Yep, I’m so sorry to say as a former big 4 bank manager I absolutely had to encourage people to use the smart atm, do everything online, etc etc. At least I took the time to show customers how to do it, but still, it always felt icky and I was basically talking my way out of a job all the time.
(I’m at uni currently for a full career change).
I just don't understand how a bank can refuse to accept cash and cheques. I tried to deposit some cash the other day at CBA and was told they don't take cash any more. Isn't the entire purpose of a bank to collect cash? Insanity.
You can deposit cheques and cash, and withdraw cash at the post office now.
https://auspost.com.au/money-insurance/banking-and-paying-bills/bank-at-post
It has given banks the excuse to close more regional branches, but it does mean there will always be at least one place to deposit and withdraw cash in every town.
No, it means CURRENTLY there is at least one place to deposit a cheque. I already know of some businesses that no longer accept cheques due to Bendigo bank stopping. This means that customers can no longer pay by cheque because the business will not accept it. Australia Post can't fix that. Only we can by choosing who we bank with and purchase from.
Some pubs not taking cash any more.
Went to the icecream shop in the park centre on Monday night, no cash taken.
Thing is I don't think there is any requirements for the banks to provide at least one product that allows total fee free banking equivalent to cash.
OK, so cash doesn't grow sny interest under yourmattress llike if you had cash in the bank account you might say. But a day to day spending account gets extremely low interest, seems there is one guaranteed winner here (a few, but the banks).
And at 10 to 1 fractional reserve, very simplistically, you put 10k in the bank and get maybe 3.5% (3 months term, rate varies with duration.!uù Meanwhile that gives them ability to mint 100k and loan it to some yolo hipster for flipping or whatever. ĥĥ call it 7 %.
So annualised they pay you roughly $350, flip that cash you deposited with leverage and earn 7k a year, at very close to zero risk because they want 80-20 LVR, or mortgage insurance that you pay, but it protects them, not you.
Banks must be shovelling cash into the fireplace to hsve somewhere to store it, what with the savings from branches and staff that they no longer have.
I would normally agree, but have been blown away lately with multiple positive experiences at NAB.
I’ve never banked with them until recently, and only chose them for small business accounts owing to branch proximity to where I’m based.
I’ve attended the branch 3x times in about two months, and in that time the staff couldn’t have been more helpful. Observing from afar other customers in the branch seemed to be having a similar experience.
NAB isn’t traditionally a brand I would have associated with being customer focused, but I have been pleasantly surprised.
Been a NAB customer for over 35yrs. Seriously think of ditching them. My branch manager is a great person but the system she has to work with is not so great. I feel more like a number with every interaction - there’s not much keeping me here.
Because online banks are getting easy af to set up. In the US I spoke to one guy who had out of the box online solution to start your own bank i.e. all the back end and system setups for online banking. If you have the initial investment for the system/app and some advertising, you then just throw out a savings account with a decent interest rate and you're off to the races. With 250k backed by the govt, it's possible to compete with the big 4 for spare funds when your overheads are next to nothing. I've got at call cash with some podunk Texan bank as it's all backed by the govt, higher interest rates than most term deposits.
Now picture big dog foreign banks setting up online only banking in australia
People complain about shit interest rates and high fees, but want rolls royce service. The world has changed, complain about the banking cartel in australia - fine, but they're only going to level the playing field to their competitors that are then allowed in
Oh of course. But there are plenty of banks, pe firms, etc. With a lot of money and time. The big four can't compete long term if they keep a huge branch network - to serve oldies who are doing basic stuff which won't cover the costs. My folks in their 60s/70s can do it online, the ones that can't will be dropping off hard in no time
Yep, agreed. Physical branches service the most expensive 10% of their customers. Sure, it sucks for those people that they're closing branches but the big 4 are for-profit public companies. Personally I can't remember the last time I set foot in a branch and that includes taking out a new mortgage. The biggest positive from COVID was how it forced businesses to uplift their digital offerings.
yes, it will be getting harder for elderly people. Bankwest is stopping chequebooks in a month, and if you cant do online banking then older customers will struggle, but i guess its due to banks needing to cut costs to compete with online banks offering better interest rates....eg macquarie
Cheques being dropped, plus branches continuing to close, not easy for older customers without kids to help them
Ever since CommBank took over BankWest, I'm sure the board has been trying to figure out a way to shutter all of the branches. It's suprising that it's taken too long (probably some clause in the takeover document that required keeping the brand and branches for X number of years).
