So last Friday I received a credit card replacement …
No big news there except when I looked at the form the card came in, I saw this …
Why do I have to use the card within 14 days of receipt?
Will the card self destruct?
Will the card be cancelled?
Will the card start spending by itself?
Of course it won’t – it’s just another way the banks have found to encourage people to start spending.
Banks go on and on about how they ‘care about their customers’ but all they actually care about is getting them to spend.
What makes me sick is that while they have almost single-handedly brought the current financial crisis on themselves, they not only are taking no responsibility for that, they have the audacity to still pay themselves high end-of-year bonuses.
Ironically with all this shit going on, it presents an incredible opportunity for a bank to stand up and mean something to society – however as this would require dispensing with their generic, bland statements and actually do stuff that mattered to people, the likelihood of this happening is low.
Of course not all banks or bankers are evil – just like not all agencies or ad people are wankers – but it does amaze me how the industry can, on mass, act like they are pillars and saviours of the community when their demonstrate a level of self interest that is bordering on criminal.
I’ve said this before, but if I could start another company, I’d start a bank.
No, I’m not mad, I just believe by changing a few things – things that bother the hell out of everyday customers – you could create a bank brand that is both profitable and liked.
To be honest, Bendigo Bank – a community bank in Australia – is already doing something like this however I believe there’s lots more that can be done so if you can be bothered, I’d love to hear what things you think a bank could do to make people change their opinion of them from foe to friend.
[If you want to know more about some of the scams financial institutions pull to make you go broke [which ironically makes them even more money] then buy Maxed Out – a real life, ugly, scary horror story]