John W. wrote:
> CL wrote:
> >
> > Maybe I shouldn't have laughed when I realized how clueless they were.
> > They tried to keep my money and threatened to call the FBI to report me
> > for fraud, which I invited them to go ahead and do.  Eventually this
> > red-faced Super Protestant dickhead handed me back the bills and ordered
> > me to get out of "his" bank immediately or face the consequences.
>
> This might surprise you, but most businesses have to follow certain
> things called 'rules', and it's hardly the fault of the bank manager if
> the information he has is incorrect; he's doing his job, so why get mad
> at him?

The customer is always right, and if the bank manager has information
that is incorrect (in fact not in opinion) then they are incompetent.
Rules are rules until they need to be re-written - and part of the bank
managers job is to ensure that those rules are up to date.

If the customer has cash from country x, and the analog data/rules the
manager has before them indicates that something is amiss, then a
professional will check first, rather than trust that the data/rules
without checking is sufficient. IF rebuffed, he can always request to
be put through to a higher level - covering his arse in the process.

In this day and age, it isn't difficult. Probably in Sepponia, and from
last weeks experience, even in Japonia. Got a telephoned apology today
from UFJ - and nearly caused a car accident.

IT isn't just the commercial sector - even with Japanese Immigration
insisting that multiple entry student visas are invalid, and Japanese
Ministry of Foreign Affairs insisting that all student visas are
multiple entry, this week at least it was possible to get a correct
answer eventually.

> And I'd wager the average US bank is much more friendly and willing to
> help than the average Japanese bank, on the whole anyway. The fact that
> ATMs are open when most people need them by itself puts US banks ahead
> of their Japanese counterparts in terms of convenience.

My experience is that if a US bank clerk tells you politely to fuck
off, that is the end of your chances of doing anything, particularly
with regards to changing cash. When a Japanese bank clerk tells you the
equivalent, that is the end of your chances of doing anything, but you
might with perserverance and grovelling get the opportunity to get the
same "we are clueless" message from a manager, and a box of tissues or
bottle of shampoo.