Banking Local????

[poppy]

This is for everyone reading this thread, the safest place to keep your money and valuables is under my mattress. It is local and I will guarantee you peace of mind and a competitive rate.;-)

 

[30ashopper]

Oh, and don't get me started about the phone rooms in India that Bank of America farmed out customer support to. "Helloooo, my nem ees "Jack", how can I 'elp yew" got to be routine...and this was Bank of America?

Oh, that comment touched a nerve. I tend to keep my checking balance to a minimum, skimming off excess income into other accounts. A few years ago I skimmed off too much and had an online automatic recurring payment kick in where the funds were short. BofA charged me a $20.00 insufficient funds fee! We're talking about a computer program running somplace that fires off a check. It could have simply sent me an email letting me know but instead it charged me a fee as if I had written a bad check!!

I called the bank up ready to raise hell, and was connected to some indian dude in calcutta who started lecturing me on how I should better manage my money! I just kept demanding to speak to supervisor after supervisor until I was finally connected with an American rep., who promptly undid the charge and apologized for my treatment.

(I should add though, that's the only negative experience I've ever had with BofA.)

 

[Beauty hunter]

This is for everyone reading this thread, the safest place to keep your money and valuables is under my mattress. It is local and I will guarantee you peace of mind and a competitive rate.;-)

:funn:

 

[scooterbug44]

Mama Scooterbug spent weeks trying to simply close an account with BofA. She was on the account as the trustee of her mother's estate and wanted to close the account before the end of the year to avoid having to do the taxes/pay a lawyer for another year.

She could never talk to the same person, could never get a straight answer, even told them they could KEEP the money in the account (less than $10) if they just closed the damn thing.

It took her and I over 2 months, 40 phone calls, and 15 emails to get them to do a simple 30 second transaction.....................mainly because noone there gave a sheet.

 

[30ashopper]

Mama Scooterbug spent weeks trying to simply close an account with BofA. She was on the account as the trustee of her mother's estate and wanted to close the account before the end of the year to avoid having to do the taxes/pay a lawyer for another year.

She could never talk to the same person, could never get a straight answer, even told them they could KEEP the money in the account (less than $10) if they just closed the damn thing.

It took her and I over 2 months, 40 phone calls, and 15 emails to get them to do a simple 30 second transaction.....................mainly because noone there gave a sheet.

That's funny cause they didn't seem to have any trouble this spring closing my old BofA gold visa whch I never used, without so much as a letter letting me know. Big banks - they definitely aren't perfect.

 

[LuciferSam]

Just to chime in here. I've dealt with a lot of big institutions online and on the phone, and 99.9% of the time their service is impeccable. I almost always get somebody with excellent communication skills and my issues are addressed extremely efficiently. I'm talking about banks, brokerages, legal departments at insurance companies, and yes, even credit card companies. It's usually the smaller two bit operations I have the problem with because they can't afford the salaries necessary to get good people.

 

[scooterbug44]

I find the opposite to typically be the case. IMO starting out with having to call a different time zone and navigate multiple computerized phone menus is a sure sign that I am about to get very frustrated and spend a lot of time on the phone repeating myself.

There are some big companies that provide good customer service, but I find them to be in the minority. The bigger the company, the less they care about my business - and the less the person I am talking to is paid and given incentives to care about it. Same is true of the government.

Actually prefer getting an Indian person on the phone as they usually speak better and can resolve my issue for me.

 

[LuciferSam]

I find the opposite to typically be the case. IMO starting out with having to call a different time zone and navigate multiple computerized phone menus is a sure sign that I am about to get very frustrated and spend a lot of time on the phone repeating myself.

There are some big companies that provide good customer service, but I find them to be in the minority. The bigger the company, the less they care about my business - and the less the person I am talking to is paid and given incentives to care about it. Same is true of the government.

Actually prefer getting an Indian person on the phone as they usually speak better and can resolve my issue for me.

Maybe I'm just good at that sort of thing?? I know I've had a lot of practice.

 

[GoodWitch58]

Bill Maher on Moving your Money...

Bill Maher Explains Why You Should Move Your Money (VIDEO)

 

[GoodWitch58]

I think its all in what you need from a bank. I'm with 30AShopper - the small local banks just don't offer the kind of online services I need - which is total online everything (bill pay, direct deposit, QB & Quicken compabibility - seamless downloading etc, transfers, and everything automated in the most efficient way for both personal and business banking. A larger bank (such as Wachovia/Wells Fargo) provides a comprehensive range of banking services, but mostly it offers what I need - the local office branches are very tiny and the folks there definitely know me and take care of whatever I need. I've worked with the same folks for several years. They totally go out of their way to provide the services I need. but the main thing is that due to online services I hardly ever have to enter the bank for any reason -which is key for me.

But, I can see how each person has different needs so you just have to go do your research! as in any other kind of financial decision.

Full, reliable online services for both personal and business banking is really necessary for most folks these days I do believe. Many smaller banks may offer online services but they may be limited in ways that really matter to your needs (this is what happened in my case with a local bank). check it all out.

Tootsie, if you ever need another financial institution, or want to change, I highly recommend the local credit union Army Aviation Center on Mack Bayou Rd.
they are open to all of Walton County. Until I moved to South Walton, I had never had a bank account--used credit unions all the time--since there was no convenient credit union when I moved here, I had to open a bank account; but kept my account in the credit union in Tallahassee and once the AA opened a convenient office, I opened an account. They do all the things you listed and more...and they definitely know your name. Rates are usually better too on almost everything.