Post by skipWhat can you do?
So start looking around for new browser or new bank that you can work
with.
I'd look for a new bank. Being an ex-employee of CBA, I would highly
recommend all customers to leave them. I used to bank with them but
the day I quit, I changed banks. Here are my Top 5 reasons why I both
quit CBA and closed by accounts:
1) IF YOU DON'T HAVE $20k, YOU'RE NOT IMPORTANT
CUSTOMER: "Hello, my employer didn't pay me properly and direct debits
came out and I have become overdrawn. I've now been charged the $35
fee. This is the first time I've done this and I've been a customer
for 20 years. Can you please reverse it?"
CBA: "Was it a bank error?"
CUSTOMER "No. It was my employers fault."
CBA "Sorry then the fee will stand."
CUSTOMER "But my employer won't pay for it. Look, this is the first
time this has ever happened to me"
CBA "Yes, but was it a bank error?"
** A reversal will only be considered if you have over $20 000 in
savings with the bank. Then you are considered an important customer.
2) IGNORANCE IS BLISS
Get this one a lot? "Are you happy with your current credit card
limit?". All staff are required to hit targets of new products. This
includes trying to get customers to apply for Credit Cards and Personal
Loans. Even if that customer is unemployed or is always overdrawn or
just not financially in a position for instant debt. The line CBA
takes is "you don't know that this is all the money they have." I saw
far too many unemployed and financially screwed customers given loans
and credit cards and then unable to pay them back. No surprise so why
suggest it in the first place? Because staff are forced to suggest it
or they get put on notice.
Interesting fact. A staff member cannot have a staff credit card where
the limit is more than a month's wage. Whereas some customer's limits
can be over 3-4 months worth of wages.
3) THEY RELY ON CUSTOMER LAZINESS
You know how they are always trying to force you to open another
account? Well, apart from staff targets, the bank believes that the
more accounts you have with them, the less chance there is that you
will leave them because it would be too much of a hassle. This is not
a 'guess' by me. We were briefed to do this and that was the reason
given.
4) YOUR TIME IS NOT IMPORTANT TO THEM
If you call up their 13 2221 help line, the staff have to meet a target
of (average) 2 mins 14 secs per call. It was not rare that if an
enquiry could be fixed in 10 minutes that the customer would be sent to
the branch instead, even if they could be helped over the phone. This
is because if your call took too long, the staff member's average would
go up and they faced being put on notice. You see, customer service
has a time limit.
The flip side, no call should take less than 30 seconds. Call them up
and ask what time branches open. Listen to them stall.
5) SHOP AROUND!
If you pay the $5 monthly fee to get a certain amount of transactions
you're paying too much!!!!! Shop around. You don't have to pay fees
just to have a statement account. Example, I've been with ANZ for
almost two years and have only paid 50c in fees so far. I don't even
have a loan with them. It all depends if you're prepared to slightly
change your banking habits. The sad reality is, if you accept the
fees, they'll just increase them in time.
CBA are probably not the worst bank around but if you're not happy with
them, LEAVE. Bitching and moaning to them will change nothing. If you
were to complain to McDonalds and say their burgers tasted like crap
but continued to buy them, why would they change anything? Same
applies with banks.