HDFC Bank asks executive to 'don't engage customer further' and assign 'if ranting' on Twitter query

Tellers are seen through a cheque deposit counter at an HDFC bank branch in Mumbai November 17, 2012. At a time when lenders across the world are battling slowing growth and rising loan defaults, HDFC Bank's conservative business model and its knack for delivering returns are proving unique, and offer a lesson for its hard-pressed competitors. REUTERS/Vivek Prakash (INDIA - Tags: BUSINESS) - RTR3AKV3

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In recent days, careless social media handling has put many bigwigs of the Indian corporate industry in a tight spot. Airtel on Monday, by their own admission, inadvertently, acceded to the demands of a customer who sought a Hindu representative instead of a Muslim which was ridiculed by a vast majority of people on social media.

It seems, before Airtel erred, HDFC Bank had also mishandled a customer on Twitter. A customer who asked the bank about its policy of making Aadhaar mandatory for opening bank accounts, the company apparently instructed its executive to “do not engage the customer further” and assign if “ranting” continues.

The bank, however, deleted the tweet and apologised later. The bank admitted that the earlier tweet was “inappropriate and inadvertent.”

Bharat Varma, who goes by the Twitter handle @BharatVarma3, in a tweet on June 15, demanded clarification from the bank:

Simple query. Need to open a new savings account. Willing to submit all documents offline. Your website does NOT say Aadhaar is mandatory. It's mentioned as just one ID proof. IS AADHAAR MANDATORY?

HDFC Bank apparently replied, “Hi Bharat, yes, as per our Bank’s internal guidelines, Aadhaar Card or Aadhaar enrolment number is required at the time of opening a account. (Sic)”

In the same tweet by the bank, signed by someone named Anay, an instruction to the 'NS team' was passed, “Post response and do not engage customer further. If ranting, assign.”

Is this your official policy with respect to forcing aadhaar ILLEGALLY on your customers?

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"NS Team: Post response and do not engage customer further. If ranting, assign. -Anay" pic.twitter.com/oIxaWLg2lO

— Bharat Varma (@BharatVarma3) June 18, 2018

The tweet was later deleted, and only a screenshot was posted by Bharat Varma later. Moneycontrol has not seen the tweet.

HDFC Bank, in the same thread, posted another response, “A tweet posted in response to a customer's query earlier was inappropriate and inadvertent. It's a human error which shouldn't have happened. This doesn't reflect the Bank's commitment towards excellent service. We are extremely sorry and sincerely regret this error.” 

A tweet posted in response to a customer's query earlier was inappropriate and inadvertent. It's a human error which shouldn't have happened. This doesn't reflect the Bank's commitment towards excellent service. We are extremely sorry and sincerely regret this error.

— HDFC Bank (@HDFCBank_Cares) June 15, 2018

As per Reserve Bank of India’s rules on KYC, Aadhaar is key to open a full-fledged bank account. However, even without Aadhaar, banks can open a ‘small account’ which have severe restrictions on transactions and are closely monitored to ensure no foreign transactions take place.

Moreover, any change in norms, however, was subject to a final decision by the Supreme Court on matters related to Aadhaar, the banking regulator had clarified. The changes made in circular were not supposed to have an immediate impact.

The hearing on the validity of Aadhaar and its use for linking to various financial schemes and banks has been completed and the judgment is awaited in the Supreme Court.