The recession: is it over? Maybe! But probably not. So, for the time being, bankers are going to continue to operate under the premise that their angry and destitute customers might gut them, with daggers, at the slightest provocation!
The Daily Mail reports today that the bankers at British HSBC banks are carrying personal panic buttons with them to meetings with clients, just to be safe:
HSBC staff have been issued with the latest hi-tech personal alarms to call for help if customers get upset or angry.
The measure comes against a background of increasing frustration that High Street banks are pulling the rug from under the feet of customers.
Banks are getting tough with some personal customers, threatening court action over unpaid credit card bills and repossession for those who fall behind on mortgage payments.
[...]
A businessman in the North West revealed he arrived at a branch of HSBC in Manchester to be met by what he was told was a new risk management strategy.
This involved the bank staff being required to take personal alarms into meeting rooms.
The man asked why this was necessary to be told: 'I guess there will be some difficult conversations with clients happening at the moment.'
Over at Clusterstock, Joe Weisenthal points out that the alarm devices "resemble small pagers that can fit in a wallet." So, you angry customers should factor that in to your overall strategy of getting the drop on your bank's representative.
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