Sunday, December 09, 2007

In Search of Efficiency

Taxes wait for no one and they caught up with us last week. The property tax on our home was due last week and we realized it a few days before the payment deadline. I called the number listed on the tax bill for credit card payments. I had made the payment using our credit card and was done with the transaction in less than 5 minutes. A few days before, we needed to check the balance of Mona's credit card, make payment and transfer funds. Another 5-minute call to Wells Fargo got everything taken care of.

These interactions made us realize how much we miss the high degree of efficiency that is common place in the United States. The other day, I had to transfer funds from an account in one Indian bank to another and we spent half a day visiting the banks, writing checks, filling out complicated deposit forms etc.

Complicated procedures exist here to conduct simple day-to-day activities. These are compounded by difficulty in reaching people and lack of clear instructions.

You eventually get used to the system but occasionally when you are exposed to a highly efficient interaction, you do long for high degrees of efficiency!!!

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