32page

www.groovekorea.com / December 2014 32 the trIp to the BanK CoMMunICatIon Issues Can Be DauntInG — here’s hoW to Get past theM AbOuT ThE WRITER Paul Sharkie is the Foreign Client Relationship Manager for Shinhan Bank’s Foreign Customer Department. Please visit Shinhan Expat Banking on Facebook for more information. The banking information provided in this column is based on Shinhan Bank policies and may not be applicable to all banks in Korea. — Ed. ThE MONEy COLuMN Edited by Matthew Lamers (mattlamers@groovekorea.com) INSIghT Column by Paul Sharkie / Illustration by Darren Farrell Although we cannot arrange a visit to your office for your personal account requirements, what we can do is contact a branch and tell them when you plan to visit and which services you wish to have. A lthough banks in Korea are aware that certain branches require English-speaking staff (among other foreign languages), there will, of course, be branches with only Korean speakers or days when the bilingual teller just happens to be out of the office. Whatever the circumstances, this possibil- ity leaves a potentially stressful situation for both the customer and the Korean-speaking teller as they attempt to provide service in an acceptable amount of time. Of course, the bank staff will always try their best, but such a scenario, if not dealt with appro- priately, can lead to questions such as the following: Dear Shinhan Expat Banking, Do you have an English-speaking consultant who can visit my office to help me open a personal account? I have tried the branch, but no one speaks English there. I would like information on your current accounts, savings options and credit cards. — Hold my money (name withheld)