Bangladesh Bank on Monday asked the scheduled banks to set up customer services and complaint management cells in their headquarters and branches to settle the complaints of clients in the shortest possible time. The BB issued a circular and guidelines to managing directors and chief executive officers of all banks asking them to set up the complaint management cells in all their branches, regional offices and head offices so that the bank will settle the complaints accurately.
The circular said the banks would have to set up ‘central customer service and complaint management cell’ at their head office and managing directors of the banks would lead the cell. The banks will have to attach their top officials with the cell.
The regional offices of the banks will have to set up regional complaints management cell and it (cell) will monitor the complaint management desks which will be formed at the branches.
The banks will have to settle all complaints of their clients between two days and three weeks.
The central customer service and complaint management cell of the banks will have to arrange quarterly meeting to solve the structural weakness of complaint settlement at their respective banks.
The cell will prepare a half-yearly statement over the ratio of settled and unsettled complaints of the banks. The statement will be placed before the respective board of directors of the banks.
Besides, the cell will recommend the board to improve the standard of the banks’ products, the circular said.
The central complaint management cells will have to implement the compliance set by the central bank in all regional offices and branches.
The regional complaint management cell will take initiative to settle the complaints of its responsible branches in due time.
The regional management cell will have to arrange meeting in every quarter with the complaint management desk officials of its responsible branches.
The banks will have to display the contact details including names, complete address, telephone number, fax number, e-mail address of the officials of complaint cell in the prominent place of the branches.
The BB asked the banks to display their rate of interest of the savings and deposit products at the prominent places of the branches.
The banks will have to inform their clients at least thirty days in advance before implementing any changes to the terms and conditions, fees or charges, discontinuation of services or relocation of premises of the financial services provider.
The banks will have to take attempt to make customers aware of and to make them educated with financial literacy with a view to strengthening customers’ knowledge and experience and thereby to reduce fraud, forgery and harassment, the BB circular said.
-With New Age input
