Want to complain to Bank

[ohfrugalone]

I have had it with my bank and want to complain, in writing and hope that it is noticed. I have the name of the branch manager and also the name of the Community Banking District Manager, but not really sure they will care.

Am I wasting my time or will anyone actually care? And, if so, who should I address my letter to (what level, title), and how do I get their name and address.

I am in the process of closing my accounts - before I complain so they can't do anything to my money. My trust level is not high.

My complaint is simply about customer service, and how this teller has driven me away from the accounts I have had for 32 years. I have no overdraft, fee complaints because I always kept enough in the practically zero interest accounts to ever encounter a problem like that.

Any suggestions and sorry if this is too boring of a subject but don't know where to find out.

 

[LOL!]

OK, you want to complain. But what action do you want the bank to take? What do you want the bank to do for you? You need to know that and spell it out in the letter. If you only want to complain, but have no need for any action, then don't waste your time.

 

[ohfrugalone]

I shouldn't complain about a teller who harasses a customer and every time I tell her I am tired of her harassing me, she mocks me. For 3 years!!!! I want some sort of revenge.

 

[LOL!]

Do you want the teller to lose their job? Do you want $1000 deposited into your bank account? If so, you need to put that in the letter. Do you want all the bank tellers to be forced to take sensitivity training and send you proof thereof? Otherwise, whoever reads your letter will simply think, "That's nice. Too bad we lost a customer." And nothing will change because you did not require them to change.

If you want action, you have to specifically request the action you want because the bank managers are not mind readers.

 

[megacorp-firee]

Listen to the previous advice.

If you just want to vent, then go back into the bank, step up to the teller and get abused again. Instead of taking it, start yelling at her at the top of you lungs. Tell her that you are tired of her unprofessional service and that you want to see the manager. In a nice calm voice tell the manager what has been happening and ask that he close your account.

If you want something else, then ask for it.

If you close your account 1st, which is your right, I think that they will pay less attention to you. Unless there is more to this story, I believe that a CLERK does not have the ability to do bad things to your account without paying some dire consequences when discovered.

It sounds like you just want to get your licks in ... consider my suggestions then.
Even the loyal family dog will snap at you if you kick it enough.

It's a shame that a clerk at the bank can make you consider altering the way you live your life. I really believe that you have more clout, if you would choose to use it properly. Just my opinion.

Good luck whatever you decide to do.

by the way, I think this should be posted somewhere other than fire and money

 

[CuppaJoe]

Almost forgot that I did work in bank customer service a lifetime ago. I remember only one written customer complaint. The manager read it to us at a staff meeting. Customer found a potato chip in a letter from one of us. Manager said something like, “it’s not like this customer is complaining she prefers a different brand of chips, she’s really mad about it.” Don’t remember if we were asked not to eat at our desks or just to be more careful about it.

In my experience in writing complaint letters, written letters are taken very seriously. (E-mails are an exception to that rule). The story above is how it goes. The problem is discussed with staff at a meeting, the manager immediately calls the letter writer to discuss it and determines if the customer is satisfied with whatever solution is offered. National headquarters may soon follow up again with the customer.

 

[donheff]

If this teller is really jerking your chain, why not put a small recorder in your pocket and tape the next exchange. Then follow Megacorp's suggestion and demand to see the manager. Simply closing your accounts will probably cheer the teller up.

 

[quietman]

In my experience, there are customer complaints about legitimate problems and there are customer complaints where the customer is likely the problem.

I shouldn't complain about a teller who harasses a customer and every time I tell her I am tired of her harassing me, she mocks me. For 3 years!!!! I want some sort of revenge.

This description gives very little detail to understand what the actual problem is. Does the teller do this to every customer, or just you. What specifically does the teller do or say that harasses you or mocks you.

Without more specific details, this is likely the kind of complaint that gets tossed out without consideration. You might as well complain that you don't like the aura of the place. You need more details and you need specific details. If you do have a more specific complaint and can provide details, you should also be prepared for what you want them to do about it. Would you be satisfied with "Yes, we'll look into it" or would you rather have a confrontation with the teller and the manager. Do you want someone fired, reprimanded, or do you want compensation.

If you are considering the idea of secretly taping your interactions with this teller, you should probably find out what the laws in your state allow. Having your teller complaint turn into a criminal prosecution of you would be a most unsatisfying resolution.

 

[ziggy29]

In my experience, there are customer complaints about legitimate problems and there are customer complaints where the customer is likely the problem.

When particular individuals run into way more than their share of customer service problem, the "problem" is likely them, at least in part.

It's like my wife and I say about disagreeable people in general: If you have a problem with someone, it could be on them. But if you have a problem with everyone, the problem is *you*.

