I'm not entirely sure why I haven't been writing as much here lately, but I'm guessing it took something as lame as this to get me started again. I've written in the past about how lousy Commerce Bank's customer service has been at times. It appears that they've cranked up their crapiness again in an effort to either really piss me off or lose me as a customer altogether.
Instance #1: ATMs
The other night Ashlee and I were returning home late from baby-sitting at our friends' house. We knew the next day that our new couch was being delivered, so grabbing some cash out of the ATM was essential. We went to one Commerce Bank ATM and quickly had to leave because it was, "temporarily out of service." So we drove to another nearby ATM. Only, this one was also, "temporarily out of service." We were a bit frustrated at this point, but on the way back home we decided to try ONE more spot. This one had TWO ATMs, surely they were working.
SURPRISE!!! Neither of them were working as they were both, "temporarily out of service." What the hell does that mean? And why were all four that we checked not working? We thought that maybe there was a software upgrade going on, or something that would cause them all to crap out. But even so, it was a Friday night – aka, the beginning of the weekend. You know, when people usually go out. A time when a LOT of said people may be hitting ATMs for cash?
I'm all for upgrading ATMs, or whatever the hell they were doing, but shouldn't you inform your customers that "hey, this weekend you won't be able to access our ATMs due to a system-wide blah-de-blah." On top of that, how about you wave any "foreign ATM" service charges since yours are broken? Naaaaaaaaah.
Instance #2: Online Customer Service
More and more these days, consumers are visiting banks, and bank branches, less and less. It's no surprise, nor coincidence, that online banking is growing rapidly because of this. When a bank moves to the online realm, it's essential that consumers can do most everything online that they could in a branch (save a few exceptions).
A few weeks ago, I received a final bill in the mail for my car (YES, the one I've been paying for since 2000). The final bill said I had to pay the remainder of my loan amount at this time – even though I had 2 months of regular payments left. Knowing that I was on auto-pay, I decided to send Commerce Bank's Online Customer Service a message asking if I really needed to pay the balance now, or wait.
After a few days they finally sent me a return message, which said that I needed to call customer service to find out more. Huh?
Instance #3: MORE Online Customer Service
Ashlee and I have been seeing a trainer at the gym every other week. Each time we go, we have to pay the trainer for their time. This is usually done by check. Like we had done over 10 times before, we wrote a check and gave it to the trainer. The next week, our trainer told us that he lost the check we gave him and that we should cancel it.
No problem, right? I'll just send an email to customer service and get that taken care of. Again, it was several days later when the response came from Commerce Bank. And the response was, "you'll have to call customer service to do that... and it'll cost you $27."
WHAT!?!
First off, I don't really understand WHY it takes 3-4 business days to send me an email that says I have to call someone. Unless they're writing that email 2,000 times a day (which COULD be the case), if they can't actually do something themselves, then why can I contact them online in the first place. Secondly, $27 to cancel a check? Screw off.
Commerce Bank is quickly doing all the right things to make me leave. I'd send this to customer service, but they'd probably want me to call someone.
+ original post date: March 19, 2009 07:34 AM
+ categories: WTF
comments4
(comments rss feed)
My advice is to find a credit union that you're eligible to join. You'll never so much as glance at a regular bank again.
+ author: Average Jane
+ posted: March 19, 2009 07:48 AM
Feel your pain. I just left BoA after 15 years because of similar Three Stooges antics. Plus, they are expert Nickle and dimers.
+ author: Nick Badway
+ posted: March 19, 2009 07:58 AM
You need to find a virtual bank. That's what I use and it's great. If someone writes me a check, I just scan and upload it and it's instantly credited. And if I need to stop payment on a check, I can do it instantly with 3 mouse clicks and a dropdown. In fact I have never hadd to contact customer service because literally everything can be done online.
Also since it's a virtual bank it has no ATMS. So I can use any bank's ATMs, and twice a month they credit my account for all the various ATM fees.
+ author: ScooterJ
+ posted: March 19, 2009 08:24 AM
I have heard good things about USAA, but you have to be part of a cult to get in. (see scoot)
commerce is my bank too. not that it helps, but I only call… I never send emails when i have to figure something out.
+ author: shaun
+ posted: March 19, 2009 09:03 AM
post a comment