You know things must be bad when the supermarket giant Tesco arms its delivery drivers with DNA tests, or ‘spit kits’, to combat a shocking 50% increase in violent attacks on retail workers. If a customer becomes aggressive or violent and spits, the member of staff can use the DNA kit to collect a sample which, in theory at least, the Tesco security team in conjunction with the police will use to bring prosecutions.
Why someone would spit at a delivery driver is beyond me but that’s the world we live in now?
It’s not as bad as that in Lloyds but it’s only a matter of time if things don’t change. We’ve been saying for a long time that the level of abuse staff have to put up with for just doing their jobs is unacceptable. We’ve urged Lloyds for years to adopt a zero approach to abuse. Any customer who abuses a member of staff for whatever reason should have all their accounts closed immediately.
Now Lloyds makes all the right noises but when push comes to shove it always seems to favour the needs (and claims) of customers over the safety of its staff.
In an Operation Update, Lloyds says that from 30th September, staff working in online messaging can block customers using the service for 24 hours because of abusive behaviour. Why just 24 hours? If those customers are being abusive then close their accounts – permanently! The message will quickly get round that customers can’t abuse Lloyds staff.
In that update Lloyds says: “the customer can still use the mobile banking app and other banking channels during the block.”.
We have highlighted the key words. It’s another example of Lloyds taking the side of customers rather than its staff. So, according to this update there is nothing stopping an abusive customer who’s been blocked, from using the messaging app going into a branch to abuse staff face-to-face. That is appalling.
The Bank should close their accounts. No questions, no explanations!
Members with examples of the kind of abuse they have suffered should contact the Union’s Advice Team on 01234 262868 (choose Option 1) or email us at 24hours@btuonline.co.uk.
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