Do you live in Ikorodu, Lagos? If you ever have to withdraw money from First Bank and deposit it in Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB), I would advise you go to the bank with your three square meal.
I have often heard from many different people that First Bank is a bank for old people and the reason for this is not far-fetched; the name First Bank clearly gives an insight into this. And it is obvious, even to the blind, that they have a very large customer base. Perhaps this is why the halls of FirstBank are almost always crowded. GTB however is not as old as First Bank but it is indubitable that they too enjoy a massive customer base making thus making their halls never scanty. As is expected, the consequence of a large customer base with unmatching human and capital resources to attend to them can be quite "unhealthy": Yes... Unending and Annoying Long Queues!
In as much have authored this article with a little frustration and it may affect my cohesiveness a bit, I don't believe it has influenced my objectivity. I understand that commercial banks and even the Central Bank from time to time continue to profer new ways and methods to improve their services but then again there is obviously still a lot of work to be done; especially considering the fact that most of these commercial banks still continue to send their rather desperate marketers into the streets to bring in more customers. Certainly, if the number of customers continue to increase and the number of cashiers and ATM machines remain constant, the queues in the banks would only get longer and more legs would ache at the end of the day. I once saw a man want to go back to the wooden safe box " kolo" method of saving money all from the frustration of standing in one spot for hours. In his words; "At least I can take my money from the Kolo when I need it". Obviously, things need to get better.
But then again, like First Bank, perhaps the banks just want us to grow old in their halls.
Pope Jay
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