"'Bitten by a mosquito at the bank, demanding medical expenses'... Branch manager's 'response' to troublesome customers [Bank Clerk Tragedy②]"

["Enduring Again Today"... The Cruel Story of Bank Employees] Series

<1> "Threatened to Stab Me" Tearful Memo
<2> Good Branch Manager, Bad Branch Manager
<3> Harassment Complaints Are Increasing

[Asia Economy Reporters Sim Nayoung and Song Seungseop] Among bank employees, there are only two criteria to distinguish branch managers: ‘good branch managers’ and ‘bad branch managers.’ A good branch manager is someone who runs out barefoot when a difficult customer causes a commotion at the bank counter. In the popular drama Our Blues, Cha Seungwon, the branch manager of SS Bank, crawls out to rescue a troubled subordinate despite his toenails bleeding from being pressed against the sofa, and takes the customer into the branch manager’s office. Such branch managers can sometimes be seen in the real world as well.

A bad branch manager is one who does not move a muscle in their office no matter what happens outside. Especially in branches where deputy branch managers and branch managers are aiming for promotion, counter staff often get overwhelmed by difficult customers. If they respond strongly to protect their subordinates and a complaint is filed with the Financial Supervisory Service, their chance for promotion could be lost in an instant.

"Honestly, none of that matters; the branch manager’s response is the key. No matter how much someone yells or points fingers, once they enter the branch manager’s office, they usually calm down," said a veteran banker with 30 years of experience who is now a vice president at a major commercial bank.

He recalled the 2008 financial crisis. "It was when banks first started selling funds. When the unexpected financial crisis hit, customers who couldn’t even recover their principal flooded in. One customer who ran a sashimi restaurant threatened to bring a sashimi knife. We thought calling the police might provoke him more... After much discussion, the branch manager decided to prepare for the worst by offering to cover half of the customer’s loss himself and asked others to contribute a little as well. In the end, the customer only threatened and it ended there, but at the time, the branch manager was like a savior."

Even with response manuals, they are 'useless' on the ground

Each bank has a manual for dealing with black consumers. Woori Bank has categorized cases by types such as violence, verbal abuse, and obstruction of business. The problem is that these manuals are largely ineffective in the field. They end with steps like: Step 1, "Politely ask the customer to stop," Step 2, "Explain business regulations and calm the customer before asking again," and Step 3, "Apologize and say you can no longer assist." KB Kookmin Bank also has a response plan referring to difficult customers as ‘special complaints.’ Go Ji-eun (33, pseudonym), a 7-year bank employee, said, "No black consumer can be resolved by responding this way," adding, "Even within the bank, the atmosphere is that branch managers should handle these responses."

Experienced seniors are well aware of these issues but find it difficult to find sharp solutions. At a private meeting last year between Hana Bank President Park Seong-ho and employees, a question was raised: "Does the president have plans to establish a system to protect employees from black consumers?" Although there are internal employee protection rules, they are ineffective. President Park responded, "Employee protection is still carried out at the branch level, which is the reality," and promised to "improve the system."

If black consumers cannot be handled at the branch manager level, the police are called. If they continue to visit and threaten, the headquarters’ grievance committee consults with the legal team and initiates legal action. A complaint team official at a major commercial bank said, "This is just a formal step; actual legal action rarely happens."

Instead, there are only reports of employees experiencing ‘reality checks’ after trying to confront malicious customers. Handling complaints risks cutting key performance indicators (KPIs) and reducing branch bonuses. Ji Seonjae (30, pseudonym), a 3-year employee at KB Kookmin Bank, said, "Since early this year, there has been a black consumer who is extremely frustrating. I suggested to a senior to report to the police and accept the KPI cut, but I only got scolded," adding, "On weekends, I had to go with the deputy branch manager to a cafe near that customer’s house to beg them to cancel the complaint."