MOHAMED ZAHRAN
COLOMBO ; A leading local development bank*, recently announced the launch of its much-publicised Blue Bond, proudly claiming to be the first Sri Lankan bank to issue one. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) Country Director for Sri Lanka, Takafumi Kadono, also emphasized the importance of a strategic and sustainable approach to developing the nation’s blue economy — highlighting the need for investment, regulation, and proper branding to harness Sri Lanka’s rich maritime potential.
Curious to know more, I contacted the bank’s call centre — only to find that the lady who answered was completely clueless about the so-called “Blue Bond.” She promised to check and revert, but days have passed without a response.
My next step was to search the bank’s official website — no information there either. Even the bank’s chatbot turned out to be unresponsive.
Finally, I visited a nearby branch to make inquiries in person. Shockingly, even the staff at the counter had never heard of it and referred me to a manager upstairs. The lady manager too was unaware until she contacted another outlet (perhaps the Treasury Department at Head Office) to obtain the details.
It is surprising — and disappointing — that a bank announcing a national first of such importance has not taken the basic step of briefing its staff. I sincerely urge the management to ensure all employees are properly informed before any major product launch, so that customers’ queries are handled knowledgeably and professionally.
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