all the time, however, whilst it does have its benefits he is constantly complaining about something going wrong. Another £25 compensation yesterday as a matter of fact.

To be fair he likes a moan and the reimbursements but Id rather it was just done right and in an enjoyable experience first contact.

YANBU

There is a bigger principle at play here though. If he'd served you and your transaction took ages for some reason others would have ended up queuing behind you - defeating the object of encouraging customers away from branches

I don't think you got my post at all Ifailed. Did you read all of it? Because the context is quite important and you have completely misunderstood my point.

As a bank worker, he was absolutely within his rights. We have a lot of strict processes and procedures and can have breaches recorded in our performance reviews (even if there was no detriment as a result... I know right?). I personally wouldn't risk it especially if the T&Cs on the account state it's self-service only. It sucks but that's the way it is unfortunately :(

*I'd like to say this again: I did not expect him to do anything.

Yes you did. You expected him to process your transaction.*

No, I did not. I knew the T&Cs of my account but thought it couldn't harm to ask. He refused, I got back in the queue for the machine.

As I said, the cashier WAS within his rights to refuse and I accepted.

She's asking if we think it would have been more efficient, which it would. She just asked on the off chance - they may have preferred to clear the queue, but they preferred to stick to the rules. In my branch the self service bit is right by the door so a queue stops people getting in properly so perfectly reasonable to want to clear the queue faster in many circumstances.