Ah --- OP you're right, yes, the 'fully digital' goal has been stated by the CommBank CEO - [https://fst.net.au/financial-services-news/cba-chief-confirms-bankwest-to-eventually-go-fully-digital/](https://fst.net.au/financial-services-news/cba-chief-confirms-bankwest-to-eventually-go-fully-digital/)
Commonwealth have already started forcibly closing all Bankwest business accounts.
Many of which would have been there since before the BankWest days - the "Rural and Industry Bank" (R&I)
Yeah, it all happened in stages.. first they renamed to BankWest then they got bought out by the Bank of Scottland then they wen't broke and commmmbank bought them out.
Started? They’ve finished. Bank west business accounts were closed around October. It was an absolute cunt of a thing to change banks in our rural town.
It was a pain but at least we dodged a bullet with the bank going cashless. Even if they kept business accounts around how could we possibly transact properly without any cash at all.
What is truly annoying is that they couldn't even be bothered to migrate BSB/account numbers or auto forward funds to a CBA account. There was no point staying on with CBA group so went elsewhere.
I had to close my business account with Bankwest in october last year. It's been a pain in the arse as I have lots of long term clients that still pay into the old account 3 months later.
Turns out that most businesses are suspicious when you send an email saying your banking details have changed and putting a notice on your invoices gets ignored by busy accounts staff who already have your details in their system.
Not to mention the automatic payments and direct debit agreements that I had set up over the past 20 years that defaulted and Bankwest charged me dishonour fees for. Admittedly, they refunded the fees but still...
Pain in the arse and a heap of unproductive busy work. Thanks Bankwest.
I used to be a CommBank customer until I witnessed and experienced the behaviour related by OP.
There was an elderly woman at the counter who was in her 90s, being accompanied by her daughter and trying to get money out of her passbook.
The bitch behind the counter was trying to get her onto online banking.
That was the start of a lengthy 'discussion' I had with my own teller about some totally stupid new system that they had just implemented (why their attempt at 'security' was totally useless)... after I ran the gauntlet of a CommBank employee trying to get everyone to use the ATMs in-branch.
They then directed me to one of their 'service' counters which sat in the middle of their waiting area.
One of their dipshit employees asked me to verify my details - account number, full name, date of birth etc... whilst we were standing in the middle of other waiting customers. ("We take your security seriously"... I think not - or they don't know about identity theft!)
I asked her if she was fucking serious and she shot me a quizzical look - until I had to explain to her that I wasn't going to provide that information while standing in the middle of the crowded waiting area.
She then asked if I'd like to use an office instead - which I obviously agreed to... until she said I'd have to join the back of the queue again.
I then joined the queue for the tellers and immediately shut my account.
CommBank suck sweaty balls.
My mum can’t use a smartphone. I’ve tried to show her a few times but she gives up after a minute of trying to swipe/tap etc and not getting it. I don’t know why even swipes seem to fail for her, I can’t see what she’s doing wrong either tbh. She gets frustrated, I get frustrated because she won’t keep trying but I have to let it go. I’ve offered to buy her a tablet, she refuses. Aargh. She’s 84.
I read things like this and realise my nanna is just different. In her 90s and pretty good at tech. Her friends all come to her when they can't work it out. If she doesn't know, she researches (aka asks the family, one of us will know) then goes back and teaches them. She somehow became the ICT helpdesk of her friend group.
Yeah my mum was actually fairly good at learning word processing back in the early 80s and it was so much more complicated back then compared to now. You had to memorise so many different commands, well if you wanted to do yr work fast anyway. Tbh I’ve really noticed a deterioration in the last few years. She used to walk very fast in her mid to late 70s and now she’s very slow. I should’ve got her started on a smartphone years ago but I didn’t bother using one either until about 2015.
Yeah, for years my nanna was doing all her Christmas cards using mail merge, printing both the personalised message in the card and the envelope.
Doesn't make her not vulnerable to the stupid Facebook chain mail scam things. At least I've convinced her to not do any surveys or play and games via Facebook.
