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Cross-selling Pressure in Telangana Grameena Bank: Privilege Scheme for Underprivileged Customers
Telangana Grameena Bank’s (TGB) focus on cross-selling SBI Life insurance has intensified employee’s stress, particularly in rural branches. Staff report mounting pressure is to market a privilege scheme to underprivileged customers, impacting core services and work-life balance.
Author: Saurav Kumar
Published: October 28, 2024
In Telangana Grameena Bank (TGB), a rising emphasis on Cross-selling third-party products, particularly SBI Life insurance, is causing significant stress among employees, according to a report from an anonymous source within the bank. It is alleged that since April 1, 2024, the bank management has created intense competition of cross-selling among the bank’s eight regional divisions, with rural regions particularly feeling the pressure.
In response to the mounting pressure, both the Telangana Grameena Bank Officers Association (TGBOA) and the Telangana Grameena Bank Employees Union (TGBEU) have expressed concerns and served an agitation notice to the management.
Privilege Scheme for Underprivileged Customers
A member of TGBOA told Kanal, “Of the 427 branches in TGB, 327 serve primarily rural customers, yet SBI Life insurance is aggressively marketed to them. Offering a ‘privilege scheme’ to underprivileged customers is truly unfortunate in these times.”
“Our fundamental, non-negotiable goal is to deliver essential banking services like deposits, advances, and NPA management to our rural clientele effectively. However, the push for cross-selling as a profit strategy is undermining this mission,” the employee added.
Bank employees allege that monthly cross-selling campaigns and login days are leading to frequent evaluations, with some Regional Managers allegedly threatening repercussions for those who fall short. These include poor Confidential Reports (CRs), delayed promotions, unwanted transfers, and restricted leave approvals.
Allegations of cross-selling within SBI-sponsored RRBs have recently surfaced, prompting concerns from a coordinating committee.
Mandatory Login Days
Another TGBOA member said, “Each region holds, on average, two login days per month dedicated to cross-selling, with targets set between Rs. 2 lakh to Rs. 5 lakh in insurance sales. This pressure is gradually undermining TGB's core business and severely impacting employees' work-life balance.”
He further stated, “RRBs were established to serve the rural masses and equip them with a good financial background but regional officers are instructing the Branch Managers (BMs) to target rural people and do insurance forcefully to them.”
“Non-Hyderabad, rural branches are being pushed to prioritise privilege insurance policies on designated login days,” the source revealed. Branch Managers are reportedly under pressure to meet insurance sales targets, which some employees argue contradicts the bank’s mission of serving rural communities.
The intensity of cross-selling has reached such a level that the Andhra Pradesh Grameena Vikas Bank Officers' Association (APGVBOA) and the APGVB Employees Union (APGVBEU) had to protest against the cross-selling pressure through non-cooperation, agitating against login days, and boycotting the sale of third-party products.