ODD PRESENTS

[happy daze john in oz]

Here in Oz bank bashing is almost a national pass time, rarely a day goes by without someone complaining about unfair charges or some other matter. I have been with my bank for well over 30 years now and have never had a problem with them. An investment arm of the bank looks after our super for us and I consider our financial advisor to be a friend as well as advisor.
Last evening at about 2000 hours the door bell rang, there was a courier with a parcel for us.
What could this be I wondered, I had not ordered anything over the net, her indoors would not be allowed to, so what is this??

I opened the parcel to find in a cardbaord box a picnic hamper. The hamper consisted of plates, cups, cutlery amd flask for four. also a number of grocery items.


But when I read the note I was gobsmacked, this was from the bank via my financial advisor.

I have never heard fo anything such as this occuring before. I know the bank anual profit was in the order of 5billion dollars, but this was something out of left field. I never worry about the profit as most goes back to investors as dividend and much of our super includes bank shares.


It got me to thinking, what sort of odd or unexpected presents have you recieved over the festrive season, apart from the mother in law turning up on the door step uninvited.

[Doc Vernon]

Nothing yet i am afraid,possibly my Bank Manager is on Holiday allready! LOL!
Nice gesture though on the part of your F/A.
As you though John,i have been with the Commonwealth since we arrived now going 33 Yeras and never had any complaints!
Alway good service and smiles each and everytime we walk in !
Cheers

PS Possibly Santa will send us something wierd! haha!

[Ivan Cloherty]

Been with my Bank for 58 years, had nothing from them except Statements, mind you some have been in the festive colour ! red!!

[Captain Kong]

I am with RSB, one day they transferred money Twice from one account to the other.
I complained, they appologised. then I Said a Bottle of Rum would be a nice gesture.
A few days later I was in my front garden and a Big Limo rolls up with a Chaufer in full uniform gets out with a box.
Introduced himself and said here is a gift from the Bank Manager.
It was a Litre Bottle of Captain Morgans Rum.
Brian.

[leratty]

Happy daze John,

Ha bank financial advisers mate check out all those advisers & the fees they generate each time to do something for your super-investment funds. That basket of goodies will somehow come back to your cost ): Best banking incident we had was in Aus, still laugh about it. It was the CTB we were away sailing in I think 1991 & on return faxes all over the floor in my study one of which was a bank quarterly reconciliation which showed some AU$250,000 astray-missing. I just thought it was an error which we are all prone to so not too worried contacted the bank the next day, raised it to be told it would be investigated. Reckon most people would be having an apoplectic fit! Well over some two weeks much backwards & forwards with me supplying the relevant doc's proving the existence of the elusive 1/4 million. Not once did I get irritated nor angry with them, just privately frustrated. Anyway long story cut short went to my study one day & there was a fax correcting the reconciliation & showing the 1/4 back in our a/c. Nary a word of apology nor interest for the period it was ashore in some WCSA bar (: Me well I am now euranated off so I call, I am not dealing here with some schmuck clerk either we are talking about snr bank management & still no apology but a consideration as to refund of interest due.

Well I meander off & cogitate on this, then a blind fury grips me I go & work out how much between companies & ourselves that bank held on our behalf, yes a substantial sum + large amounts passing every day through Co a/c's. So me being the rectal I am decided to allow for X$ to pay outstanding Co cheques & personal too then seek a bank cheque times two 1 for Co 1 for private. Much carry on serious ph calls asking us to reconsider etc still no apology. Me always remaining calm just extrapolated reasons why saying once they conceded "could a courier pick up the bank cheques that afternoon?" More ph calls then agreement cheques picked up. Next day me unshaven & wearing shorts as we were at our then Qld winter house. Cheques arrived we both went down to, laugh the Bank of Queensland, a suburban branch too, ask to see bank manager, minion says "have you an appointment?" "no says I we wish to open two new a/c's" showing him the two bank cheques. His eyes rolled immediate change of attitude he ran straight off to get bank manager, a lady whose first words we will never forget as she walked towards us with hand extended, "how do you like your coffee?" What a change in banking experience from then on. We stayed with them both Co as well as personally wise for balance of time in Aus. Ironic as Co was headquartered in Sydney & that was also our home then too.
Since then have shown no Co or personal loyalty to any banks, all are the same & no personal banking is worth a cracker & if just a basic a/c holder it would be much worse. Fees, fees & more fees. In Asia they are far worse & to borrow forget it even with back to back letters of credit. Oh UK banks are even worse we are finding out about French as we speak...Richard