When will bank customers start to object to branch closures and cost-cutting, which are causing a deterioration in the level of service? How much deterioration in services will they stomach without so much as a squeak of protest?

This week, Ulster Bank staff in Northern Ireland joined their colleagues in the Republic in voting for industrial action if the bank proceeds with restructuring plans that would involve job losses and pay cuts.

Bank of Ireland, which has closed a number of branches as part of a programme to shut about one in five outlets, has stopped cashing cheques not drawn on the branch where they are presented. AIB moved in this direction some time ago.

Some banks in the Republic are now categorising nonresident deposit accounts with balances of less than £5,000 (€6,350) for DIRT. Whatever the banks say about service improvements, this is hardly the service their customers want.

The banks are pushing customers towards electronic and telephone banking whether or not that is what the customers want. Soon the only customers welcome in the branches will be those investing tranches of money in life assurance or savings products, or buying advisory or other fee generating products or services.

With the Republic's customers contributing handsomely to their rising profits, the banks would do well to at least try to provide the service they want. Unless customers become more demanding, the banks are likely to continue to make the unilateral changes that are whittling away existing services.