Finance

The Privilege of Making Unwanted Investments

Posted Vinaya HS

ICICI Bank’s Privilege Banking is awesome! If you’re “privileged” enough to have it, you can simply walk into any Branch, push a couple of buttons on the quirky token dispensing machine (an entirely optional step), and walk right up to the Privilege Banking Counter and get your work done while the rest of the “non-privileged” world waits for their token to show up on a TV screen/monitor.

The “privilege” of course comes with its own set of “grab-my-hard-earned-money” sales pitches and schemes.

The other day, I was at the said Privilege Banking Counter depositing a slightly high-value check (the proceeds from the sale of the Swift and which was already destined to pay off a bridge loan). One look at the amount on the check led to a barrage of questions from the guy manning the Privilege Banking Counter.

  • Sir, is this your annual bonus check?

  • Are you looking to make some investments?

  • Instead of closing your [bridge] loan, why don’t you earn a higher interest by making some investments?

  • Sir, are you sure that you do not want to earn a higher interest? [All the while looking at me as if I were quite foolish at declining the investment offer.]

NO.
NO.
NO.
NO.

Simple but firm NOs. Out of there in an instant.

Just experienced the “privilege” of making unwanted investments.

Have you?

4 thoughts on “The Privilege of Making Unwanted Investments”

  1. Good one, I had a similar experience few months back with HDFC bank. I had gone to deposit cash. The cashier said that they have very good investment plans. I said i was not interested in a ULIP plan. She said it was not a ULIP, When i asked for the IRR of that plan she was stunned and had no reply.

  2. Good post. It is a greater privilege not to be among the “privileged” clients.For such people are not only provided exclusive service and attention, but are also “exclusively” targeted for selling the latest IPOs and high incentive products by the bank staff who are burdened by huge sales target.

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