Monday, January 14, 2008

I feel old...

Today I had to run by the bank. I actually have to visit the bank office quite often here. I don't think I visited a bank office at all during my last couple of years in Sweden, after getting internet banking. But this country still lives in the stone ages when it comes to banking, so even though I do have internet banking, I still need to visit the actual office.

My bank, Washington Mutual, isn't too far (I could actually walk). They have "the new look" of bank offices. Very informal. The clerks are standing up at small stands, and when you get help you more or less stand next to them.

I never really got this part. Why do I have to stand closer to a bank clerk than for example the sales clerk at a Gap store? And what's wrong with a lite "dress code"- after all we're dealing with money, not... sports goods... And maybe I'm really getting older or why doe the bank clerks seem so young? Are they really out of high school?

Or am I really getting old... wanting an old fashioned desk, dressed up, mature clerks...

Well, actually I would prefer not to have to visit the bank at all. In a couple of years maybe...

7 comments:

Isle Dance said...

LOL. I agree. 100%. Hee.

Annika said...

Well, well...maybe we are getting old, after all...
I think most banks look like c**p in this country. Luckily I dont have to get to the bank too often...

Ally said...

My brother works for B of A (you should switch ;-) ) and he's rags on Wamu all the time. We are still with them but have a few accounts at B of A too. Ideally people would never come into the bank, but my brother is dumbfounded by the people who still come in for simple things like withdrawing cash. They're young too!

I know not all people are computer savvy but banks here need to get with it. Some of us are!

(Don't ask me about depositing money into ATMs in Sweden).

JaCal said...

Isle Dance - I never thought I would be "old-fashioned"... ;-)

Annika - well to be more accurate - I know Swedish banks are becoming more "informal" too - but at least you never have to visit them since you can do everything online. I have to go to the bank every time I'm making a transfer from my corporate account to my private account... If I do it online, I'll end up getting a check... one week later... that I still have to go to the bank to deposit into my account... Must be millions of people working with handling checks in this country...

Ally - I really would like NOT to go to the bank... but still I (or the bank staff) haven't figured out a way to avoid doing these transfers between accounts if not in the actual bankoffice... I'm just happy it's close... Haha - maybe I should switch to BoA! They have a bank office in the Safeway where we shop and they still have their counters! ;-)

Ally said...

I wonder if B of A allows online or phone service for your needs. My brother is a not a teller, he's got an office or desk (some such thing) and does personal banking for people with businesses, and more involved stuff than cashing a check.

But they have to have those tellers for people who refuse to use the ATM. Come on people!

Nina said...

Jag håller med - svenska banker är mer moderna och längre fram i utvecklingen jämfört med USA. Framförallt löneutbetalningar är mycket smidigare i Sverige, där är det ju i princip standard att få sin lön insatt på ett konto. Här är det inte lika vanligt. Alltså, varför fortfarande envisas med checkar hit och dit? Elektronisk insättning sparar både tid och pengar, för då slipper arbetsgivaren oroa sig för att hans anställda måste sluta tidigt för att hinna till banken för att lösa ut en check. Bl.a...

JaCal said...

Ally - guess it's the same people that acutally visits banks in Sweden... ;-) I really like online banking - so convenient!

Nina - ja - blir ju galen på dessa checkar... Det är just transfer problem som är skälet att jag måste gå till banken så ofta - även om vi fått ordning på just löneutbetalningar...