Banks inefficiency worries Reserve Bank of Malawi

The Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) has expressed concern over the inefficiency of commercial banks when serving customers.

RBM Deputy Governor for Economics Naomi Ngwira was speaking in Mangochi over the weekend at the start of a day-long stakeholders meeting on cheque value limit.

Ngwira said it is disheartening to note that customers take long before they are served in banking halls, adding that some of the tellers are rude.

“Although I am a deputy governor at the Reserve Bank, I do take some time to go into the banking halls to make transactions, and I can say that the quality of service in most banks leaves a lot to be desired.

“I think the banking public has been very lenient with our banks. But one day, they will be fed up and they will demonstrate against the banks,” said Ngwira.

Consumers Association of Malawi (Cama) Executive Director John Kapito concurred with Ngwira, saying consumers are getting a raw deal in banks.

He said banks need to check the altitude of their members of staff to ensure that they are customer friendly in addition to adopting new technologies that will ensure speedy delivery of services.

Bankers Association of Malawi (Bam) Executive Director Lyness Nkungula said her association had learnt about poor service delivery in a number of banks and was doing everything possible to improve the situation.

Among other things, Nkungula said Bam conducts customer service trainings for commercial bank official to ensure that the situation is improved.

“What I can say is that this problem of rudeness is never a policy issue. It is an individual problem. No bank in Malawi encourages its staff to be rude. We hope that with some training, the officials can change,” she said.

Nkungula added that people are free to forward complaints to Bam whenever they meet unsatisfactory service delivery in banks.