A 35‑second video that went viral this week has done what no TV commercial could: it showed, in brutal clarity, how one careless moment at a single brand touchpoint can undo years of carefully built reputation.
That short clip showed a man, who was sleeping on the pavement outside AmBank’s Taman Maluri branch, being jolted awake by a woman security guard who then sprayed him with water. Moments later a man, believed to be a cobbler operating nearby, kicked him, hosed him down further and scattered his belongings.
For viewers and the public in general, the finger points at AmBank.
What happened?
The incident unfolded on the walkway outside the bank’s branch, where a homeless man had sought shelter and fallen asleep.
A woman security guard, employed by an external security services company engaged by AmBank, picked up a hose and sprayed water on him, while a second individual with no formal ties to the bank kicked him and continued to douse him to force him away.
The video went viral, sparking public outrage and prompted AmBank to issue an apology, stressing that no one deserves such treatment and that all personnel representing the bank — including vendors and partners — are expected to uphold the highest professional standards.
The unseen power of brand touchpoints
In public relations and marketing, a brand touchpoint is any moment when a person interacts with a brand — whether through its people, processes, physical spaces, or digital channels — and defines what that brand stands for.
These touchpoints can be as obvious as a bank officer serving you at the counter or as subtle as the cleanliness of a stairway, or the toilet, the smiling face of the receptionist, the way a security guard speaks to a passer‑by, or the experience of using the ATM after hours, or the parking facilities, the cleanliness surrounding the premises, and many more.
Brand touchpoints matter because they collectively shape trust, loyalty and reputation, especially in sectors like banking where customers want to feel safe, respected and valued at every interaction.
A single negative encounter at any point in the customer’s journey — be it online, over the phone or at the entrance to a branch — can trigger emotional backlash, social media virality, and even cause people to switch to competing institutions.
Why touchpoints matter more today
Today’s banking environment, or any environment for that matter, is unforgiving. Customers can record, upload and amplify any experience within seconds, turning one interaction into a national story.
Research on banking customer experience shows that more than half of consumers are prepared to switch to another bank after just one bad service episode, which makes consistent, humane touchpoints a strategic necessity rather than a “nice to have”.
At the same time, banks are expected to deliver seamless, integrated experiences across physical branches, mobile apps, contact centres and on‑ground service partners, so any weak link — a rude guard, a neglected pavement, a confusing sign, poor parking facility, a banking hall with no proper air-coditioning — can erode the brand promise built elsewhere.
In this environment, good intentions and corporate statements mean little if daily, real‑world touchpoints do not reflect the values printed in annual reports and advertised in campaigns.
When outsourced services become your face
In the AmBank case, the management clarified that the guard was an employee of an external security provider and that the man kicking the victim was believed to be an independent cobbler, not an employee.
Yet, to the public eye, uniforms, proximity and location made both of them “part of the bank”, because customers rarely distinguish between an employee, a vendor or a licensee when something happens.
This is why vendor management is no longer just about contracts and compliance; it is about curating every human being who represents the brand in any form — from security guards and cleaners to car park attendants and third‑party promoters.
Banks that treat outsourced personnel as fully integrated front‑line ambassadors, with clear codes of conduct, scenario‑based training and ongoing supervision, are far more likely to protect their reputation in moments of stress or ambiguity.
Training for dignity, not just security
Security personnel at banks are trained to protect premises, customers and staff — but they must also be trained to protect the brand’s dignity and humanity. That means knowing how to respond if the person at the door is a vagrant, a person with disabilities, a hawker seeking shelter from the rain, an agitated customer, or even a suspected criminal, always balancing firmness with respect.
Scenario‑based training should cover everyday situations as much as emergencies: how to guide a wheelchair user up a steep ramp, how to speak calmly to someone sleeping on the stairs, how to intervene if another member of the public behaves aggressively, and how to escalate issues without humiliation or violence.
In each of these moments, the guard is not just enforcing rules; the guard is silently broadcasting what the bank believes about people who are poor, distressed or simply inconvenient.
The ‘inhuman’ touchpoints that still speak
Not all touchpoints breathe, but all of them tell a story. Stairs that are smooth, safe and well‑lit, pavements or toilets that are clean, ramps that work in the rain, and clearly marked queuing areas are silent promises of care and order.
Providing umbrellas at the entrance, sheltered walkways, tidy car parks and signages that are readable are small operational details that combine into a powerful narrative of respect for customers’ time, comfort and safety.
Conversely, cracked steps, slippery tiles, dirty toilets, blocked drains, littered pavements and chaotic parking send the opposite message: that customers after they step outside the glass doors are someone else’s problem.
In banking, where trust is fragile and competition intense, these “inhuman” touchpoints can either reinforce the promise of reliability or undermine it before a customer has even entered the premises.
Lessons from Taman Maluri
The Taman Maluri incident has already prompted AmBank to express concern, apologise publicly and pledge cooperation with the authorities to prevent a repeat.
But for the wider business community, the deeper lesson is clear: every person and every object within sight of your logo — from the guard at the front door to the hose on the ground — is part of your brand touchpoint system and must be managed accordingly.
This means banks and other service providers should:
- Map all physical and human touchpoints, including outsourced roles, walkways, stairs, pavements, parking lots and nearby informal traders.
- Embed brand values into vendor contracts, insisting on training, behavioural standards and clear procedures for handling vulnerable individuals and difficult situations.
- Regularly audit both “humane” and “inhumane” touchpoints — people and things — to ensure they reflect the desired reputation, not contradict it.
In the end, the man who was sprayed with water may never open an account at that branch, but millions have already “met” AmBank through his experience.
The true test for banks now is whether they treat this as an isolated embarrassment — or as a wake‑up call to rebuild every touchpoint, human and otherwise, around dignity, empathy and the hard‑won value of a good name.
The views shared are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.