We have just received a wonderful letter from Ross McEwan,
CEO, National Australia Bank stating that, " You have our support". I feel so uplifted straight away.
Ross even says this, “Talk to us if you need support”. He then gives the option of contacting the NAB, “If you have any questions or need help, please don’t hesitate to get in contact with us via nab.com.au/contact-us”
I opened this contact website and met with all sorts of phone options that really didn’t cover my particular query. But then the virtual assistant offered to help me! Great here I go. I asked my question - just a general enquiry about my credit card, but the poor VA couldn’t understand my question and asked me to repeat it and make it simpler. I tried for 3 attempts, but I just could not be understood, so I gave up!
There are no email contact facilities (I could readily find), which I prefer, as even if you ask a very general question via the phone, ie, non-bank account, non-financial, just curious interest, the NAB wants to know so much personal info, including your grandad’s inside leg measurement.
So I feel let down by Ross’s non-delivery of support, in my case. Is this a universal feeling or is it just me?
Banking Dreams Shattered of Clapham
You could also give NAB some feedback on the issue at:
Some businesses are removing email addresses from their contact options, I assume one reason is that it reduces spam. If they have a filtering tool it may also remove legitimate emails so to avoid any of this they just don’t have email contact methods.
You could also place your feelings on the matter via their Social Media addresses but I would assume they still will not provide email contact addresses into the future.
Those virtual assistants that pop up on some Web sites are as useful as Clippy the Microsoft Office assistant from years past. Anyone remember that paperclip with eyebrows?
An option might be to provide a web based enquiry form, that allows similar content to be entered or attached. The only option for some businesses. Also a more secure method, if the business chooses. That’s for both parties, with the ability to filter enquires more directly and provide a more secure web page than content contained in an email.
Our bank aside from the routine notification assumes we will log into our web banking service to access content including messages specific to our accounts.
It does however limit anyone looking to make a more general enquiry. I’ve noticed that sites such as MyGov and the ATO also have pop up assistants. The usefulness is limited.
Some of those virtual assistants, not all, will respond to the word ‘agent’ and transfer you to one.
A few of the virtual assistants were designed by people who deserve to rot for eternity they are so challenging and totally useless for anything but protecting the business from its customers.
BTW, love your post! It brought a special smile for the day.
Does a thinly disguised decision tree hiding behind a virtual assistant really qualify as intelligent?
Amazing or not the same responses can be often found in a web sites FAQs. Or in special cases the cheat sheets of the nice person in the business contracted call centre, somewhere in Asia.
Although I have found the assistant on the ATO web site refreshing. It provides a more direct way than navigating the maze of tax speak, sometimes. Wired to the mind patterns of the average accountant, it’s an interesting insight.
Also a site where if the intent is to make the problem go away, it’s more likely to cause the average tax payer to seek professional help.
P.S.
Makes me appreciate just how far ahead of his/her time ‘Holly’ was.