 

[Texas Proud]

I shouldn't complain about a teller who harasses a customer and every time I tell her I am tired of her harassing me, she mocks me. For 3 years!!!! I want some sort of revenge.

Some good posts here... but also a lot of info missing like others have said...

First, how are you telling the teller? Is it a forceful way or just a casual remark? Maybe the teller thinks this is a 'game' you and her (? on gender) play... she might be telling her friends... I always love it when oldfrugalone comes in... I can let my hair down and say what I want... I hassel her and she hassels me... we have been doing this for 3 years... I just LOVE when she comes...


Also, have you ever told the manager? If the answer is no, then that is your fault. If I have a problem with someone, I will see if they will resolve it. If not, I go up the food chain then, not three years later. The manager should take a look at the teller and see if this is a one off, or the way she treats everybody. I would think not because SOMEONE would have told the manager in 3 years.. and she would lose her job quickly...

As for your letter, if you have closed your account before writing it, then there is nothing to be done to try and keep you as a customer... and if nobody else has complained about the teller, then nothing will be done... not to say to you not to write, but that there is nothing they would do except see if the teller is really a problem or not.

 

[Bestwifeever]

We had an active account at Chase and a tiny inactive one at our local bank. When we ER'd we decided to close the Chase acct. as it required direct deposit each month to remain "free" and we liked the local bank anyway. When we went in to close the account, the Chase folks wanted to know why and magically waived that direct deposit requirement. Although we have made the local bank our active bank now, DH uses the Chase account for his double-secret transactions.

My point is, your bank likely does not want you to leave. If you don't want to leave other than running into the teller, talk to someone at the bank. If the teller has a problem with dealing with customers, his/her boss will want to know about it (maybe they have been waiting for some documented concrete complaints to deal with the problem?) and may cause the behavior to be modified or move him/her into some other position in the bank where he/she won't deal with the public.

 

[CuppaJoe]

OP, another option might be to wait in line until another teller is available, just let others go ahead of you. Or is the bank so small that another employee couldn't handle your account?

 

[M Paquette]

I generally start off with a written complaint to the head of the local operation that has annoyed me. That would be the branch manager in this case. Make it a real, old fashioned written letter. Document each contact with the business, in person, or by phone, or by mail. List names, dates, and times.

If there is a financial issue, document it, sending along copies of the documentation with the letter. Make sure you keep a copy of the letter itself, and send it certified mail, with a return receipt. Save the return receipt. This shows when they got the letter, and who signed for it.

If your initial letter gets no response, or an unsatisfactory form letter ("Thank you for contacting us. Not our problem... We trust this information is helpful."), escalate. Write a new letter, and attach copies of the original letter, documentation, and copy of the return receipt. In the letter, document each contact as before. (They'll know you are building a file.) Send the letter to the CEO, retail executive, and branch manager. If this is a financial issue, and this is a national bank (branches in multiple states) also send a copy to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Consumer Assistance Group. You can file this copy on-line. Make sure the CC: in the letter shows all the bank officers it is going to, as well as the OCC if you use them.

Help and Frequently Asked Questions about National Banks from OCC's HelpWithMyBank.gov

This will get your letter into the Executive help system. The OCC involvement will raise the bank's costs substantially, as well as incentivizing them to resolve the issue within the 30 days prior to the OCC status query that they wil be getting.

I have, unfortunately, gotten really good at doing this the past year due to problems settling an estate and trust.

 

[DangerMouse]

I'm just curious as to exactly what she is doing to harass you and mock you? Not doubting what you say, but I wonder if she is aware of what she is doing. She may be one of those who thinks she is being cute or funny without realising how offensive she is to you. Have you ever called her on it when she has mocked you?

 

[ohfrugalone]

Thank you Quietman and Ziggy for pointing out that most likely I am the problem in this situation. Despite the fact that I have had these accounts for 32 years and never complained once in the past except to this particular teller. I did call the Bank Manager today to give them a chance to resolve the issue.

My issue is that this particular teller will never give up on trying to sell me other products. I find it annoying - part of the problem customer syndrome I have, I suppose. I would love to go to another teller, but when I go she is the only teller there, and I seem to be the only customer.

The Bank Manager told me she is doing her job and he will not tell her to stop harassing me. If I do not like it, I can find another bank. The Bank is Wells Fargo.

Oddly enough - this has given me a sense of peace about leaving. I guess I felt that if you know what your options are - you have said you are not interested repeatedly, you have asked her to stop, and she hasn't, then she was being disrespectful and annoying. I didn't want a Wells Fargo credit card - perhaps, I should have been flattered. Yes, I see now the problem is with me.

 

[ohfrugalone]

The mocking part is - when at the end of every transaction I say, "I feel like I am being harassed." She tilts her head to side, says "Ahhhhhhhhhh" and in babyish kind of talk says "I'm sorry." I think you have to see it.

