NAB - approaching a bank

There are any number of old fashioned shopping areas in the inner west - the type that are based around a strip of shops along the street, as opposed to a mall or an arcade.

Most of these shopping areas have one or more banks, and some banks are better than others at keeping their premises looking neat and tidy.  In the old days, banks used to build robust, imposing buildings out of stone in order to present an image of solidity and stability - particularly financial strength.  The bankers of old understood the importance of presenting a solid face to those that they were seeking deposits from.

Some modern bankers seem to have forgotten this idea.  In the Five Dock area, there are three bank branches, some mortgage brokers and a credit union.  The NAB is the only financial institution occupying what I would call "old fashioned" or traditional banking premises - check out those columns around the front door.  

The building might be old fashioned, but the management at this establishment don't seem to take much interest in appearances.  Graffiti tags appeared on the front and sides of the building some time ago, and nothing was done about them.

Nothing that is until I rang the general telephone enquiries number for NAB, which I found at this web site, and it happens to be 13 22 65 by the way.  I simply explained to the person that took my call that the bank had been vandalised and the facade needed cleaning up.  I suggested that they contact their building management or property management staff, or the branch manager, and get it fixed.

The front was cleaned or repainted within 2 days.  Not bad going if you ask me for a big lumbering business.  

However, since then, graffiti has re-appeared in the laneway down the side.  Keeping this area clean is a simple matter of the manager walking around the building once every few days - or even just keeping an eye out whilst going out for lunch.  It doesn't take much more than that - except that someone needs to be bothered to spend a few minutes putting in a work request via the appropriate channels, and sometimes that seems to be too much to ask.

Why is it that things like this are not cleaned up until a member of the public complains?

Presumably because those working in the bank think it is somebody else's problem.

I can see that I am going to have to hassle these guys again soon.