Customers calling call centres of banks and preferring to talk to customer care executives, for issues that can be resolved through the recorded options, should now be ready to pay for it.

Yes, some banks have started charging a small fee for this personalised service.

Banks are looking at new ways to augment their fee income through service charges on customers for various services.

According to the Web site of global lender Standard Chartered, customers who speak to the bank’s customer service representatives more than twice a month for transactional queries, such as account balance and cheque book status, will be charged Rs 50.

However, the bank adds that customers calling in to report loss of card or a blocked card will not be charged a fee.

Private sector bank HDFC Bank charges customers, who do not maintain their average monthly balance, Rs 50 a call if they chose to speak to the PhoneBanking executive for transactions that are available on the interactive voice response (IVR) system.

IVR is a technology that allows a computer to interact with a recorded voice through the use of voice and keypad inputs.

If it is the internet user ID or the password that you want re-issued, then talking to a customer care officer of ICICI Bank over the phone will cost you Rs 50.

There will be no charge, however, if this is done using the IVR.

“We feel that since the new IVR will address a gamut of customer-related queries, the need for human intervention in the form of representatives will be minimised. The rationale is to encourage customers to use our enhanced IVR,” said Rajashree Nambiar, General Manager, Retail Banking Products, Standard Chartered.

However, not all banks are taking this route to push customers to use the IVR, at least for now.

In an e-mailed reply, Citibank and HSBC said they do not levy any charges on customers calling their helpline and speaking to their representatives.

>satyanarayan.iyer@thehindu.co.in

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