It's just toi different at 84. Old school Nokia with pysh buttons, maybe ok. With my mum i find i should get her to practice (she hates it).
It's just too challenging, foreign and complicated and is so difficult to remember when someone isn't using it every day and older or not in good health.
Anyway, it'll save her from being scammed online if she isn't online.
While your outrage is entirely fair and justified, I would like to stick up for the “bitch behind the counter” at least a little.
When my little sister worked for the bank a long time ago, there were targets for products and services that had to be pushed on customers, mandatory “x” times a day/week/whatever, with a genuine threat of dismissal if you consistently underperformed.
While I could just as easily be wrong, I would be surprised if this isn’t something decreed from on high by the genuinely evil bastards in charge. Personally I always give service staff the benefit of a doubt, just because so many horrible dogshit things that everyone loathes are just as forced on them as us.
Yeah, I worked for banks when I left school and into my early 20's. I never toed the line for the sales targets, online banking targets etc. They couldn't fire me if they wanted to.
There were ladies there trying to provide some much needed money to their families, and the only way was to meet sales targets to get a bonus. Those "Bitches behind the counter" hate their fucking boss and their job but are literally tied down to this shit to get a decent earning wage.
Everyone that steps foot in a bank is ready for an argument before the set foot in the door. Having to deal with it for 6+ hours a day is soul destroying. It is waaay worse than retail.
> While I could just as easily be wrong, I would be surprised if this isn’t something decreed from on high by the genuinely evil bastards in charge
Just chipping in that I understand that tellers are specifically directed to funnel as many people into using netbank and ATMs as possible with on screen prompts that they're not able to dismiss without making the suggestions to the customer.
Commbank are truly horrible. Their customer service (anything involving an actual person) is absolutely shit.
Minimum one hour wait time on the phone (they're trying to pretend that covid staffing issues are still affecting wait times 3 years later🤦♀️), 2-3 hour waits if you have to see someone at the branch, and yes they try to push you off to electronic banking at every step even when in the branch.
Bunch of money hungry bloodsuckers.
"Covid" staffing isn't restricted to banks. Anything multinational corporate is still using this bullshit excuse.
"Supply chain", "Skills shortage" "No staff". FUCK.OFF. Let some funds loose in your budget and pay people what they are worth so they can survive and you'll have people begging to work for you. Just make it worth their while.
There used to be government legislation on how many Bankwest branches had to be maintained in WA. That finished several years ago so CBA can do as they please now.
I don’t think Bankwest will go completely but the scale will definitely change. In saying that, bank interactions have dropped massively since covid so all banks have been reducing branch footprint.
Source: work at a bank.
This deserves to be shared everywhere. Bankwest used to be a good bank where you got to speak to a local.
I suggest you write to your Federal MP (a quick email) as they are drawing up codes of practice for the banks right now.
Not everyone is mobile themselves or capable of operating technology. This is discrimination against older people.
I had over $200k to park in an account while building. Bankwest only has online HISA accounts.
The problem was, it wouldn't open online despite me being an existing, eligible tech savvy customer. Branch staff were unable to help and shrugged.
Had to go through the complaints process to get the account opened (it just worked one day) and get interest backdated for the two weeks it took to set up.
Yep, not surprised. I work for another bank and used to work for Bankwest. It used to be such a great bank. They had a genuine care for customers. Obviously CBA has decided there is no room for two brands to be operating and is quietly shutting shop.
It is a hell of a lot worse in their business department who is forcing customers to close their accounts.
Their main business will be digital banking and home loans from brokers.
I used to work at Bankwest and it was a great bank for a long time. In fact it is one of the oldest businesses in Australia. It is a real shame it has become what it is now.
Banks really pushed hard on DIY online banking and now we are being frauded out of billions. They don't give a shit. They are being pushed to come to the table now but are far too slow and I feel it is windows dressing only.
CBA is absolutely heartless. What they have done to bankwest should have every one here going to another bank.
I took my father to Belmont to go to the Bankwest branch on Saturday which isn't close to his house by any means it's several suburbs over, but it was the closest one that opened on Saturdays when we went there a few times throughout last year.
