Page 212 - A Banker Down the Rabbit Hole

59. Enabling versus disabling work

climate

A t Hong Kong branch, the Junior Managers were getting phone

calls from customers and jotting down their requests /
instructions on a piece of paper. They would bring the paper
to be signed by the Expatriate Manager for approval of
transaction. The instructions would involve transactions regarding
transfer of amount from one account to another at the same branch,
issue of demand draft, remittance, issue of FDR, renewal of FDR, Payment
/ discharge of liability on account of import Bills etc., conversion of home
currency to foreign currency or the vice-versa.

We too started getting these similar instructions from the customers
directly. We would do the same, write the instructions on a piece of
papers, write name of the person who called and sign the paper and pass
on to the Junior Manager for execution. The customers would send the
original letter with signatures later during the day. Many times, they
would fax instructions letter for issue of Demand Draft or other mode
of remittance form duly signed and chopped*. (*First time I came to
know in Hong Kong only that "chop" meant "rubber stamp'' for a
company name, in Hong Kong business parlance.) The Junior Manager
would tally the signature on the faxed letter and execute the instructions.
This could save time for the customer in initiating a bank transaction. By
the time, the original letter reached through their messengers, the job
was done and messenger would return with the execution advice without
waiting at the branch to get the transaction done.

This was working so well. Junior Manager would call up the company in
case there was delay in submitting original instruction letter. The branch

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