Tuncis

March 08, 2007

Experiment with SEB bank in Latvia

Although the start does not sound to be related to any bank, it finally gets there. As you might have heard, I got married last August. I decided to be old-fashioned and to change my surname. Change of documents was pretty long and slightly cumbersome process: as I live abroad I had to apply for new passport in the embassy where it costs EUR 70 in comparison to LVL 5 if I lived in Latvia; as my marriage certificate was in Estonian, then I had to organise translation which had to be certified by notary which cost me EEK 500; then they had to decide what surname I will get as Latvian linguists like to change people names if in linguists' opinion names are not Latvian enough - my Estonian surname with double "a" certainly had to be Latvianised; then embassy sent all documents to Latvia, and it took some 2-3 weeks when they arrived back. After all this long process I finally got my nice new passport. So I picked it up and started to change my name elsewhere: Estonian ID card, bank cards, drivers license etc. I had also bank accounts in Latvia, but as nowadays I don't go to Latvia that often, then finally in November the first opportunity to visit Latvia arrived.
Here we get to Latvian SEB bank at last where I also had account. When I got there, I proudly took out my brand new passport and expressed my wish to change surname in their records. I received an answer that they need also documents proving why my surname has changed, meaning marriage certificate in my case. Then I asked why it is necessary as Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (the entity dealing with passport issuance in Latvia) has already checked the reason, and, if they have issued a new passport to me, then reason has been sufficiently good and also proofs have been good enough. After all, in general in Latvia we use personal ID number for person identification, and passport nicely shows that person with this ID has a new surname. The bank employee still insisted that they need my marriage application. Being stubborn, I tried to persuade them that my marriage certificate is in Estonian, they wouldn't understand it, and then I would have to translate it for them what I have already done once for the passport issuance. Besides, my marriage certificate is in Estonia, and it's not so easy to bring it "next day". Who knows, when I will be able to come next time. These arguments didn't help. Then I enquired why it is important for the bank to know what was the reason for my surname change if it does not affect my financial standing: what is difference if I got married, divorced, decided to apply for name change because it means something rude or I have serious reason to dislike it. These arguments also didn't help. Then I used my final argument, that other bank in their group, SEB bank in Estonia, didn't require any marriage certificate, but it was enough with Estonian ID card, which is the same personal ID document as passport in Latvia. Also this didn't help and bank's employee insisted that in their procedures it is necessary to provide also marriage certificate. So I was asked to come again.
Finally I suggested if she can make a proposal to their bank lawyer or whomever, deciding on procedures, if this procedure could be reconsidered because perhaps it is too bureaucratic and doesn't provide any benefit to a bank. Perhaps life could be made easier for the bank as well as clients. I received an answer that I should do this suggestion myself.
So name could not be changed, and I had to leave the bank and come again with my translated marriage certificate. I am an emotional person, and after getting out of the bank, I got really angry. I came home to Estonia, went to SEB Latvia internet bank, transferred all account balances leaving 0, and decided to close my account there as soon as I get to Latvia again. Today I got there and had an opportunity to go to SEB Latvia again. I stubbornly didn't take the marriage certificate and took only passport. Today, surprise-surprise, the passport with ID code was sufficient to identify that I am the same person, and I could close all accounts. Well, it looks that life is too good for banks because they care much less for keeping customers than for letting them go.
Ironically enough, I work for a bank myself :)) Not SEB though, but still a bank.

4 Comments:

At 09 March, 2007 15:19, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Lasot so te, manai logikai likaas, ka Tu jau pirmo reizi, esot bankaa, slegsi kontu. Tiekot lidz beigaam, spriedums izradijas pareizs :)

 
At 09 March, 2007 15:21, Anonymous Anonymous said...

un vel - es ari solidarizejos ar Tevim un pec 3 menesiem slegsu savu SEB bankas kontu. Nesimpatize man taa iestade. Dace

 
At 10 March, 2007 12:45, Anonymous Anonymous said...

It is a pity, because I still have an acounnts just in SEB - and their service can get vivid. Gints, who is working there, told me - that's because employees for service level are changing very, very often. Most probably because of the wages. :o(
I'm still waiting, when SEB will correct commission amount for my credit card.

 
At 19 April, 2007 16:40, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I can imagine you got mad! The only thing you could have done more is to ask to speak to the supervisor or manager. Perhaps the person was not competent, but then again, it is the bank's problem and I totally understand your decision to close the account. I only regret that you could not ask the question "you do not care about your customers?" directly to a manager... :) I would have liked to hear the answer... :)

 

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