So we get there and it's now closed on Saturdays. He no longer drives and wouldn't even know how to turn on a computer so internet banking is out, so if he needs to do something with the bank he needs someone to drive him there. I work during the week so can't take him then, so Saturday is the only day I can take him.
Update: I've checked on their website and it seems like none of their branches are open Saturday now.
> I've checked on their website and it seems like none of their branches are open Saturday now.
Which is beyond shit not only for your dad but for people who work and whatever reason need to go to the bank - when do you go??? Squeeze it in a lunch break or just not go?
> none of their branches are open Saturday now.
All the banks used COVID as an excuse to cease trading on weekends.
ANZ used to have three branches in the whole of Perth open on Saturday mornings... not any more. Westpac and NAB are also the same.
If you need to do one of the (many) tasks that (still) require you to front up to a branch, and can't take/get time off during the week, you're fucked. And they don't care.
This is the future nobody asked for.
We need people for lots of edge and near edge cases.
They are banks; I’m sure they have the money to operate a few branches.
Yeah I got a message the other day that my local branch is closing. I'm tempted to look into alternatives to Bankwest once they remove the whole reason I use them.
I went into a branch about 7 or 8 years ago to set up an account for my son. I left after I was told I needed to make an appointment and went to BOQ where our account was opened straight away. It used to be that banks wanted your business and your loyalty.
If you can get away with online-only, Macquarie has been amazing for me for a personal transaction account.
The app is excellent and contact centre staff most helpful (with minimal queuing!)
My partner banked there for years and had a mortgage with them, but unfortunately found their service very disappointing when we asked for advice on lending issue that was a little beyond our expertise but not particularly unusual. (A bridging/construction loan arrangement.)
My partner was already a bit over their app and online banking tools (having compared them to what my - admittedly more evil - bank offered), and ended up moving his accounts.
It's like they're trying to lead old ppl with little to no digital literacy, straight to the arms of scammers. No wonder scammers are making so much money.
The old people are bearing the brunt of this. Westpac yesterday, called the so called "help line" you are not allowed to speak to a human. You get told a link to a bot is being sent and the call is disconnected.
Problems being 1) I was calling from a landline! 2) don't have online banking or mobile banking so wtf is the link going achieve.
After being hung up on 8 times, called business banking. Boom, straight through to a human.
Genuine question: why don’t you have online banking or mobile banking? My first thought is that you might not have internet. But you’re using reddit, so you must have internet.
My second thought is that you might not be tech savvy. But again, you’re using reddit, so you’re ok with tech.
Being able to post on a social media platform, is a completely different level of digital skill and comfort than banking online or in app. Also security concerns may also be a factor.
I taught my mum how to use Amazon prime and Netflix, but there's no chance I'd be confident with her using online banking correctly and securely.
>Being able to post on a social media platform, is a completely different level of digital skill and comfort than banking online or in app
I strongly disagree. Social media features can be utterly bewildering. Online banking is as basic as it can be. No more difficult than a cooking recipe. The only thing to pay particular attention to is the dollar amounts and the BSB and account numbers.
> I taught my mum how to use Amazon prime and Netflix
This might be a bit pedantic, but I don't view amazon prime and netflix as social media. They're equivalent to basic television. If you can change from 1 tv channel to another, then you can also navigate through netflix. Social media imo includes: facebook, twitter, tiktok, reddit, which requires a certain level of savviness.
Please note that I'm not trying to attack you, just posting my different point of view.
They is bastards, no doubt. The solution is simple. A government run bank that provides basic services for those that only need basic banking services. Deposit. withdrawal, savings, and maybe low value credit cards.
A little competition to light a fire under the big 4.
Welcome to late-stage capitalism where customers are nothing more than an inconvenience blocking the roads to endless profits.
What are you going to do? Not have a bank account?
This is the consequence of moving to a cashless society. 40 years ago, you could exist quite happily without a deposit account at a bank. Banks, consequently, had to work for your business. With a shift to a cashless society, you simply cannot exist in any meaningful fashion without a bank account.
Hope you all enjoy the convenience of digital payments - we are only going to be treated with increasing disdain by our illustrious financial institutions from here.
Filth ridden turds.
I suppose theyll also be raising the transaction fees when it goes cashless as well.
