Across the counter: In Diamond banking halls…life goes on

Based on the agreement reached by the boards of the two financial institutions, Diamond Bank shareholders will receive N3.13 per share, comprising of N1.00 per share in cash and the allotment of two Access Bank ordinary shares for every seven Diamond Bank ordinary shares held as at the ‘Implementation Date’.

Immediately after the completion of the merger, Diamond Bank would be absorbed into Access Bank and it will cease to exist under Nigerian law.

Meanwhile, as the formalization process continues to take shape and both financial institutions hope to complete the process by the end of March this year, BusinessHallmark visited four selected branches of Diamond Bank in Lagos to see how it is doing business before its eventual transmutation.

DIAMOND BANK, COLLEGE ROAD, IFAKO-IJAIYE

Although, Diamond Banks branches are generally known for their large turnout of customers, this particular branch was devoid of the usual human traffic during BH’s visit last Thursday.Also, the usual vehicular traffic at the bank’s gate which used to spillover to the Estate Bus-stop on the popular College Road was absent.

Only four vehicles sat in the bank’s ample parking lot, with the usually stressed uniformed guards saddled with the tasks of directing traffic left with little or nothing to do.

There was calm inside the banking hall. In fact, only six customers were on queue trying to withdraw of deposit money. Five personnel manned the three customer care units in the branch, two each in two sections, and one in the third.

The two workers manning the middle customer care desk were conspicuously idle with not much to do. Same apply to the three cashiers at the front desk attending to customers. During the entire 45 minutes BH spend in the bank, less than twenty people came in to transact business.

However, service was smooth and efficient as it took less than five minutes to attend to a customer. It took only three minutes for our correspondent who runs an account with the bank to make a successful withdrawal.

While the three chairs provided for tired customers to stretch their legs (which are not adequate on a typical business day) remained largely unutilized, a 32inch LG television set tuned permanently to CNN was busy churning out news and information to customers.

Outside the banking hall, four ATM machines sat idle without the usual beehive of customers trying to make withdrawals.

A bank official who was accosted by BH for comment on the unusual absence of customers from the bank, explained that many of them (customers) that used to come from as far as Fagba, Iju, Oko-Oba, Ishaga and nearby Agege, to transact business at the bank now stop at the Access Bank branch at Fagba since the two banks announced their union last year.

While leaving the bank for the Ogba branch, BH noticed that the little lawn in the front of the bank was unkempt. While grasses and flowers on the small lawn has withered and turned brown, probably as a result of the current dry season, residents of adjoining streets have turned a portion of the lawn into a pathway. The result is a big scorched earth in the middle of the lawn.

DIAMOND BANK, OGBA-IJAIYE ROAD

The one-storey building branch of the bank on the popular Ijaiye Road in Ogba was a bit different from its College Road counterpart during BH’s visit. The bank was busy and bubbling with activities, though not at the usual pace it used to be. Customers doing business were much larger than that of College Road, while workers in the branch were occupied.

The banking hall itself is well serviced and maintained. While a young cleaner in uniform was busy cleaning the well-polished floor, a big standing Panasonic air conditioner, assisted by two 2HP split air conditioners strive to keep the hall cooled. A 32-inch LG TV set also tuned to CNN conspicuously sat on the right wall providing breaking news to customers.

Two customer care sections, manned by two personnel each, were busy attending to customers.

The two workers manning the front desk customer care unit were conspicuously different from their colleagues. While their colleagues were clothed in corporate dresses, they were dressed in black T-Shirts and jeans pants. ‘Ask Me About Visa’ and ‘Diamond Yellow Agents’ were boldly emblazoned on the front of their t-shirts.

An ugly scene occurred in the banking hall when a young lady who was at the front of a small queue of six was told by a guard to go to the bulk room to make her deposit. The visibly angry lady refused, arguing that after waiting for over fifteen minutes and now at the front of the queue, she won’t abandon the line. The guard engaged her in a heated argument, but she didn’t bulge. Thankfully, common sense prevailed, and she was allowed to make her deposit at the front desk counter.

Inside the bulk room, five tellers were attending to customers, but only three depositors were around.Four ATMs, two outside the bank, and two inside, were made available to customers that prefer not to enter the banking hall. All the machines were in perfect conditions during the visit.

There is ample parking place for customers’ vehicles. No policemen were spotted, but only polite and smartly dressed guards in Diamond Bank uniforms were seeing on duty.

ASHABI COLE, IKEJA BRANCH

This branch is poles apart from its counterparts, probably due to its location on the highbrow Ashabi Cole Street, off Lateef Jakande, Agindigbi. Right from the gate, it was class. Unlike the flower bed at College Road branch, the Ashabi Cole branch is green and well nurtured, evidently from proper watering and care.

The car park lot is also massive and could contain over forty vehicles on a good day. However, BH counted just over 20 vehicles parked during the visit.While three guards were stationed outside to provide security, another uniformed guard in Diamond Bank’s uniform was stationed permanently at the two bullet-proof doors to open the door and welcome customers. A high standing-chair was provided to assist him in his work.

The same set-up continued inside the banking hall. While the banking hall on the ground floor is well furnished and maintained, a young and beautiful lady guard in Diamond Bank’s uniform, sat at a table by the right entrance observing activities. She also rendered occasional help to customers who needed help.

However, the hall was devoid of activities, contrary to the picture presented by the over twenty vehicles parked in the bank’s car park. Only 9 people were spotted in the bank throughout the 30 minutes duration BH stayed in the bank.

This prompted our correspondent to wonder whether the guards have converted the park to a commercial park.

The bank also operates a policy of segregation for its customers. The set-up looked the colonial practice in the then apartheid South Africa. While conventional customers were attended to downstairs, very important customers were ushered upstairs and treated like lords and kings.

A well-polished stairway on the left side of the ground floor banking hall, with the inscription ‘Diamond Exclusive Lounge’ grant entry to the separated section for the high and mighty.

Our correspondent who climbed the stairs to observe things for himself, was surprised to meet a set-up different from the one below and in other banks. Rather than the usual halls that litter banks, the upper floor is filled up with small offices. It was observed that customers on the floor were attended to on one-on-one basis.

Like the other branches, four ATMs were provided for customers not interested in entering the banking hall.

ISHERI ROAD, OJODU\BERGER BRANCH

The Isheri Road, Ojodu-Berger branch is a very compact branch. It is a bungalow sitting on a full plot of 120 by 60. It lacks a functional parking lot. Only 8 vehicles can conveniently park at the set-back turned car park. Only four vehicles, evidently owned by top managers of the branch, were sighted parked inside.

No customer was seen at the three automated teller machines stationed outside the banking hall.

Inside the banking hall, three tellers behind the desk and chairs meant for four attended to customers, while the fourth seat was empty. The occupier nowhere to be found.

Service was fast and efficient. It took an average of three minutes to attend to a customer. The situation was however different at the customer care section. The section was crowded with customers with various complaints, such as BVN, wrong or wrong name spellings and ATM debiting complaints.

The customer care agents, unlike their peers in other branches, were fully occupied, but were largely up to the tasks.

Though small and compact, the banking hall was comfortable. A 42inch LED TV, also from LG, adorned the wall. LG and Diamond Bank, from observation, surely have a working business pact.