(UCOn't get no) mob satisfaction
UCO Bank had a great idea — of meeting-and-greeting the top 10 non-performing asset (NPA) borrowers of each of the bank's branches during Diwali and offering them a box of sweets. The logic, high on EQ, was that not all defaulters are Vijay Mallyas of the wilful kind.
Circumstances such as a business tanking, or some other unforeseen bona fide reason, can lead to the borrower not being able to repay the loan. The gesture was also the smart thing to do — create a relationship between the bank and borrowers to understand their predicament.
This was a great idea both from a brand PoV — 'We care for our customers even when, especially when, they're down and out' — as well as a practical way to look into the face lying behind the account number, with an ameliorative festive-season box of sweets. Gestures like this matter.
But, then, in came the mob.
Innovation may be a buzzword for every account holder these days. But when it actually comes to being innovative — as UCO's managers were when they sent out a circular laying out the plan — the villagers with their pitchforks could only see one thing: SWEETS TO DEFAULTERS! Few, least of all a public-facing bank, can go against the riptide of social media public opinion.