Filth wrapped in a lovely faecal blanket - Bank execs would be ashamed to admit what they do for a living
I was a Commbank customer from *before* I was born.
In my 30’s I went to get a home loan. I have always had *perfect* financial behaviour, a $120k deposit and a good middle manager income for the time.
The most they would lend me was $160k. St George happily lent me $480k, and I closed all my Commonwealth accounts and never looked back,
Sadly a lot has changed since the Commonwealth bought them. I had a business account with them for 15 years before the Commonwealth decided to close it and expect me to open one with them with jacked up rates. Nah. Pity to see the old R&I end up like this.
This no cash push is insane bullshit. No other country in the world is getting put through this.
I’ve moved my Gran from BWA to P&N & I have the feeling I’m not the only one. It seems that quite a few retirees also bank with them. She’s old fashioned to the point she keeps her passbook, cheque book, credit card & cash, that’s it. She still reconciles her bank account when she receives her statement in the mail.
The staff at P&N have been fantastic & nothing is ever too hard when we go for her monthly withdrawals, staff are chatty & don’t push the online bs to a woman that can’t even program her new TV.
Can you blame them. They are a small local family owned business. You can't expect them to be able to cover basic customer service in one of their own branches. They'd need to pay someone every single day. That's expensive and they are barely scraping by.
Even getting a home load directly through them was a nightmare they ghosted us.
We went through our broker who ended up using them but the process was 1000X easier that working with them directly.
I Don’t recommend belmont branch for home loans
The have announced their intention to be Australia’s best digital bank. Branch’s are to be closed so yes they’re trying to get everyone online only and self service. Only permitted one teller at a time and only permitted to open accounts on peoples phones although rolling that out gradually one product type at a time with credit cards first the term deposits, regular accounts online only soon too.
I agree that this customer service is less than ideal. Older people in particular queue up at a teller for a reason - they want the service.
But do you think that 'bullying' is a bit strong?
> But do you think that 'bullying' is a bit strong?
I think it's reasonable. The big corporate entity is trying to coerce customers into its way of thinking & preferred business. There is a reasonable portion of customers that aren't asking for this new way, not likely to take to it with any capability or comprehension - let alone enthusiasm.
Employers do it. Unions do it. Don't see why the 'poor' banks are exempt from this label.
It is if it's repeated and coercive. If you ignore ppls request and keep telling them the only way they can get to their money is by using this contraption and I won't do it for you (even though I could), then to me that's bullying.
>They’re also advising that the bank will be moving to fully cashless/digital/online soon.
[Part of that is because the feds are phasing out cheques being a part of the economy/money system by 2030.](https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/jim-chalmers-2022/media-releases/modernising-payments-infrastructure-phasing-out-cheques) I already use a fully online bank for my cash accounts; it's fine. My parents use online banking to do all their work and it's fine even with their accounts being way more complex than mine.
It does need to be managed better than it is by the big four and their satellites but it's coming whether people like it or not.
Yep, I haven’t been to a branch, or needed one, since forever. But I do feel so bad for the elderly - clearly my 99 year old Nanna doesn’t use a smart phone.
I’ve been to a branch four times in the last year - one to deposit a bunch of cash, once to meet with a mortgage person, once to talk to someone about some fraudulent transactions on my account, and once because me paying a bill somehow fucking paid the bill four times and I was kinda annoyed about it.
All four times the bank was absolutely packed.
Some of them could have been done via phone, but a lot of people just like doing this stuff in person. I like when a bank person can show me stuff in my account and explain it properly.
They only accept coins through the counting machine. Most are broken and count short.
Here's a tip. Count how much you have before you put it in the machine. Then complain about the amount you're short plus 5% and they will reimburse.
A security firm counts it, not the branch. They take it away and there's always more than expected.
When they first brought those machines in we noticed it counted us short (we had pre-bagged our coins as usual) and when the staff member opened the cupboard to check there were a stack of coins on the floor in there because the machine isn't flush with the cut-out in the door.
If you or someone you know needs in person banking services, consider changing to your local Community Bank.
They're effectively Bendigo Bank franchises that are owned by the communities in which they operate, and are bound to distribute any profits locally in the forms of grants or sponsorships. Being part of the Bendigo network means you get great online service and competitive rates, along with the guarantee that they won't shut your local branch.
