Thursday, January 14, 2010

Customer Service??

I closed my checking account today. I had some some mixed feelings because I’ve a good experience with Chase (or so I thought). But, the reasons I opened the account no longer applied and over the last six months all that account balance has done is get smaller as it was chiseled away by fees.

Decision finally made, I head to my local branch. Shouldn’t take more than five minutes, unless there’s a line, right? HA! I walked in to the branch at 11:45 a.m., happy to note the lack of a line, bounced up to the teller and asked to close my account. But, you can’t do that at the teller window, you have to wait to speak with a personal banker, even if you have a basic account with a little bit of money in it. Fine.


I, less than graciously, made my way across the lobby to wait for about ten minutes before I was ushered in to a personal banker’s cube; where she promptly took a phone call. Yes, after sitting in the lobby for ten minutes for “my” turn, I was left cooling my heels while she talked to someone else on the phone. {Irritation level rising.} After she concluded her call, I explained I wanted to close my account and referenced the fees. She started typing into her computer and asked why I was paying fees. Huh? Apparently, if I had used my debit card at least five times a month the fees would have been waived.

News to me. Her response to my confusion was to list all the reasons why my not knowing was my fault. I should have come in to the branch more often, I should have asked, I should have interacted with a personal banker on a regular basis, etc. Really?!? It’s MY fault you didn’t share the account features available to me?! Irritation became aggravation.

I asked if she was offering to rebate some of the fees. Nope, okay then, I repeated that I wanted to close the account. She started typing again and then said “Oh, I see you have a mortgage with us.” Yes. “Well, then you’re entitled to a free premium checking account with your mortgage.” FULL STOP. WHAT? Again, my fault for not knowing this was available to me. I pointed out that perhaps the origination of the mortgage might have triggered some sort of action on their part, but no, it’s my fault because I didn’t talk directly to the loan officer or come in to the bank. {Silly me, closing in a title company office.} I’m now DONE with this woman and with Chase. I pointed out that we could argue the point all day and get no where so concluded our business, she walked me over to the original teller who gave me my $190.21.

I walked out at 12:05 p.m. angry and feeling ripped off. In twenty minutes Chase took a happy customer reluctantly closing an account and turned me in to an angry, frustrated ex-customer who felt ripped off. Nicely done, Chase.

And by the way, you owe me $204. $6 a month from the origination of my mortgage to the day I closed my account.

P.S. Just in case you wondered, it’s not outside the realm of possibility that a bank would take the initiative to contact their customers. Wachovia called me last month to make sure I was aware of a new feature available to me on the joint accounts my brother and I have to handle the mortgage and other household expense. SHOCKING!

2 comments:

Bee said...

Incredible!

I had a problem with them a couple of months ago because they didn't register my deposit. When I finally got everything straightened out, the manager told me that it was because my husband wrote his 8s like 9s and I responded "no, maybe the cashier should have verified the name she was depositing out check to. Isn't that bank teller 101?"

I wrote a letter to corporate and got a $25 gift card.

Anonymous said...

if you make a little more "noise" you could get some of your fees back. The person who originally opened the account should have linked the mortgage to your checking. If the first person you speak to doesn't give that answer, try again. You're still a "paying customer" with your mortgage.