Highly Stupid Bill Cap

Sometimes I think HSBC deliberately sets policy just to tick people off.

When I went to get banknotes in preparation for Chinese New Year, I had no problem getting $50s and $20s, but when I asked for $1,500 in $10 bills I was informed that there was a $500 cap per customer. The teller insisted that the only way to get what I needed was to go to the end of the queue and wait to be served at another wicket, then repeat the process a third time.

"That's ridiculous," I said, my brow furrowing, "you're telling me I have to waste my time just to get 150 notes?"

"Sorry, we can only give $500 in new notes."

Plink! The light bulb over my head went on.

"What about almost-new notes?"

"Oh, no problem, we can give you those."

"Fine, they're better for the environment anyway, and frankly I don't think people really care if the bills aren't perfect."

She then counted out a stack of notes that as far as I was concerned were so near new that only close inspection would reveal they weren't. In other words, they were good enough to meet the "new notes for the new year" tradition.

All of which, idiotic policy notwithstanding, begs the question: why didn't the bank instruct its tellers to offer both options from the outset; why take a simple transaction and turn it into an exercise in frustration?

The only answer I can come up with is: because it can.

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