 

[ziggy29]

Thank you Quietman and Ziggy for pointing out that most likely I am the problem in this situation.

I did not point that out at all.

I never even meant to imply it.

You incorrectly inferred it.

I clearly stated that I was speaking about a generality, not about you.

 

[ohfrugalone]

M. Paquette, I couldn't document every transaction - this has been going on for years. And obviously she is doing this per instruction.

 

[CuppaJoe]

I see your point better now, Ohfrugalone. I developed a bad attitude toward a teller years ago when she always tried to train me off the teller line to the ATM machine. I was doubly annoyed because she had a plaque at her station, "employee of the month." Too bad they can't work something out. Seems a small matter that they could stop "spamming" you, so to speak. I still think a formal written letter might make a difference because you are asking them to change a policy. Psst, Chase, CitiBank and Union Bank don't do that.

 

[Sarah in SC]

Dude, change banks. Life is waaay too short to spend as much time focusing on this as you clearly have. Move on, break up the 32 year relationship. You...them...doesn't matter whose fault it is, it just isn't working. At least there are no children.

j/k, of course, but really.

Just close the account and move on down the highway, plenty more banks where that one came from. It is their job at most of these big mammer-jammer banks to sell the crap out of anyone who comes in the door, which is why I do my business at the ATM machine and don't set a leg inside the door. This is something else you should consider doing, at the very least.

Just let it go.

 

[ohfrugalone]

My apologies Ziggy for misreading your post. I thought it was directed at me.

Perhaps I will write a letter. I have actually already opened two checking accounts to take it's place. One at my credit union - everything is free there anyway, including the checks, I don't have to keep $10,000 in the account to not pay a fee. And hey - that is where I get all my loans - no fee to set up my home equity line of credit and 4% interest.

The other checking account I set up with BOA - which has my credit card - they bought out MBNA. I was rather worried when MBNA disappeared - I loved them, but I haven't had a problem and they took care of my problem when my CC number was stolen with great ease - for me, anyway. They are going to pay me $75 to open my
free checking account.

The only reason I thought they might care and work with me was because a friend of mine had worked as a teller in the Northwest a few years ago, and she told me to have a no solication put on my account. But see that only works if your bank manager cares for the customer - and mine doesn't care about at least one customer. Knowing the bank manager cares so little for this customer, makes me really not want to stay there anyway. That is why I think I can let it go now. (It's just I really love their on-line banking website). Oh well.

 

[Sarah in SC]

I guess I would never characterize my relationships with banks in the terms you have, saying you "loved MBNA". That is why I am sort of bewildered by your concerns. It is like Wal-mart. I hate shopping there, so I just don't go. I don't stand around in front with a sign, I just don't go.
Credit unions are as good a place to store money as any, but I don't love PenFed. I really don't love their website, and that creepy yoga guy that is always on my homepage, but I digress.
Good luck finding banking happiness. And please understand that I'm poking a bit of fun, but I really mean no harm with it. I am just really surprised that this has affected you so much and yet you still have banked there.

 

[quietman]

Thank you Quietman and Ziggy for pointing out that most likely I am the problem in this situation.

I did NOT say that the problem was you.

I did say that customer complaints without specific details will fall on deaf ears or be written off so you need to provide specifics.

Now that you have provided some specifics, I can also. I also have accounts at Wells Fargo and they were very aggressive about pushing other products that I wasn't interested in every time I talked to a teller. It wasn't a specific teller, it was every teller, because that's what they have been trained to do. After turning down their suggestions a dozen times, I politely asked them to stop suggesting other products. The teller told me she would take care of it and since then I very rarely get these kinds of suggestions anymore. I assume this means there's a way to put a notation on my account, but I'm not sure what she did, just that the excess marketing stopped. You might ask if they can do something like that.

 

[aaronc879]

Sounds like the teller was just doing their j*b. Big banks like Wells Fargo have to do whatever they can to make money to satisfy their stockholders. So they will hard-sell everyone at any opportunity they have. That's why I do my business with a credit union. They are non-profit. They never try to sell me anything. I've never had a single complaint about my CU and i've been there since I was 16. Everyone I know who uses a bank complains about them. Switch to a Credit Union!

 

[ohfrugalone]

Sarah - I did love MBNA. I was home taking care of my mother when she was dying of pancreatc cancer (home hospice) - and could not get out to pay my credit card bill, didn't have a computer at home - had a PO box. I called them - told them - they said - Don't worry about it. Pay it next month and we will remove the interest and late charges. And they did. I think that is above and beyond on customer service. They were always great in every dealing I had with them. I love that. No hassles, never have to think about changing. Happy!