By Tu Lei (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2007-07-19 13:56

A survey conducted by market research group CTR shows that the average customer‘s wait time at banks is still long, although banks have adopted measures trying to shorten waiting hours.

CTR visited ten banks in Beijing as a customer, including state-owned and joint-stock banks, and deposited 500 yuan (US$66.11) in each.  

The wait time at four state-owned banks was longer than that in the joint-stock banks and city banks, with an average of 41 minutes, compared with 14 minutes at five joint-banks, said CTR financial research supervisor Zhan Xiangdong. 

The four state-owned banks visited were Bank of China, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), China Construction Bank (CCB) and Agricultural Bank of China.

 The other six are Huaxia Bank, Bank of Communications, Minsheng Bank, Guangdong Development Bank, China Merchants Bank, and Bank of Beijing. 

Clients usually can stand only half an hour.

 During the secret visits, 75 percent counters at the four big banks were opened at noon, except for Agricultural Bank of China, which show some banks have adopted more flexible hours. 

Some banks still have not changed their business hours despite a customer flux, with longer lines as a result.  

Agricultural Bank of China, for example, had only one counter available when 39 people were waiting, and Bank of Beijing opened only one window for both private and public services.

 Minsheng Bank, a private lender, only opened one of its seven windows, resulting in a wait time of 12 minutes though there were only six people in line.

In waiting halls, CCB, Agricultural Bank of China, Minsheng Bank and Bank of Beijing only have automatic teller machines (ATMs). However, ICBC, China Merchants Bank and Guangdong Development Bank have more equipment, including machines accepting deposits and allowing withdrawals.

It is interesting that self-help machines in ICBC were laid idle despite the long queue in the hall.  

The self-help machine is one of the best ways to relieve counter pressure, but some consumers worry about transaction safety or do not know how to operate them, said Zhan. 

Meanwhile, most banks do not remind clients to use self-help machines, and in the visit, CTR found that only China Merchants Bank and ICBC suggested clients can deposit money in self-help machines. 

CTR’s survey revealed that self-help machines have the potential to shorten wait times, and suggested banks should install more.

In this May, China's central bank announced a series of measures to address complaints of clients that they have to queue up at banks for hours. They include revamping outlets, optimizing business processes, and adding more staff and automatic banking equipment.

ICBC said it would extend its business hours, set up non-stop service in its outlets during lunch hours, and provide some evening services.

And CCB said it would add more ATMs as well as 350 automatic banking machines.

The daily limit on cash withdrawals from ATMs of most banks have also been raised from the current 5,000 yuan (US$649.4) to 20,000 yuan.