Banking your way to Freedom. Review on Oriental Bank of Commerce

“Banking the way…World banks…”

“Choosing the right Cheese…”

Man, it’s been really a long time since, I had written a review on MS, but it is good to be back. But when you don’t expect things to happen, those things happen and something stuck me, why don’t I write on my amazing experience with GTB. Yes, Global Trust Bank!!

” A small history about GTB”

Before, I go to the history of GTB, let me tell you how, I landed up opening an Account with GTB. As you all know that traveling is what keeps my senses!! Moving, it was very important that I bank on something which is easily accessible. I have bank accounts with HDFC and ICICI and never thought of opening another account. I was in Coimbatore for sometime and my parents in Mumbai; hence immediate transfer of funds was the most important criteria. We stay at Kharghar(Navi Mumbai), which till 2years back had nothing to talk about not even a single ATM of HDFC & ICICI. GTB was the first ATM started in Kharghar and a representative of GTB came at my place and spoke to my parents about their bank. My parents were impressed and the told me to open a Joint Account along with my sister, as I saw it easily accessible for my parents, I signed the documents and left to Coimbatore. Hence, the account was opened but I didn’t know the Account number nor did have the Debit card, so what’s the use? So what happened next…

Before, I tell you what happened next let me give you a brief about GTB.

Global Trust Bank was formed on 30th October, 1994 by Ramesh Gelli and since then, this bank is growing with leaps and bounds. Their financial track records would definitely show that for a Bank which has got the Foreign Equity participation achieving such success is not a mean achievement. I think so for more on their financial achievements you should take a look at their website, (https://globaltrustbank.com).

“The story continues…”

So, I am in Coimbatore with no details about the account number or card. As expected, my parents called me and gave me the account details and they had couriered my Debit Card. But like a Absent minded professor , I misplaced the account number and guess what I had to urgently deposit some money in that account and at that moment I was not able to contact my parents. Hence, with little luck landed at the GTB, branch near Residency Hotel. Hence, the lady at the front office was patience enough to listen to me for sometime about my problems and she said that she could find my account number. As I didn’t knew which branch this account belonged to, because the ATM was Kharghar but I didn’t knew which branch it was. Hence, after doing lot of R&D with matching names and location, she was able to find my account number. Not even for a split second she showed any discomfort or arrogance (Which is common in ICICI and HDFC). But you wouldn’t believe, after that I lost again the account details and again I had to land up at the front office desk with the same lady.(She was sweet , but I was not flirting :). But she was again ready to help me without making faces. This is just one of those countless amazing experiences at the various GTB branches I have been in the last 2 years. Every time I go to any of their branch, it has been the same respect and feeling of warmth. Alas, this has not been the case with ICICI and HDFC and this has made me transfer my HDFC account to GTB, hence landing up 2 Savings Account and a Current account with GTB.

“Different Cheese in a Platinum Plate”

ATM

Banking Round the Clock

Just a decade ago we were talking about ATM just a means of withdrawing money for an urgent requirement. But now ATM are just not a cash withdraw machine but a gamut of service under a small 50sqft Cooled Cabin with a dumb but an intelligent machine ready to spit money and also to gobble cheques and cash. GTB I guess so has got an equally good network of ATM’s which would allow you to withdraw and deposit cash, deposit cheques, can check your account balance, get a mini statement of your transactions, Funds transfer, and also PIN change. Rating 9/10

”Phone Banking”

One Call Tells you All

As the competition is fierce in the banking industry, phone banking comes as a part of their amazing customer friendly services. The best part about GTB’s phone banking is the quick time response and a very less waiting time. As always, the beautiful voice on the phone is helping me in the best possible ways. Like ATM, here also you can have cheque book request, Cheque Status Enquiry, Cash Credit Status, Statement of account by Fax, etc. Rating 8/10 , because if they could include the cash request on phone, it would be really useful.

”ABACUS Theory”

Any Branch Any Customer

ABACUS theory is nothing but Anywhere Banking at any of their branches. You don’t need to be an account holder of that specific branch, still you can get these works done at any branch, e.g, Withdraw Cash, Check Balance, Deposit Cheque, Get Account Statement. IT is really useful for Corporate Customers who have current account with GTB. Especially the Cheque Payments and Collections services which help my accounts person to transact very smoothly with payments received from any where from the country. Rating 8/10

“Age of Internet”

Click & Bank

The banking wouldn’t be complete without Internet Banking hence you have Ibank@GTB which is again a superlative feature with the best part being the uptime of their IBank Website. I used to have major problems with ICICI’s Internet Banking. Half the time the website used to have some problem, and the design of Ibank is very user friendly. Rating: 9/10.

“ Panwala’s got a Mobile”

“Wherever..Whenever

Yes, that’s right after the Reliance making merry of the mobile market, it is one more important feature included. Most of the GSM has got the GTB mobile features hence; you can do most of the services at the tip of the cell phone.

“ Come on Asyis, all this service is given by all other banks, what is so special about GTB ”</b >