How to open a saving account (not a good experience)

Online banking makes everything easy. Say bye-bye to parking hassle, queuing up and ‘to no smile-talk to my hand’ counter clerk. I do all my banking needs online. Except for my ‘needs’ with ArHB Bank.

Ok, let’s do this straight to the point with no bushy-mushy sentences. The steps on how to open a saving account with ArHB Bank:

Let's the journey begin

Steps 1 – You make a minimum 3 rounds around the bank area to find a parking space, while wishing you can fold your car into a briefcase so that you can carry it around with you.

Steps 2 – After you find the appropriate parking space, you have to go back and forth to pay for the parking ticket and place it back on your windscreen.

Steps 3 – You put your best smiles and ask nicely to the receptionist guy (who looks like he owns the bank and knows every single thing) who you should consult to open a savings account. Here goes the conversation:

Mr R    : Ye cik, boleh saya tolong?

Me       : Err…ok. I nak buka bank account. Nak jumpa siapa ye?

Mr R    : Ooo..kejap ye.

(He goes to the counter and get me a form)

Mr R    : Cik ada bawa surat majikan tak?

Me       : (Blur) No, tak ada. I nak buka saving account untuk buat online transaction untuk bayar…bla..bla..
Mr R    : Boleh bagi IC (With a sarcastic-I know everything-smiles)

Me       : IC? (Blur face, but managed to find the IC in my purse and gave it to him)

Mr R    : Eh, ni tak boleh buka kat sini, kena buka account dekat mana2 cawangan yang dekat dengan alamat dalam IC. 

Me       : Hah? (eyes wide open) Kenapa? Bank you tak suka orang buka account kat sini ke?

Mr R    : Memang polisi macam ni, Bank Negara dah tetapkan…bla…bla..bla..

Me       : Betul ke? Kalau alamat I kat Sabah, kena balik Sabah dulu baru boleh buka akaun ke..
(Dalam hati: OMG, this is so ridiculous)

Mr R    : (Bla..bla...again)

Me       : Dah la, tak apa la.

(Went out the bank with ‘I feel irritated’ face and can’t wait to go home to do a simple googling to find the truth)

"I feel irritated face"

Am I the only one who does not know this? The last time I check (other bank, of course), we can even open a banking account via online and choose our preferred branch. Are this only applied to this bank, only?

But my personal opinion, for whatever reason that they have to come out with such policy, can they come out with a better solution or process, please. Come on, it is damn tedious to go back to your hometown just to open a bank account. Hometown is where you spent quality time with your family and not doing errands. With that I rest my case *hitting the judge hammer furiously*

Peace.