stargirl

I applied for my first personal loan this month with one of the big four banks -actually it was NAB - and I have to say, I am genuinely astounded by how much work is involved on the part of the customer in helping them to make money.

I was on hold alot with the “quick, easy and convenient” telephone banking service.

I had to explain every time I called my story, as every person I spoke to was new and seemed to have no record of my previous calls.

I was told wrong information or was told I was told wrong information.

And when I finally went to the bank to get my loan check and was told I would need a statutory declaration to prove I was buying a car in a private sale transaction, when I had taken the morning off work to go down there, wait for the branch to open, wait for the relevant person to meet me and had not been told previously that this was required - well, that was when I turned into one of those customers that customer service people hate.

I threatened to take my measly business elsewhere and surprisingly, it worked and I eventually left with what I needed.

And I know, I could change banks. And I will change banks. But aren’t they all the same? Haven’t the management decisions of big business meant the art of customer service is lost in the name of efficiency - in all sorts of businesses?

I recently had a whinge about the public transport (PT) system – and I don’t need to tell you, that it was entirely justified. 

But I’d like to talk about one of the good things about catching PT – the camaraderie between fellow passengers. 

It’s those moments when you hold the door for a mother with a pram, or share an in joke with someone heading to the footy – or even the shared frustration that comes from travelling on our slightly dodgy system. 

I had assumed this sort of social bonding was common to all cities, until some visiting Sydneysiders – who, again, I met on the train – told me how pleasant they found Melburnians to be compared to their home town commuters. 

After I and a fellow passenger had imparted some of our local (and I might add, expert) knowledge of our city’s best watering holes, they remarked that in Sydney no-one makes eye contact on trains, let alone talks to one another. 

Now before any Sydneysiders write back to complain, I will say that these are generalisations and I don’t intend to fuel the fires of the long-standing rivalry that exists between the two cities (although it is sort of fun…) 

The point is it’s these random acts of kindness and kinship that define our city’s character and make it a great place to visit and to live. 

It would be a tragedy if this small measure of community was lost due to the climate of fear and suspicion that is sometimes perpetrated by politicians and the media. 

Often, just the fact that a city becomes large and busy reduces the feeling of belonging and of shared identity. 

When I lived in Brisbane for a while I noted with some surprise the friendliness that exists amongst strangers and put it down to its smaller population (not to mention the constant sunshine…) 

I’m therefore putting a call out to fellow Melburnians to treasure these small acts of kindness and go beyond the sometimes innate tendency to be wary of strangers. Something as simple as a smile can make a huge difference to someone’s day. And a smile will often turn into a chat and a laugh. 

What better recommendation can Melburnians have than “they love a good laugh…”? 

For anyone that’s reading this, my sister and I are singing at Caz Reitop’s Dirty Secrets in Smith St this Thursday from 8.30 -10.30pm. For those that haven’t been, its a cosy bar with great cocktails, run by my dear friend Zac. Come along….