Some Banks Are Slower Than Others
The other day, I took my mom to two different banks to open CDs.
Both bankers had to commute to a copier to photocopy our IDs.
At bank number one, the banker had to run a credit check in case I was a felon trying to extort money from an old woman I guess. He had to use a different computer across the room to run the check. It seemed like it took forever. Then he had to print out a 20-page CD certificate describing every known type of financial investment (overproduction). Even though this was a small bank in a grocery store, the printer was as far as possible from the banker's desk. He had to walk 30 feet each way to get our paperwork (unnecessary movement). Then he had to try to sell me a "free" credit card.
All in all it took about 45 minutes.
At bank number two, the banker entered our information. This was a branch bank, so he had to walk about 100 feet to make the deposit and about 30 feet to get the one-page certificate from a big laser printer (unnecessary movement), but we were in and out in under 10 minutes.
Why did both bankers have to type the information from our driver's licenses? There's a magnetic strip on the back of most IDs with all of the information. Why don't they just zip it through a reader that fills in the banking information?
Why is there only one big printer across the room instead of a small laser printer by each desk?
(This is a Lean principle: use more, smaller machines.)
Also, if it was a multifunction printer, they could use it to copy the driver's licenses as well.
If they were my banks, I'd redesign the workplace so that the banker never had to move from their desk to handle a customer transaction.
Here's my point: In business, the fast eat the slow.
Which bank do you think will get my business in the future?
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posted by Jay Arthur @ 4:55 AM
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