Bank 3, Customer 0

[muckefuck]

For sixteen years, my bank had no problems getting my name right. Then, out of the blue, they misspelled it on my new ATM card. I called them and got some guy overseas who told me he couldn't fix it. After fifteen minutes of wrangling, he told me he had, but I hung up unsure what exactly he had fixed it to. I had to call back after at least 24 hrs. to order a corrected card anyway--and when I did, I found out that he hadn't fixed the error after all. I didn't realise he had introduced a new error until today, when I got my replacement card. The guy I called this morning also told me he couldn't change my name over the phone and I told him I knew he was lying because two other dudes had done just that. In the end, it became clear that the only way I can ever be sure to get this right is to do it in person. Three calls, and I still have to go into a bank branch and watch over every goddamn step.

I didn't get to use my stinging comment--"You know, I bet Washington Mutual could spell my name right!"--but I've got it in reserve. I don't know that I'll follow through--as good as it was to hang up on SBC, I really don't want a repeat of my early problems with RCN--but it might make me feel better to assert my putative freedom of choice. As a consumer in a commercial paradise, it's my only solace.

Oh, somehow I left out of my recent I am an idiot entry that I managed to destroy my original card and my new one when I got a new credit card from my bank and assumed it was the corrected ATM card. (Each card carries both the Visa logo and my bank's.) As a result, I've been without an ATM card for over a week now. Good thing I have no use for money or anything.

Comments

[nibadi.livejournal.com]

Das gleiche Problem hatte ich vor einigen Monaten als ich die Krankenkasse wechselte. Obwohl Groß- und Kleinbuchstaben benutzt wurden, schrieben sie statt "di" "Di". Ich habe angerufen und um Korrektur gebeten und bekam nach 3 Wochen eine identische neue Karte zugeschickt. Weitere Anrufe, Verbindungen mit Abteilungsleitern, angebliche Unmöglichkeit einer Änderung. Ich habe immer wieder stoisch geantwortet, dass keine Krankenkasse das Recht hat, eine Namensänderung vorzunehmen und dass ich eine solche keinesfalls akzeptiere. Über einen Zentralcomputer in Hamburg konnte letzlich der Fehler behoben werden. Was interessiert mich, ob in Hamburg oder Hongkong. Ich will meinen Namen korrekt geschrieben wissen.

Insofern kann ich dich gut verstehen.

[cpratt.livejournal.com]

Not to offer up a shameless commercial solicitation or anything, but First Internet Bank of Indiana [don't laugh] is probably the best deal going. I've been with them for five years and haven't had a single problem yet. Great interest rates, all ATM fees refunded, friendly people. Of course, if you make a lot of deposits in person, they're probably not for you.

[muckefuck.livejournal.com]

ATM fees refunded? That's amazing! How do they make any money?

[cpratt.livejournal.com]

No idea. All I know is that I enjoy not having to worry about using whatever ATM is most convenient... I'll always get the ATM fee refunded at the end of the month. Pretty cool.

The down side is of course that whenever I need to make a deposit [thankfully, this only happens once or twice a year], I need to mail it in. At least the envelopes are prepaid.

[fengshui.livejournal.com]

USAA Federal Savings Bank does this as well. I think they make money because refunding everyone's ATM fees (up to a certain amount per month, $15 in USAA's case) is still substantially cheaper than the expenses of running actual physical branches with tellers and the like.

If you qualify for USAA, I strongly recommend going with them. They rule.

Washington Mutual

[darkphuque.livejournal.com]

I switched from Citibank to Washington Mutual several months ago....better service, no fees (save for atm out of system fees) and I have never had to talk to someone in Delhi to get my banking done.
I don't mind outsourcing too much, save for the fact that they are borderline rude, ineffective, and can't understand American English. If I am doing banking I want to know that my requests are understood and there is positive follow through. If Washington begins referring me to Bombay, I will turn to a credit union.
When the credit union requires me to speak Malay, Hindi, or Chinese, I will begin burying my money in the yard,

Re: Washington Mutual

[muckefuck.livejournal.com]

I have no problem with outsourcing per se. After all, I've never had trouble finding rude, ineffective customer support that can't understand American English in this country. (It took more like a dozen phone calls--all domestic, mostly within Chicago--to get telephone service at my new place.) For all I know, all three guys I talked to were overseas. After all, the worst telephone connexion was with the second one, who turned out to be the most patient and helpful, even though he couldn't solve my problem either.

Re: Washington Mutual

[lil-m-moses.livejournal.com]

I just start with the credit union. Minimal BS, locally run, I know that any fees (and there usually aren't many, if any) are going to making the business stronger and not just lining the pockets of execs, interest rates are usually better for both savings and loans, and they have no stockholders to answer to except their own customers.