I had a query with the bank and called the toll free number where I spoke with someone in the call centre. After describing the situation, I was put through to someone in my branch. The fella explained the process and gave me a time frame within which the matter would have been sorted out.

When I was ending the call, I said to him “and please tell Mr XYZ I said hello”. To my surprise, he said “I am Mr XYZ”. The backstory….

…One day, several years ago, I was transacting business with him when he was a teller. Somehow, as I tend to do, I started to ask him about life and if the job was fulfilling and what he had done before working at the bank. Turns out that he did Art. I urged him to make time for those activities. I think he must have said “no time.” Every time after that when I went in, I would check in with him and remind him about the Art. Then I didn’t see him any more. Asked for him and heard he got a promotion so he was “upstairs”.

….Today he gave me an update on what he had been doing on the side and how he found out what he really liked to do in that area. So a nice coincidence to start my day today. I told him that last time I had to go to a Teller, I asked for him and told her to tell him hello. He said they must have eaten the message because it sure didn’t reach to him.

Moral of the story? Have interactions with random people. Humanize the interaction.