Banks told to speedily address ATM-related complaints

The Reserve Bank of India will be formulating common code for all banks. Therefore banks will have to speedily solve ATM-related complaints. Under this, the banks will have to issue a ticket number within a day of the complaint received and will have to resolve the issue within a week of the filing of the complaint.

The central bank has directed the banking association IBA to draft a common code for ATM related complaints.

An IBA official informed, “The new format is for facilitating the uniform filing of complaints by the customers. Besides, it will also help to a keep a tab on bank’s complaints-resolving capability.”

Banks have also been asked to display the ATM identification number and contact centre number specifically for ATM related issues. The official said, “Banks will soon have to put the information on their websites, where a customer will be able to track his resolution progress.”

While explaining the process, the official said when a customer files a complaint the bank’s branch will have to ensure that it is updated in the complaint management system (CMS) immediately. The official added, “On uploading the details, the issue will be escalated to the current branch, which needs to be resolved within seven working days.”

Under this new system customers will also get the facility to file e-complaints once the banks upload the formats on their website. The official told, “One can use the ATM identification number and file the complaint online.”

The banks appoint officials known as ATM in-charge, who monitor offsite ATMs. Then the concerned official every morning files a report giving details of cash level, down time and the amount withdrawn from each ATM.

According to data provided by finance ministry, in the last three years public sector banks have opened around 30,000 ATMs. Out of this State Bank of India, country’s largest lender opened 13,000 ATMs during this period.

According to some of the banks, by setting the deadline the process will not speed up but might hamper in pledging the process effectively. An executive director of a north-based public sector bank said, “Complaints can be of various types. Some of them may take more than a week.”