How Access Bank network stood tall when others stagger during yuletide
Even as digital banking normalcy begins to emerge, many Nigerians especially users of several new generation banks digital transactions Apps and other financial channels during the yuletide decried both steady and momentary collapses, hand-ups and all sort failures in using their different banking digital services between Thursday December 23rd to few hours ago today, Tuesday, January 3rd, 2023.
However, one bank, according to investigations that stood out in all the shocks to customers in terms of poor service network has been Access Bank Plc.
Many banking customers, especially those that travelled to areas far from physical banking halls failed to enjoy their digital banking channels due to systems failures for which no apologies have been tendered as at the time of filling this analysis today.
Some of the dissatisfied customers even took to their social media handles to express their anger during the period under review.
Nigerian most decorated Tourism Journalist, Mr. Ikechi Uko wrote on his Facebook wall on December 23rd, 2022 (unedited) as follows:
“Owo Kekere, Zenith Bank and Lagos Gra Gra
“Zenith Bank App failed big time on Friday the 23rd the last working day before Christmas. It was a big Disaster and the consequences far reaching.
I am used to slow online transactions on Ecobank so was not suprised when transactions on Thursday got trapped in ether or wherever. But Zenith Bank app have been failing mainly on Fridays with regularity in the last 2 months but this Friday was legendary.
“I had to go the bank to resolve many issues and it turned out so many people who normally would not visit the banking halls turned up too and it was drama galore. I became a spectator to Lagos Drama.
“I sat in the waiting room whilst they made phone calls on my Behalf. A lady walked in with 2 younger girls. When she sat down the 2 girls went to work braiding her hair while she talked on the phone. Wow. Is that even legal? An elderly man walked in and was well greeted by everyone. He called someone to the side and started lamenting about “Owo Kekere” He had sent small amounts of money to lots of people for their Transport and the money didn’t go through. The recipients sent him nasty messages that he should not have promised money and not send. “The embarrassed man was shouting now that because of Owo Kekere he is receiving insults.
“ Another man came in with a well dressed girl in tow. He sat down and looked at everyone with a scowl on his face as if we were Zenith Bank. Then he started shouting at his girl who is probably the PA. She was calmly responding to every angry shout. The accounts he wants to send money to were in his phone and he cannot access the App to copy the numbers. So he starts calling every Bricklayer in Abuja and Lagos to send their accounts. I suspect he is a building Contractor. I stared him down many times because of how he kept screaming at the PA. But the girl is obviously used to him. She kept smiling as she knelt down beside him to take instructions.
“Next to the angry man was another young girl wearing a back pack. She was on the phone going to and fro with her Boss. Writing down ” “pay wasiu 50k “and other names and figures.
“But the star of the day was a short guy with Beards. He wore an Arabic Kaftan that the bankers described as Jalabiya when he left. He wore a Northern Fila but is a southerner. He barged into the office and asked “who is The Boss” the staffers kept quiet and the guy turned up the Volume for those at the back. Lol ” look I am a customer and a customer is the king. If am talking you keep Quiet” He started screaming expletives at the workers. When the female staff came to protect their male Oga he threatened them “I will fight you with Social media” the ladies retreated. Eventually the guy banged the door and walked away.
“After many hours and lots of Phone calls my Transaction was done. It was an eventful day spent at the bank because an App failed at a dangerous junction.
“Sebi na so we go dey do the cashless thing.
“BTW if I owe you money I have a perfect alibi now. The App is down. So don’t call me oh,” Uko concluded.
