Why QR Code Based Feedback is not a Good Option? AIPNBOA Explains

The Punjab National Bank has announced to introduce QR Code based feedback system for Employees. Bank Customers can scan QR Code placed on desk of staff and give feedback. The bank employees are protesting against this as it is not a good option for collecting feedback.

AIPNBOA – the majority association, has written a letter to MD&CEO of Punjab National Bank and explained various reasons why the QR Code based feedback system should not be introduced.

AIPNBOA Letter to MD&CEO: Why QR Code based feedback should not be introduced.

The work in a branch is a team effort and it dependent on the availability of infrastructure like connectivity, manpower, nature of work and compliance required for the related work etc.

We would like to highlight that similar service industries use different methods to collect feedback from customers by forwarding them link and call for their feedback/rating to improve the customer service.

Our bank earlier had a system through which the customers get a Message through SMS when the customer visits the branch by providing a link through SMS and calling for rating of their service in that particular branch. This was an effective tool and bank would have used the feedback for improving the customer service and also rectifying the shortcomings if any.

We have earlier highlighted the issues which may arise by implementing this policy vide our letter dated 21.04.2025 and the same is repeated for your ready reference:

i) All employees in branches work as a team. The first casualty will be the team spirit at the branch and divide the team as any critical demand by a customer and an employee is unwilling to comply the critical demand of the customer shall pass on the job to another employee to avoid unfavorable feedback for him.

ii) Most complaints of customers are technology related as very often it is observed that either one module or the other is not functioning or there is no connectivity for hours or intermittently loss of connectivity, nonfunctioning of PNB Apps, internet banking is some of the major reasons for customer’s dissatisfaction leading to complaints.

iii) Bank management has no inclination or no system of capturing such disruption with timings for the whole country or part of the country. NEFT / RTGS failure and reversion of funds are common feature which took place multiple time and many such issues are never shared with employees. Similarly, Govt. subsidy (State / Central) is not released in time properly, political interference, political pressure for release of certain Govt. sponsored scheme loans is also resulting into false complaints.

iv) In last two decades since CBS is introduced, there has been no occasion to address these issues and complaints against employees have been taken as the Gospel truth and punish them. This will increase many folds once the QR Code policy is introduced.

v) Officers are the custodians of the bank policy. Fear of getting bad reviews and punishment may result into a tendency to violate bank’s policy to somehow satisfy the customers.

vi) The System proposed is to get feedback of the officers at the back of the officers and the officer would be at the receiving end to justify his actions.

vii) The introduction of QR Code policy object for each maker and checker is ultimately demoralize the employees.

viii) End result of the services is to satisfy the customer at any cost to the bank.

ix) Breaking the team work in the branch will divide the team by passing of work from one to another.

x) No other bank resort to such method. As on date all other service providers, Airlines including SBI seek feedback directly from customers after the customer leaves the service center to get feedback and do not force the employees to obtain customer feedback as this may create all the above situations for the bank.

xi) Field staff depends on quick services from credit verticals, risk verticals and other Admin offices for rendering quick services at the branches. It is not desirable that we target only a section of employees to determine service to customers.

xii) If this method is adopted to determine performance marks under APAR it would be a disaster even for the most competent officers and demoralize the entire clan.

xiii) Various research has confirmed that a satisfied customer seldom writes a review and an unsatisfied customer or those with very negative perception on all matters not only complain more but also exaggerate issues in their complaint.

In view of the foregoing, bank should withdraw forthwith this untested policy. Even for the system of collecting customer complaint prior to introduction of QR code, officers were targeted without knowing the real issue for complaint and even forced such officers who were not at fault were forced to apologize to the customer. While management take action against field officers based on complaint, there is no instance where action is taken against anyone responsible for disruption on CBS system or responsible for system disruption.

Earlier, we demanded to share the data of downtime of server for different modules and for full-service disruption, minute to minute everyday and share the data to employees, so that subsequently the real cause for dissatisfaction of customers can be justified as otherwise such charges go against an innocent officer, but the same is not responded till date by management.

Similarly, shortage of manpower especially in those areas where footfall is huge should be factored for any delay in service. Not getting the timely technological support from vendors for software / hardware issues also causes disruption in service due to issue in the printers, CTS Scanner, BNA machines are also to be factored for any delay in service causing customer complaint.

Thus, the QR Code Policy should be withdrawn forthwith and Management can continue to collect feed back from customers as has been the practice earlier in our bank as well as in various other banks.

It may be noted that there is a provision to hold Customer Service Committee Meetings quarterly with the Majority Officers’ Association and Majority Workmen Union at Circle and Zonal level but the same are not being conducted regularly by them. We suggest that such meeting should be invariably conducted at such Offices and directions to be given for the same. Our officers are not duty bound to seek feedback from each customer coming to the branch which will add further burden along with stringent compliance, connectivity issue etc. and this policy is going to add further stress level on our officers in the field.

In view of the issues involved, we urge upon you to instruct the concerned division to withdraw this system entirely and resort to the earlier system of getting feedback through SMS/ link/QR code in PNB-ONE App directly from the customers and stop threatening field officers by Circle Heads & Zonal Head.