"I still don't see why you don't want to use your old bank," Mark said while walking up to the door of a major bank.
"I didn't like the service there," Dexter said.
Patiently, Mark held the glass door open for Dexter. The man wasn't moving all that quickly. In fact, he was rather grumpy.
Dexter stepped into the bank and looked around. There were three desks, only one of which had a person sitting in it, that he assumed were for loan officers and new accounts people. There was a row of ATMs inside the bank. Next to the ATMs was a rack of brochures that described the services provided by the bank. There was a teller's booth that hid behind a glass partition. There was only enough space for a single teller.
Dexter picked up one of the brochures advertising financial services. He glanced over it noticing that more details were available at the bank's website. He looked up at the person seated at the desk and then back down at the brochure.
"Is this the main office?" Dexter asked.
"It is the main branch in this city," Mark answered.
"I don't want to do business here," Dexter said.
Surprised, Mark asked, "Why? This is a major bank."
"So what?" Dexter asked.
"You need to do business with a major bank," Mark said.
"I don't want to give this place my business," Dexter said stubbornly.
"I don't understand," Mark said.
Pointing around the room. Dexter said, "Look at this place."
"I'm looking," Mark said.
"Where are the people? They've got more ATMs than they have tellers. They've got one person over there to deal with customers. One of those desks looks like it isn't even being used," Dexter said.
"Most banking is automated," Mark said bewildered by Dexter's criticisms.
"When I deal with a bank, I want to interact with a person," Dexter said.
"I don't understand," Mark said.
Dexter said, "When I go into a bank, I want to see a teller, not a machine. I want them to say hello, talk to me, and to tell me to come back in the future once my transaction is complete. I don't want to talk to him or her through a little slit in a glass partition."
"It is just a bank," Mark said.
Dexter said, "It is a business, and I am a customer. I want the business to acknowledge me as a customer. A little brochure saying that I'm important, ain't gonna cut it!"
"I guess I see your point," Mark said wondering if Dexter's sudden wealth was going to his head.
Dexter could see that Mark didn't understand.
He said, "Look at this bank. There are probably a dozen banks just like it."
"There are basically three major banks," Mark said.
"Point taken. However, if I'm standing in front of a machine, then what is the difference between this bank and the others. There isn't one. If some other idiot is standing in front of the machine, what is the difference, to this bank, between me and that idiot. There isn't one. So tell me, what makes this bank the bank that should get my business?" Dexter asked.
"There isn't anything," Mark said.
"Exactly," Dexter said. "I want to do business where there is a reason for me to prefer to be a customer there."
"I guess that makes sense," Mark said nodding his head in slow agreement.
Dexter asked, "Would you rather be treated special, or as one of a herd?"
"Special," Mark said.
"Same here. That isn't going to happen at this bank," Dexter said with a snort of disgust.
Mark said, "We can try someplace else."
The two men returned to Mark's car. Mark drove to a nearby bank. Before he even managed to park, Dexter said, "Not here."
"Why not?" Mark asked.
"It is just like the other bank," Dexter said.
"You haven't even seen the inside of it. How can you say that?" Mark asked.
"The drive-thru has ATMs," Dexter answered.
Although a distance separated the customer from the teller at banks with drive-thru banking that used the tubes to convey the paperwork for transactions from car to teller, that didn't bother Dexter. The customer still knew that there was a person at the other end of the tube.
"I didn't notice that," Mark said.
Mark and Dexter drove around for an hour, stopping at one bank, and then another and another. Each time, Dexter said that he didn't want an account at it. Mark was getting irritated, and began to believe that they would never find a bank that would satisfy Dexter.
They were driving down a residential area, when Dexter pointed to a little building. He said, "Let's try there."
"What's so special about it?" Mark asked.
"They've only got one drive-thru, and it has a window to a real person on the other side," Dexter said.
For the first time since leaving the apartment, Dexter actually showed a little energy and enthusiasm. Mark followed him into the bank. It was immediately obvious that this bank was different than the other banks they had visited. For one, there was only a single ATM, and it was on the outside the bank, for after hours use.
There were three desks, each of which was occupied. One desk at the back of the room was behind a half glass enclosure with a door. There was a sign on the glass giving the name of a person and position as bank manager. The other two desks had nameplates that gave the person's name and their position. Sally Markum was the accounts manager and Johanna Castle was the loan officer.
There were two tellers at the counter and a third at the drive-thru window. Each position had a nameplate with the name of the teller.
Everyone in the bank looked over at Dexter when he entered the room. They all smiled at him. Sally Markum, seated at the desk nearest the door, said, "Hello."
"Hello," Dexter said. "You're just the person I want to see."
Mark muttered, "Finally."
Seeing that Mark was just standing behind Dexter, Johanna walked over to him and then asked, "Can I help you?"
"I'm with him," Mark said gesturing over at Dexter.
"Okay," Johanna said before returning to her desk.
"Why don't you both have a seat," Sally said gesturing to the pair of chairs at her desk.
Dexter said, "I'd like to open a new account."
"What kind of account?" Sally asked.
"A savings account, a checking account, and an investment account," Dexter answered.
"Excellent," Sally said. While digging through the drawer of her desk, she asked, "Are you new to the area?"
"Not really. I'm just not pleased with my current bank, and want to transfer my business to one with better service," Dexter answered.
"We pride ourselves on our service, here," Sally said.
"I can tell," Dexter said.
The bank manager noticed that Sally was digging through her desk. Usually if there was a problem with an existing account, she would be at her terminal. She left her desk and walked over to Sally's desk. She gave both men a smile.
"Hello. I'm Maria Gonzales, and I'm the branch manager. Are you opening a new account?"
"Yes," Dexter answered. He rose from his chair and extended his hand. "I'm Dexter James. It is a pleasure to meet you."
"Thank you, Mr. James," Maria said while shaking his hand.
"Please call me Dexter."
Handing both men one of her cards, she said, "Sally will take good care of you. However, if you ever have any questions or problems, please feel free to give me a call."
Mark looked down at the card. Dexter hadn't even told them the amount of money he was depositing and they were already treating him like a king. He couldn't remember the last time that a bank manager had introduced himself to him.
"I'll be sure to do that," Dexter said.
Sally went through the paperwork to create the accounts.
When everything had been filled in, she said, "Finally, the big question. How much are you depositing in each account?"
Mark handed over a piece of paper and said, "The amounts are on here. We'll need to do an electronic transfer of the funds, from my bank, to here."
Sally frowned upon hearing Mark mention electronically transferring funds. She glanced down at the piece of paper. Her eyebrows shot up.
"Is this amount correct?"
"Yes, it is," Mark answered.
"That's a lot of money," Sally said.
"Yes, it is," Mark said finding that he rather enjoyed her reaction.
Dexter said, "I'd like two hundred thousand in the checking account, and the same in the savings account. The rest should go in the investment account."
Sally said, "Let me get Maria over here. She's going to have to help me on this."
"No problem," Dexter said smiling.
Sally turned to Johanna. "Johanna, would you get Maria out here. Right now. Immediately. Post haste."
Concerned by how flustered Sally looked, Johanna said, "All right."
It took just a few seconds for Maria to appear at the desk.
After a minute of discussion, Maria said, "Sally, open the three accounts, with a one dollar deposit in each one. We can perform the electronic transfer in my office, once the accounts are established."
"Okay," Sally said.
Dexter reached into his pocket and pulled out a five dollar bill. Holding it up, he said, "We can deposit this."
Maria said, "Don't worry about it."
"Okay," Dexter said. "Will you need me for the electronic transfer?"
"Is the money coming from one your existing accounts?" Maria asked.
"The money is coming from my business account," Mark answered.
"I just need you," Maria said.
"That's good. I'll just sit here and talk with Sally," Dexter said.
Sally said, "Let me go over to the counter and set up the accounts."
"Okay," Dexter said.
Sally went off and created the accounts. Dexter chatted a little with Maria and Mark while she was doing her thing. The conversation was about the weather, and other topics that were current in the news.
Dexter also noticed that a number of patrons entered the bank, performed their transaction, and then left. Each customer was greeted with a friendly hello when they reached the counter. People did not have to wait long to get service at the counter, even when several customers arrived simultaneously.
There were little exchanges of conversations about the weather, a few jokes that provoked a little laughter, and questions asked with answers forthcoming. Some customers were even greeted by name. Dexter enjoyed watching the interplay between the bank tellers and customers tremendously.
When Sally returned, Maria and Mark headed into the manger's office. Sally sat down and looked at Dexter. She said, "It will just take them a few minutes."
"I'm in no hurry," Dexter said. He thought for a second and asked, "I'm not wasting your time, am I?"
"Not at all," Sally said.
"I'm glad to hear that. We must have been by two dozen banks before we picked this one," Dexter said.
Sally had been afraid that Dexter was going to say something inappropriate to her when he had mentioned staying there to chat with her. His opening line took her by surprise.
"Why did you pick this one?" Sally asked.
Dexter answered, "When we drove by, I could see that you had a real drive-thru with a window, so that the customer could see who they were talking to. Then we came in here, and everyone was so friendly. I knew right then that I was going to have my accounts here."
"We try to be friendly," Sally said.
Dexter said, "If I have my way, all banks will become like this one."
"How would you manage that?" Sally asked.
"I'll use the internet," Dexter said.
Sally said, "The internet has really changed the banking industry."
"I know, but not in a good way," Dexter said.
Mark returned from Maria's office. He held out the deposit slips for Dexter.
"You have three very nice accounts," he said.
"Thank you," Dexter said.
He glanced down at the papers, unable to believe how much money he had deposited. The men said farewell to Sally and headed out the door.
While walking to the car, Mark said, "I like that bank."
"I do, too," Dexter said smugly.
"They were treating you nice before they even found out how much money you were depositing. I haven't been treated like that since I opened my first savings account as a kid. I don't think I've talked to anyone in my current bank since I opened my accounts," Mark said.
"Same here," Dexter said.
"I think I may move my accounts over here," Mark said pausing to look back at the bank.
"Why?"
Mark answered, "I had forgotten what it was like to get service like that."
"As have we all," Dexter said.
Edited By TeNderLoin