Thanks to all of you that responded to my comments yesterday. I learned so much from your points of view that I would not have gotten from my bank's Y2K committee meetings. I plan to incorporate many of your comments into my presentation.

For the writer aksing about how a $1,000 monthly automatic mortgage payment would be handled, this is the best answer I can give you. If your payment is coming out of your checking account at my bank but is being paid to another bank or mortgage company (or whatever), this would take the form of an ACH (automated clearing house) item. (This software has been tested) Very similar to a wire, this item requires the customer to prearrange with bank staff the amount of the monthly transaction, the date of the transaction each month, and the payee. Because your written (paper copy) authorization calls for only the $1,000 payment to this particular payee, we would not be able to honor the incoming request for payment of $1,000,000. (Works on the same theory as a "stop payment order". The item would be returned for "unauthorized transaction") Many other factors and procedures to prevent unauthorized activity would also catch this error but are too detailed to post here. Thanks for bringing up a very good question that will I'm sure be asked at my presentation.

To midwest teller - Thanks again for your comments. While I've never been a teller, I have been a customer service representative. I know just a little how it felt to be left out of decisions that would impact customers, and then have to deal face to face with an angry customer. I know it's little consolation, but I know who customers want to see when they enter the bank, and it's not the bank President, CFO or Operations Officer, it's the teller. As far as your bank's Y2K preparations, as often as possible, bring up conversation casually at lunch breaks, perhaps as the Y2K coordinator passes, whenever. You may be given a little more information than just the usual corporate spill. Hang in there, your experience will be very helpful in any industry - you may find your dream job in 2000!

Thanks everyone for all comments. I wanted to know your views and that's what I got. Hope you'll allow me back after my presentation.

-- y2kproject coordinator (abank@smalltown.usa), March 10, 1999

Answers

Please share the reactions and your further perspectives after your presentation. All best wishes,

-- Watchful (seethesea@msn.com), March 10, 1999.

Project coordinator, please do come back and let us know how it went! You're one of the most fascinating poster to come by here in a long while, and I am encouraged and impressed by your strong ethics and character!

Good luck in your presentation and looking forward to more participation and input from you in the future.

-- Chris (catsy@pond.com), March 10, 1999.