By Elysa Chen

IN minutes, Madam Lillian Tan could have drawn cash from the ATM.

However, the 70-year-old retiree prefers going to the teller, because, she said, it is 'safer'.

To beat the long queues, which used to keep her waiting in line for as long as 45 minutes, she turns up at the bank even before it opens at 8.30am.

It is people like her who prefer 'seeing a human face' that are contributing to the longer queues at POSB branches, explained Mr Davy Wee, the bank's managing director of consumer banking.

Madam Tan said: 'Sometimes, the machines make errors. I tried to withdraw $500 once, but the machine only dispensed $50. Luckily, the bank was right there and I could go in and check with the tellers.'

Customers at POSB usually queue five to 10 minutes, but Mr Wee said that during some periods such as Chinese New Year or school holidays, some may be kept waiting in line for as long as an hour.

Mr Davy Wee said: 'Some customers are so close to the staff at the branches that they buy them breakfast and coffee, and drop in to ask counter staff to read letters that their children overseas have written to them, or to help them with their utilities bills. These customers talk to the staff like they are their friends.'

Sheer volume

Other factors contributing to the long queues, said Mr Wee, could be the sheer volume of POSB customers - more than 3.5 million of the population here.

To cope with increasing customer demands, POSB has introduced four new-concept branches where customers use only machines. They will be assisted by staff if they do not know how to use the new machines.

In the new-concept branches, customers are able to deposit cash without a passbook or ATM card. All they need to do is to key in the account number.

They can also deposit cheques and get receipts for those deposits, and withdraw cash using a passbook.

To protect the customer's privacy, a POSB staff member has to verify their details and punch a code into the machine before allowing the customer to withdraw cash using a passbook.

The branches also have AXS machines that allow customers to pay their bills and fines.

Mr Wee hopes customers will take to this 'convenient and hassle-free' banking. He said: 'If they can learn how to use the machines, they will get 24-hour service.'

However, Mr Wee feels that there would be a group of people who would still prefer to stand in queue so that they can be served by a teller.

There also some transactions which can done only at a teller, such as the opening of an account.

This article was first published in The New Paper .