Why do they want to "get" my name at the bank?

[Phentex]

This may be one of those curmudgeonly things, but I've only noticed it the past year or so at the bank and it's just now starting to bug me.

I make regular business deposits. At the branch I use most, no one has ever asked me my name. It's all somewhat pleasant and I don't care if they acknowledge me or not. I'm simply making a deposit, no other transaction.

At another branch, closest to where I live, they ALWAYS end the transaction with "May I get your name, please?" And then I mumble it, and they thank me by name for doing business with them. But now everyone in the bank knows my name. That doesn't matter but it just bugs me. Is this some policy of trying to be more friendly? Do they think I NEED to be thanked by name?

I've considered replying "Rockefeller" or "Mussolini" or "Skinner" but today I just asked back, "Why?"

And then there was an icy reply "Thank you for doing business with us" followed by a sneer.

What's really going on? Anyone work in a bank?

Do I just need a nap?

[Kali]

1. Skinner

:spray: :rofl:

I have no idea why they do that - my grocery store insists on making the cashiers do it too, only my name is difficult to pronounce AND it is spelled wrong in their system. I really did laugh when I read that, though.

[Phentex]

4. Why on earth would a grocery store do that?

That's a new one. And that would annoy me as well.

[Iggo]

15. Yeah, they do that at the Groc store I shop at.

When they hand me my receipt after using my discount card, they almost shout "You saved x amount of dollars, Mr. Iggo's Real Last Name!" I've imagined myself saying something like, "See these people in line behind me? I don't know their names, but now they know mine. Thanks!"

[Phentex]

16. Wow! This is new to me...

and I don't think I'd like it. But at least they aren't asking you to give them your name. They already have it! How annoying.

[MilesColtrane]

2. A couple of grocery stores around here make their cashiers do that.

I find it annoying.

Most of the time I don't want to have an insincere, forced personal exchange with a stranger.

I just want to buy my stuff, smile at the worker and exchange a cordial "Thank you".

(I like your idea of giving them a ridiculous name to repeat. i think I'll go with "Rosenpenis" or "Cocteaustum".

[Phentex]

3. Or maybe

quandary.

I'm serious. I think I'll try a fun word or name.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

5. go along to get along

get along to go along

something like that, I think.

[Phentex]

8. I don't wanna!

Ha! Normally, I'm very much a get along kind of person. This banking stuff just puzzles me.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

11. I am the same way about drive up windows

not giving back change...finally decided that anything under a quarter they can keep but I draw the line at a quarter.

just going along to get along.....

the bank puzzles you and the the drive up window puzzles me.

[Chan790]

6. Ha! I know...

After looking at your profile I know where you bank too because it's the same bank I work for. They have to, like under penalty of termination. Please don't give them a fake name, just say "No, thank you." You might think you're being funny but they'll literally have to address you by it. I have better things to do than say "Hi Mr. Frankenpenis, Welcome to CorporateBankTrust! How may I help you today?!" ten more times a day.

Look up Richardson Training, you'll understand. It'll piss you off but you'll understand. It's a consultative sales approach formulated around compelling the client to like you so they'll agree to your product recommendations. It's the bane of my existence...don't bother changing banks, everybody is doing it now. Not just banks, it's the technique used by Apple stores and Goldman Sachs to up-sell you consumer electronics & annuities and investment products (respectively) as well.

If it bothers you, call the customer service number on your receipt. Tell them you've noticed a difference in your interactions with employees. You find it transparent, manipulative and prying and you're considering changing banks because of it. If they get enough calls like that, they might make us stop doing it.

[Phentex]

7. But it's only at this one branch...

the other branches don't do it. And I guess I can just avoid this particular one.

Thanks for the info. I will look up Richardson Training. Not sure why anyone would think this would make me *like* them. :)

[Phentex]

10. PS It's at the end of the transaction...

the tellers at the other branches ask "Is there anything else I can help you with today?" and then the thank you. They don't ask my name.

[Chan790]

12. They make us read it off the screen.

"Thank You, Mr. Phentex, how else may I help you today?" The only time we're supposed to ask is with clients where we don't know the name and it's not on the screen for us. Usually business accounts because they're titled by the name of the business. Once we know the name, we're supposed to enter it into the client chart same as any personal information (you can test this...tell them that Oct. 17th is your anniversary, when you come in on October 17th they'll wish you an happy anniversary. You're impressed that they remembered.) that might be useful for establishing rapport.

The idea with the name thing is to initiate a dialog. We're also supposed to ask permission to ask prying sorts of questions...the idea being that if you answer "yes" to "Do you mind if I ask you some questions to better assess how we can meet your needs?" that you'll feel compelled to answer the follow-up questions...the whole thing is designed to build rapport and lead you down a series of leading questions towards a commitment to a product that meets a need for you and generates increased revenues for the bank.

I'm not a fan of this approach.

[tigereye]

14. yeah the credit card people did that the other day, very annoying

[blogslut]

19. I wonder if Richardson Training is responsible for the bane of my cash transaction experiences

Over the past 10-15 years, cashiers have practiced a very specific way of handing out change: Bills on my palm, change on top, along with a "thank you" and deliberate eye contact. I totally suspect they were instructed to delver my change to me by corporate drones because the process is. just. so. damned. rehearsed.

I despise it. I have small hands and am never able to close my fist around this awkward stack without coins falling out. In fact, it pisses me off so much that I have resorted to snatching my hand away after they've placed the bills and then jutting my other hand forward to accept the change.

I just know some fucking corporate trainer somewhere is teaching cashiers to do this as some sort of "personal connection" moment and when I find that corporate trainer, I'm going to shove as stack of bills down his throat and gently lay some change under his tongue.

[Phentex]

22. Yes, that's what they do...

I haven't thought about it until you mentioned it. I usually try to balance it over to my purse where I quickly drop it in. There are times when the coins simply fall off.

[blogslut]

23. I know!

It drives me crayzayzee!

[triguy46]

9. You need a "bank" name, like the made up ones people use at Starbucks.

[NV Whino]

13. My bank is small and they know me

I have no problem with being addressed by name.

It annoys the hell out of me when the Safeway cashier looks at the receipt and addresses me by name. They don't know me, they don't care about me, they are simply required to do it.

[Jade Fox]

17. I usually respond by......

looking at their name tag and saying, "You're welcome, Barbara....". It throws them off.

Yes, it is supposed to be more friendly, but it is really a bit invasive, particularly if they use your first name. First name usage is an act of intimacy (however slight), and calling someone by their first name without asking is rude.
I sometimes reply, "You may call me Ms. Jade Fox."

[Deep13]

24. +1

[Arugula Latte]

18. My guess: It's a customer service push

Banks think that many customers want to feel like their bank is like the old timey community banks of yore and not a giant faceless, robotic corporation.

[Old Troop]

20. I think it's so, if you come back and try to rob the bank, they can address

you by name to talk you out of it.

[Phentex]

21. LOL!

Thank you for robbing us today. Is there anything else I can help you with? :)

[Chan790]

25. Funny that.

>97% of all bank robberies are solved, most within 3 days.

Of those, some significant portion are because the robber has in some way revealed their identity specifically in the act. There was one we read about in the security report who was caught because he applied for a loan while robbing the bank and gave them his name, phone #, SS#, address, etc. One of the most common though is writing their robbery note on a personal check or deposit slip.

[grasswire]

26. I don't want to give you my zip code or phone number, either...

...just to buy a T-shirt or a battery. Yes, I'm paying cash. Why do you want my phone number?? My zip code?? My date of birth?????? When I'm paying cash???!!!

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr.