Guest Experience Guidebook

Towards BRAC Bank Service Excellence

My Commitment

Letter from our Managing Director & CEO

April 10th, 2009 Dear Colleagues, We pride ourselves in being the best at what we do!! However, in an endeavour to make Brac Bank the preferred Bank for all, we need to work extensively to establish a service culture in the Bank that is the envy of all!!

We need to ensure that we embed a service culture DNA where all our guests are treated with a smile and leave our premises satisfied and happy!!

All of you know by now, that improving our service standard is one of the key priorities today! We need to deliver the promise to our guests that we are the Bank for all Bangladeshis where they get top notch service and recommend us to their friends and family as their Bank!!

BRAC BANK is on a journey to establish world-class service experience for all its guests across all processes. And excellent guest service experience is the most critical factor for the success of our

operations. We will achieve this by focusing on people, infrastructure, technology, products and business. Our financial performance can improve only through the creation of happy customers. This handbook is the first among many tools that the senior management and I will provide you to enable you to deliver a world class service experience. As the first step in displaying the guest service DNA, all customers will be made to feel that they are treated like our personal guests. handbook. And, the ownership of service excellence lies with each and every BBL team member.

To illustrate the fact, we have used word guest instead of the word customer throughout this

The book is divided into 5Ps focusing on the People, Premises, Papers, Processes and Practices of Consistent BRAC - in providing our guests with a world class service experience.

BBL guest service touch-points. I believe this will enable us to be Bold, Reliable, Appealing, and

In conclusion, this handbook is a tool that we will all use to improve service quality at our bank. Only we can make the guests feel the difference.

Let us strive to provide excellent guest service experience! Best regards,

A.E.A. Muhaimen

Managing Director & CEO

Page 2 of 19

Introduction

BRAC Bank is on a journey to establish world-class guest experience in all its operations. This will be most fundamental aspect for the success of our business. It will improve our financial performance adopted with your colleagues [where relevant]. We strongly recommend that you adopt these achieved by focusing on people, infrastructure, technology, products and processes. This is THE

through creating happy guests through happy team members. The guidelines in this book should be

guidelines even in your personal lives so that these behaviours become natural.

The two main objectives of this hand book are to help us achieve excellence in Guest Experience and ensure Service Quality.

BRAC Bank Guest Experience Fundamentals

These guidelines will help us to achieve BRAC Bank guest experience standards Bold We will be BOLD on behalf of our guests and colleagues. We will be the first to greet, first to farewell.

listen, first to make suggestions, first to satisfy even the unexpressed needs and to bid a fond

Reliable We will take full ownership in serving our guests to their complete satisfaction. Appealing We will ensure that all guest touch points are appealing and inviting. Consistent We will ensure that our guest experience quality is consistent in all aspects across all guest service points all the time.

The Five Essential Areas of Excellence in Guest Experience [5Ps]:

BRAC Bank guest experience standards will apply to the five aspects for excellence in guest experience listed below;

People our team who serves our guests

Premises the locations from which we serve our guests. guests and colleagues.

Papers the documents we use to provide & receive information and communicate with our

Processes the processes that enable us to delight our guests Practices the way in which we interact with our guests.

The Owners of BRAC Bank Guest Experience Quality;

this document. The managers in charge of guest service points and the various support functions will ensure compliance of BRAC Bank guest experience quality by their teams. They will be held accountable if any of their team members fail to comply with these guidelines. The management committee is responsible for the compliance of BRAC Bank guest experience quality by all team

Each team member at BRAC bank has to take OWNERSHIP and FULLY COMPLY with the guidelines of

Page 3 of 19

director is responsible for the compliance of BRAC Bank guest experience quality by the management committee members.

members from the managers up to themselves in their respective line of command. The managing

The BRAC Bank Guest Experience Standards

The BRAC Bank guest experience guidelines are designed to help all team members contribute towards achieving the following guest experience standards:

Every guest should feel that he/she is being treated as a personal guest Every guest should have a positive image of the bank so that they wholeheartedly refer BRAC Bank to others Every guest should receive one stop service

Every guest must receive open and transparent communication these up front

Every guest must be informed about relevant rules, guidelines, charges and any changes to

The Compliance Process: General

Those responsible for the various team members should take the following steps in the event they notice any team member violating any demonstrable BRAC Bank guest experience guidelines.

First time a letter of caution to be issued and coaching to be provided the first time a team member violates the guidelines.

head of HR should be informed who will issue a warning letter.

Second time if the same team member violates the same guideline for the second time, the

Third time the employee will be terminated if the same guideline is violated for the third time.

The guidelines written in italics are not demonstrable and, therefore, do not fall into the compliance process. However following these guidelines will give you the physical and mental fitness required to follow the rest of the guidelines in this document.
Exceptions: If a team member cannot follow any of these guidelines due to health or religious reasons prior written approval should be obtained from the line manager.

Page 4 of 19

Detailed guidelines The guidelines below are listed under the 5Ps. 1. PEOPLE

members. The aspects include;

The BRAC Bank guest experience People deals with proper attitude and behavior of all team

1.1

Be purposeful: Team members should come to work after having reflected on their personal purpose and with a resolve to move a step further towards their purpose by positively approaching their work.
Punctuality: Team members should be punctual. In case of unforeseen circumstances, if any

1.2

team member is likely to be late he/she should inform his/her line manager, host or guest. the appointed time. Meetings should be called at least 2 working days before hand. He/she should also communicate the reason for the delay and the likely time of arrival before

1.3

Behaviour: Each team member should treat each other as ladies and gentlemen. Harsh and disrespectful words, racial slurs, loud voice, aggressive body language, etc. should be avoided at all times.

1.4

Facial expression: Team members should always have a smile on the face to display a friendly, helpful and caring attitude when dealing with guests and fellow team members.

1.5

Body language: Body language should be smart and prompt to make guests feel that team members are dedicated to work.

1.6

BRAC Bank and the competitors, as well as BRAC banks policies and Bangladesh bank policies. Each team member should have completed the certification for their role.

Competency: Team members should have a fair knowledge of products, services, campaigns of

1.7

Information sharing: Each team member should proactively share ideas, information and experiences so that we learn from each other to enhance excellence in guest experience.

1.8

Personal care: All employees should take personal care by doing regular exercises, taking balanced and nutritional meals on time, sleeping early, and taking at least 7 hours of sleep every day, waking early and practicing mind relaxing methods such as meditation.
Hair: Hair should be neat and should be in good condition.. Team members should never comb their hair in front of the guests.

1.9

Page 5 of 19

1.10 Eyes: Eyes should be clean and clear at all times. Red eyes are not acceptable. Glasses should be crystal clear so that eyes are properly visible. Contact lenses should be professional.

1.11 Nose: Nasal hair should not be visible. No nose picking in public. 1.12 Ears: Ears should be cleaned of wax if any for clear hearing and understanding of the needs of our guests and our colleagues. Earrings are prohibited for male team members.

1.13 Mouth: Mouth should be free of bad breath. Teeth should be clean and no tooth picking in public.

1.14 Face: Males should have clean shaven faces or well trimmed beards. Ladies should wear professional looking cosmetics and make up.

1.15 Body: Team members should use under arm roll-on or spray deodorant adequately so that

there is no body odor. Smokers should ensure that smoke smell does not emanate from mouth prohibited.

or body. Tattoos and Hena tattoos should not be visible. Inappropriate body piercing is

1.16 Hand: Hands and nails should be neat and clean for a proper handshake. If nail polish is used, should be avoided].

the colour of the nail polish should be professional [colours such as black, dark green, blue etc

1.17 Clothes and accessories: Clothing should be clean and well ironed. It should be professional and simple. Those who are required to wear uniform should wear them all the time. Ladies: Dress code for female team members should be decent Salwar Kameez, saree, ankle length skirt, trouser with long sleeve shirt. Orrnas should be worn decently. Collarless/sleeveless t-shirt, sleeveless blouse, sleeveless Salwar-Kameez, deep necked/low

back tops, short skirt, jeans and sneakers are strictly prohibited. Team members should

wear culturally fit dress of sober colours and should not wear dresses that make noise. and earrings etc]. If anklets are worn, they should not make any sound.

Accessories worn should be of minimum in quantity [bangles] and small in size [necklace

Gentleman: All team members should wear decent and professional looking shirts and trousers. Those who are required to wear tie and coat should wear matching colours. Ties and the knots should be in good shape. Dirty or button less shirts should be avoided. No extra threads should be visible. Long sleeve shirts should be worn and shirt sleeves shirts are strictly prohibited. Men should wear black/brown leather belts that matches the cloths with smart professional looking buckles. should be buttoned and should not be folded, Collarless T-shirts, jeans, loud coloured

Page 6 of 19

 Attire for dress down day: Back office staff can choose to dress in Smart Casual attire on applicable for normal working days should be followed by all team members.

dress down days. However, the guidelines with regard to professionalism and decency

1.18 Shoes and socks: Men should wear black or dark brown shoes with dark socks of a matching well coordinated shoes with low heels. Shoes should not have accessories that make noise. Open sandals (without heels), sneakers, slippers and gym shoes are strictly prohibited for all. 1.19 Identity: Every team member at front line guest service points must wear his/her name tag at all times colour. Shoes should be polished and socks should be clean.. Ladies should wear professional

2. PREMISES

Premises deal with the physical appearance of guest service points as well as areas where the guests do not access. They should be maintained in a professional and comfortable manner. The following are the guidelines which need to be followed to create the desired work environment. 2.1

Outside appearance of the premises: The exterior of each banks premises should be well maintained. Team members should not smoke in front of the premises.

2.2

accurate. Signage with lights should be lit at night subject to local authority guidelines. Entrance: Entrances to premises should be inviting, clean and uncluttered.

Signboard: Signage must be clearly visible and the information given in the signage must be

2.3 2.4

people can move in and out very smoothly without a problem. Always climb on the left side and do not stop and have conversations on the stairways.

Staircase: Staircases should be well maintained, cleaned and should be uncluttered so that

2.5

inside exit the elevator before you enter. Maintain a line. The person standing near the control panel should press the required numbers of the other passengers.

Elevators: Elevators should be kept neat and clean. Wait and keep the entrance clear until those

2.6

Interior: Interior must be well maintained and they should be spotlessly clean. All team see on the floor and put it in the bin. members should take the responsibility to keep it clean. They should pick up any garbage they

Page 7 of 19

2.7

Internal signage: Internal signage should be maintained regularly so that they are clean, in good working order and the contents should be legible & accurate. They should be maintained according to the brand guidelines.

2.8 2.9

Lighting: The right amount of lighting with the correct lighting colours should be maintained. Temperature & freshness: The temperature should be maintained at a comfortable level. Where

available air conditioners should be noise free. Fans should be clean and in working order. Ventilation should be proper.

2.10 Guest seating: Guest seating areas and facilities should be neat, clean and comfortable. 2.11 Newspapers and magazines: Always ensure the newspapers, magazines and periodicals provided in guest waiting areas are current.

2.12 TV channels: Appropriate TV channels such as news, cartoons, nature and sports should be shown in the in-branch televisions wherever applicable. Scary, indecent channels are prohibited. Sound should be muted or at low level.

2.13 Tissue box: Guest care desk should have a box of facial tissues. 2.14 Brochures and posters: professionally. Brochures should be current and displayed in a manner that it is

inviting for the guests to pick them up. Posters should be displayed prominently and

2.15 Plants: Always ensure that plants inside and outside the premises are neatly placed in clean vases and they should have fresh leaves.

2.16 Desks and counters: Desks and counters should be maintained in a professional and uncluttered manner. Papers should be filed and stored in the appropriate places.

2.17 Computers and accessories: Computers and accessories should be maintained according to IT guidelines.

2.18 Phones: Avoid using phones of others for hygiene reasons, however, this guideline does not apply in relation to serving our guest. Use antiseptics at least once a day to clean your phones. Phones should be easily accessible.

2.19 Wires: Electric, phone and computer wires should not be exposed. 2.20 Fax and photocopy machines: Fax and photocopy machines should be maintained according to GAIS guidelines. Papers should be kept only in the designated places.

Page 8 of 19

2.21 Water dispensers: Water dispensers should be kept only in the dining or other appropriate place away from the visibility of the guests.

2.22 Crockery & cutlery: Crockery & cutlery should be in good shape and they should be stored in a and neat manner.

clean and a hygienic manner. Tea, coffee, milk, sugar etc should be also stored in a hygienic

2.23 Toilet: There should be no bad smell in the toilets. There should be dry floors, clean basins, clean towels, soaps and toilet rolls. Toilets should be cleaned regularly and air freshener should be in place.

2.24 Towels and linen: Towels and linen should not be kept in visible locations. They should be stored in a designated location. Fresh clean towels should be available everyday.

2.25 ATMS: ATM booths should be well lit, clean, insect-free and well maintained. Air temperature must be maintained at comfortable level. Brochure stands should be clean and contain current brochures.

2.26 Guest locker room: The lockers should be maintained well.

arrangements should be clean. Locker rooms should not be cluttered.

Mirrors, tables and seating

2.27 Store room: Store rooms should be orderly, neat and clean. 2.28 Non-smoking premises: All BRAC Bank premises other than designated smoking areas are

smoke-free zones. 3. PAPERS

Papers deal with the documents we use to provide & receive information and communicate with our guests and colleagues. 3.1

template provided for routine letters and as required for ad hoc letters.

Paper selection: Outgoing letters should be printed on BRAC Bank letter heads according to the

3.2

correct. The most appropriate salutation should be used.

Names and salutation: While drafting letters, name of the recipient and salutation should be

3.3

clear. Respectful, positive and active tone should be used. The tone should be confident. Letters should not be unnecessarily long. Letters should be concise and elegant.

Word selection: Right words should be selected during drafting letters so that the meaning is

Page 9 of 19

3.4

Identity of the person generating external letters: Where applicable, the person generating address.

external letters should sign on the name, designation, contact phone number and email Spelling and grammar: The accuracy of letters [information, spelling and grammar] should be ensured. A second person should proof read all letters before printing and posting of the letters.

3.5

3.6

pen should be used for signing of documents. Manager awareness:

Printing and signing of letters: Ensure the papers and ink are of good quality.. A good quality

3.7

manager or sectional manager before [or after in case of urgent letters] they are sent.

Where applicable, all external letters must be seen by the service point

3.8

Envelopes: Appropriate envelope size should be used and the address should be placed properly as per brand guidelines.

3.9

Forms: Guest should be guided to fill documents such as charge documents [which has a legal implication if NOT filled by the guest]. Ensure they are filled completely, accurately and neatly by double checking the supporting documents. Make sure the forms are checked and signed by the guest. Forms filled for internal purposes such as leave or requisitions should be filled completely, accurately and neatly.

3.10 Reports: Reports generated for external or internal purposes should be checked for accuracy and should be professionally prepared and presented.

4. PROCESSES

4.1

servicing of our guests.

All team members should be fully aware of and fully understand the processes relating to the

4.2

implementation of processes.

All team members should support each other in ensuring the effective and efficient

4.3

All team members should provide suggestions to improve process as and when they feel the need for it.

4.4

All team members should take part in a quality circle and share process improvement ideas at least once a month.

Page 10 of 19

4.5

All processes should be delivered according to the BRAC Bank standards as documented in the Guest Experience Standards Manual

4.6

Please refer to the Operation Manual for detailed processes

5. PRACTICES:

experience to our guests every time they interact with the bank. It deals with ensuring a warm welcome, fulfilling the expressed and unexpressed needs of the guests and bidding a fond farewell. appropriate. 5.1 Team members communication may be in Bangla, English or any other language deemed

This deals with the practices required to ensure a heartfelt interaction to provide a memorable

First Impression is the last impression: Focus on creating a positive first impression by attending to the guests professionally and in a friendly manner.

5.2

Smile and eye contact: Team members should have a genuine smile and maintain eye contact while talking to a guest.

5.3

Hand shake: Team members should not extend their hand to guests and colleagues of the

opposite gender. Team members should extend their hand to guests and colleagues of the

same gender. Irrespective of gender, if the guest initiates a hand shake the team member shake hands should greet in an appropriate and respectful manner if guests or colleagues extend their hands. However, for frontline team members who are seated behind counters it guests. 5.4 5.5 5.6

should respond in a culturally acceptable manner. Those team members who prefer not to

may not be possible to shake hands. In this case, they must extend a heartfelt welcome to their

Seating: Please allow your guests to take a seat first and then seat yourself. Full attention: When attending to the guest, team members should provide undivided attention. Greeting:

entering the premises. Use appropriate greeting based on the time of the day. Eg: Assalamu designation. 5.7

Team members: The closest team member should greet the guest within 30 seconds of their

Alaikum/good morning, madam, Welcome to BRAC Bank, my name is name I am your

Ask how the guest wants to be helped? The sample scripts for respective team members are given below;

Page 11 of 19

Service providing officer and managers: Madam I can help you or I am at your service today or What can I do for you today? or Is there anything specific I can help you with today? When practical, personally escort them to the relevant counter/desk, introduce the possible. If not, direct them to the waiting area and ask them to take a seat or join the line. OCCS: [if the guest walks up directly to the OCCS], Good morning madam, my name is Welcome to BRAC bank guest and describe the need to the person who will provide the service as much as

name, How can I help you? If there is time, include phrases such as How are you today?,

Thereafter attend to the need swiftly 5.8 Service time: Every guest must receive service within the time stipulated in the Guest Experience Standards Manual

5.9

Offer refreshments: All guests who are served at the desk of an officer/manager should be drink/refreshment before it is served to the team member. offered tea/water or as appropriate. Please ensure that the guest receives the

5.10 Body posture in front of the guest: If you are sitting across the table in front of the guest, guest, maintain a straight but relaxed posture.

maintain upright posture and keep your hands on the table; if you are standing in front of the

5.11 Adjust to guests pace: Remember the pace of the guest will always be different to yours. Slow down or speed up to the pace of the guests. Speak in the same language/dialect of the guests as much as appropriate. 5.12 Treat guests with respect: Team members should have a respectful attitude towards the guests.

5.13 Understand the guests needs: Use observation, active listening and questioning techniques to understand the specific needs of the guest and fulfill the needs.

5.14 Serve them efficiently: Guests should be served swiftly. Body language should reflect a sense of purpose, professionalism and promptness. 5.15 Never say no: Always find a way to say yes. Talk to your manager and get approval if you have to say No. Always display a positive attitude.

5.16 Conversation content: Ensure that you talk with guests clearly and in a concise manner. Avoid talking to guests using technical language [Jargon].

5.17 Promises: Take care to ensure that promises made can be fulfilled.

Page 12 of 19

5.18 How to say it: There are certain statements and phrases that irritate almost all guests. You may say (and mean) something and it may mean something else to the guest as given in the table below. Suggested positive phrases given below should be used. Tailor-make it as needed. Undesirable Statement Do you understand I dont know, I dont have the information No, that cant be done I am not interested in making an effort to help You have no choice but to do what is told Our current guidelines do not allow us do it, anyway let me check what best I can do for you Could you help us to expedite this by providing us with This is handled by Name. Let me introduce you to her/him. What it might mean to guests I think you are not capable of understanding I dont care about finding out to help you Let me check it for you. Please give me X minutes Is my explanation clear enough Positive Statement

You will have to give me

It is not my

responsibility, This is done by head office I dont agree

I dont care about

meeting your needs

You are wrong

Thats an interesting point, I you help me understand

never looked at it that way. Can Could you help me understand

Why did you do this

You need to justify

why you took that course of action

Its our policy

your problem We have crap technology

We are not interested in

I wish I could have done this for you. Can I do .. for you instead

Our system is down, This problem is our system

Our systems is undergoing routine maintenance, I will minutes. complete your service after.

5.19 Maintain composure: At no time can a team member be rude or lose his/her temper with the guest, even if the guest loses his/her temper.

Page 13 of 19

5.20 Handling angry guests: If the guest shouts or becomes very angry in front of other guests, take him/her to a private area and follow the complaint handling procedure.

5.21 Help to buy: Team members should assist and support the guest to make the right purchase standing of the guest should be considered when offering products and they should know all charges upfront (Eg; when a garments factory worker open an account only for DPS of 500/= for 4 years, be careful about offering a savings account where customer has to pay ( TK 800 + monthly salary of around Tk 2000/=.) decision (Eg; explain product details, promotions, benefits, limitations etc.). The financial

TK 520 ) + 15% vat total 1518/= per year. That is will be very difficult for the guest who has a

5.22 Guests who will buy later: If a guest prefers to buy later, he/she should be thanked for coming & contact details).

to BRAC Bank and politely requested to come again. Obtain the details of guest (name, address

5.23 If you are busy serving another guest: If you are currently serving a guest and a another guest comes for your assistance, acknowledge the new guest, excuse yourself from your current guest, greet the new guest and introduce him/her to another team member who could assist. If no other team member is around then inform the guest that you will attend him/her within X minutes. Say: Good morning madam/sir, Mr/Ms name here will assist you until I finish serving this guest or Good morning madam/sir, I will be with you as soon as I finish serving this guest, would you please take a seat till then?

5.24 When you get back to the guest: At the point you revert to the guest apologise to the guest. Say; Sir/Madam, sorry to have kept you waiting.

5.25 Referring to someone else: Avoid referring to someone else as much as possible. In the event

you have to refer the guest to somebody else, make sure it is the right person. Guest should be escorted to the right person. All information that the guest shared with you should be conveyed to the other person.

5.26 Unprofessional behavior: Do not have meals /snacks /drinks, unrelated discussions with for prolonged periods. DO NOT chew paan/tobacco/gum, bite nails, itch, belch, spit, yawn, pick nose in front of team members and guests. colleagues and take personal calls in front of guests. Do not leave the desk unnecessarily and

5.27 Bid a fond farewell to the guest: Team members should see guests off at the door, bid them a fond farewell and invite them to come again as much as practical.

5.28 Visiting Guests:

a. Seating: When visiting a guests premises team members should wait for the guest to signal them to take a seat.

b. Personal items: Team members must ask guests permission before placing any personal item such as mobile phones, files, glasses and so forth on the guests table

Page 14 of 19

c. Using facilities: Team members must ask guests permission before using any facility (like d. Posture: Team members must maintain professional posture and purposeful demeanor in e. Interruptions: Team members must turn off mobile phones (or put on silent mode) while at guest premises. If the team member must answer the phone case of emergencies permission must be sought at the beginning of the conversation. front of guests at all times washroom) at his/her premise.

5.29 Meeting guests outside work: If team members happen to meet guests outside BBL premises in professional yet friendly manner. 5.30 Telephone etiquette: Standards All phone calls from the PABX to guest service points are answered within 3 rings assistance. 90% of the queries should be completed within 90 seconds Open the telephone call:

a social gathering (party, shopping mall, etc) he/she must present him/herself in a

Phone banking guests must be answered within 60 seconds of requesting for agents

Smile as you answer and speak on the phone. Sir/Madam. of Branch.

The welcome greeting should be appropriate to the time of call; E.g. Good morning, Identify bank, name and department; E:g, Welcome to BRAC bank, I am name From name Find out the guests name; E.g. ; May I know your name please? Offer to help; E.g.: How can I help you? For calls to your mobile phone, say, Hello, this is name, how can I help you?

The body of the telephone call

Continue to smile as you speak on the phone.

Listen attentively until the guest finishes speaking. speak.

Make sure the guest knows you are on line and listening with appropriate responses as they Pace the guest [match the language, tone, mood, speed of the guest] Speak in your natural voice. Use a clear voice. Speak in an efficient, caring and friendly manner.

Direct the conversation towards a positive and efficient conclusion. Do not use jargons [technical terms] during the conversation. Do not eat, drink, chew, make noises, and yawn during the phone call.

Always hold the receiver with the hand and place it close to the mouth and ear accurately.

If the guest becomes angry/ upset and shouts, maintain composure and listen, empathize, pace and try to resolve the problem. In case the problem cannot be solved, promise to direct

Page 15 of 19

it to a senior team member who can resolve it immediately. The senior team member should call, write to and, if necessary, visit the guest to ensure resolution of the problem. Putting the guest on hold:

Guest should be put on hold only when absolutely necessary. Explain the reason why it is required to put him/her on hold. Request for permission and tell him/her exactly how long he/she will be kept on hold. as possible

If the guest says that he/she cannot hold then take the number and offer to call back as soon After getting back on the phone, thank the guest for waiting.

Transferring a call:

Guest calls should be transferred only when absolutely necessary. whom the call is being transferred to.

Seek permission to transfer the call and tell him/her exactly the reason for transferring and to Ensure the person receiving the call gets on line.

Give the details of the call before you leave the line.

When the person you are transferring the call to is not available or busy Apologize for it and offer to help. Take a message if required. the reason for the call.

Write down the callers name, organizations name, telephone number and a short message of Pass on the message to the person who you were trying to transfer the call immediately by email, text message or short note.

When you receive a call while a guest is in front of you: guest before answering the call.

If the call arrives when attending to a guest, team members should seek permission from the If its a call from any colleague irrespective of their seniority, tell him/her that you are serving a guest and that you will call back. Finish the call within 30 seconds. If it is a call from a guest, explain that you are attending to another guest, promise to call

back in a specific amount of time, take the contact details and call back at the promised time.

If the call is from overseas, seek permission of the guest in front and attend to the call swiftly.

When ending a call:

Ask if there is anything else you can do for the guest.

Thank them for calling and wait till the guest leaves the line before you leave the line

Give the guest your name and contact details and invite them to call you for any help.

Outgoing calls

Outgoing calls should be made at time convenient to the guest. Greeting. Eg: Assalamu Alaikum/good morning, Sir/Madam.

Page 16 of 19

Identify yourself clearly; E.g; My name is name. I am the Branch manager of BRAC Bank, name of branch. Ask for the guest: [if you call on a landline: Can I speak to name?] or [if you are calling on the guests mobile phone: Am I speaking to Mr./Ms. name?] Explain the reason for your call.

Continue the conversation and finish the call in the same manner as incoming calls. earlier.

Follow the guidelines of holding, transferring and etiquettes as described for incoming calls

5.31

Email communication. guidelines.

a. Template selection: Professional and appropriate templates should be used as per brand b. Names and salutation: While drafting emails to external guests, name of the recipient c. Word selection: Right words should be selected during drafting emails so that the meaning is clear. Respectful, positive and active tone should be used. The tone should be d. Spelling and grammar: Spelling and grammar must be checked twice for accuracy before e. Identity of the person generating emails: The person generating external and internal numbers and email address. The email signature should be as per the brand guidelines. sending the email. confident. Emails should be concise. must be correct. Proper salutation [Mr., Mrs., Ms., Dr. etc.] should be used.

emails should have the signature with the name, designation, department, contact phone All external emails should be copied to the service point managers

f.

Manager awareness:

or sectional managers. Keep the CC and BCC to a minimum and only as required for both external and internal emails.

g. Acknowledgements: Acknowledge internal and external emails as required. Request external guests for acknowledgement.

5.32

Handling guest complaints. The team member receiving the complaint owns the problem until it is handed over to the

or over the phone). Thereafter the person who the complaint and the guest was handed over to, owns the problem. The severity level and delegation of complains are detailed in the process flow for handling guest complaint through Team 2 guideline. Complains should be on the situation:

relevant person and is responsible to personally introduce the guest to him/her (face to face

logged on Team 2 accordingly. All or some of the more relevant steps should be taken based

To handle guest complaints we need to take the following steps. a. Calm down the guest: The best way to help the guest to calm down is by giving a window guest vent, stay calm, be polite, listen and offer a soft drink or cool water.

for the guest to vent the anger. Take the guest to a private office room if possible, let the

Page 17 of 19

b. Show empathy: Genuinely show that you feel the same as the guest is feeling e.g. I of emotion displayed by the guest. This will help calm down the guest.

understand how you feel, please let me resolve this for you. Talk with the same intensity

c. Apologize: Apologize for the service fault and for the inconvenience caused.

d. Listen and clarify: Invite the guest to explain the problem. Listen to the guests problem all the details. completely and make required clarifications to understand the real situation. Write down

e. Re-frame: Restate what you understood and ask for the guests confirmation for accuracy f. of your understanding. Speak gently and be calm: Be soft spoken even if the guest gets angry and disturbed. Do not use inappropriate words, tonality or body language and do not respond to any question with a direct No. Do not blame others, take ownership of the problem. Give the guest an accurate clarification and possible options. Do not make any promises that cannot be kept.

g. Channel the complaint to the right person; Decide if you can handle the complaint. If not h. Respond immediately: The person receiving the complaint directly from the guest or channel it to the right person based on the TEAM 2 guidelines.

passed on by a colleague should, offer the guest alternatives and let him/her choose. the problem. The solution should be provided in the shortest possible time.

Offer the solution clearly and explain to the guest the steps which will be taken to solve

i.

Present the solution positively: Explain to the guest exactly what you can do rather than make arrangement to deliver the certificate tomorrow. Use appropriate language to Convey urgency by using positive, time based statements - e.g. right away,

what you cannot do. e.g. instead of saying; I cant deliver the certificate today, say I will inform that you take responsibility, on behalf of the bank, to solve the guests problem. immediately, within an hour etc.

j.

k. Thank for the complaint: Guests should be thanked for informing the bank regarding the l. problems. Follow up: Write a letter apologizing for the problem, thank for bringing it to the notice of

Educate: Educate the guests thoroughly to prevent future problems.

the bank and state the steps that will be taken to resolve the problem with a clear time frame [within 24 hours for standard complaints].

m. Informing line manager: The line manager should be kept informed about the problem immediately through e-mail or short note. The relevant manager, value center head or business unit heads should be informed of complaints based on the criticality/severity n. Guest queries regarding the complaint: Respond to any guest queries regarding the status o. Complaints that require investigations: In terms of complaints requiring investigation, of the solution within 24 hours. If you need more time, keep the guest informed. levels.

not delay resolving such complaints beyond 3 working days. If it is taking more than 3 working days, keep the guest updated of the new time frame.

inform the guest of the likely time frame within 24 hours. Ensure that team members do

Page 18 of 19

5.33

Guest Service Recovery Process is to convert the upset or irate guest into a delighted guest to the Handling Guest Complaints section above.

Service recovery process:

who has directly complained to you or had been handed over to you by a colleague according

When a service breakdown occurs, the guest needs to be taken care of in a manner that makes him/her feel very special and important.

Due to the service breakdown if the guest is attempting to end the relationship with the with BRAC Bank and steps should be taken to resolve the issue.

bank at any time of this process all attempts should be made to convince the guest to stay

It is essential that the guest is kept updated once every 3 days (by the person who owns problem should be logged regularly.

the problem) to ensure that they do not feel that no action is being taken. Progress of the

Once breakdown has been taken care of it is the duty of the concerned department to

send the guest a letter thanking him/her for being a BRAC Bank guest and, depending on the value of the problem, provide guest with value additions as per the bank policy (e.g. gift, waiver of charges, etc). 5.34 Managing expectations:

This is required when a guest needs service or terms beyond what is possible. Fully understand the guests needs. Politely explain to the guest that it is beyond the current guidelines. Speak to a manager and see how best we can accommodate the request. approval, outside the current guidelines. Provide the service. Get back to the guest and explain what can be done and say that it is done under special

Have I done what it takes to ensure an excellent experience for my guest?

Page 19 of 19