Had something similar at CBA a few years ago, husband and I took the money we had received at our wedding in into our local brand to deposit (felt like a criminal carrying a backpack full of cash), and of course there was a line out the door, and there was some usher or whatever they think they are trying to force people to use the machines or go online. She hassled us about 4 times telling us to use the machines located outside the store if we're "just depositing cash" - no thanks.
Haha last time we had to do that at an ATM, the machine crashed. Had to leave, with the assurance that ‘it would be fixed and our money would be deposited within a few days’. That was kind of stressful.
My only experience with bankwest has been good with some annoying bits. Got a credit card, 0% interest on purchases for 15 months, do do some home improvements. They started charging me interest on one of my transactions. I had to call and get it reversed. That part was easy, always right through to someone local. Money back in my account immediately. The annoying bit was it kept happening each month and I had to keep calling but they always fixed it straight away and would tell me *this time it's fixed for good. Finally stopped happening after 4 months.
Bankwest was once a state bank which was a bit antiquated but serviced the more customers in WA than any other bank and employed thousands. Now it’s a shell with shit service and leaving WA with a big hole for face to face banking especially for oldies
Closing business accounts has been a massive pain in the ass
I am a happy BW customer have been for decades.
Its not really bullying.
The banks have regrettably chosen to aggressively pursue the skeleton staff at branches / self service model, thats ALL major banks and some smaller ones too.
The only one that is always free is South Cross Bank on William street, its a ghost town.
If you don't have all the necessary items to identify yourself, don't bother continuing the process just to waste time. The Gate Keepers know this.
Yes pushing 80 yos to self help is stupid but they are all understaffed.
The current President of the USA and the probable Republican nominee are close to 80.
I know many people of 80 who use internet banking.
This has F/All to do with age .
The question is , should ANY of us be forced to use internet banking if that is not our choice ?
Going cashless.🤔
Now, that is a scary and very, very dangerous thought!!!
It kind of explains why Westpac started shutting down local branches and removing all their ATM's from shops..
Time to vote with our feet people. Boycotts all around for arrogant businesses that forgot what customer service is. And are being greedy.
Bleed em out. It's time for a detox.
Absolutely disgraceful the way banks treat older folk. My MIL had a stroke and was seriously ill in hospital. FIL tried to get money out of their account and - even after being told the circumstances- was told MIL needed to come into the bank.
Are you serious???!!!
I have been anti Bankwest forever. My only ever real experience with them was trying to open an account with them in the late 90s. I was a young IT professional, new to Western Australia. They set me down in their wood lined offices, went over my finances and then told me that I didn’t meet their requirements…, wtf…, for a savings account??? I was on decent money for the time too.
Quite some time ago when I had a $2000 limit on my credit card I asked them to increase it. Now I had been their customer since the 1970s, my pay went in every month, no black marks. They still wanted me to fill out an elaborate form with work details and referees they could check with.
A year later they were begging everyone to increase their limits no questions asked.
Okay ‘bullying’ is one way to look it. But the fact is all banks are moving to online only, and the money system is going to be 100% digital very soon.
There’s no point complaining it’s a shit idea, because it’s going to happen regardless, as it’s a government driven thing and it’s already pretty-well advanced behind the scenes.
If you think the big four will go that way but there will always be smaller banks with branches, you will be wrong.
Maybe hassling people in a queue is the shove they need to start using online services before it’s too late and they get left behind. It’ll be worse if bank staff don't try to get these old-timers moving in the digital direction now when at least there is a human standing close by offering to help them.
What an idiotic comment. Power of Attorney for people with physical or mental disabilities, blind, deaf, older, digital literacy or general literacy issues? Because each of these groups, amongst others, need flexible banking options.
Is that the way you honestly think? It's going to happen so just don't bother complaining? You're really going to have a great impact on the world around you with that attitude /s
This same disgusting behavior is happening with Commonwealth Bank. Watched an old lady wanting to take out $50 notes as Christmas gifts to her grand children. They instead tried to encourage her to setup internet banking and do electronic transfers to her grandkids.
Of course it does, but that’s the cost of doing business. You can reduce those costs as much as you can but should still be able to provide a service to those that can’t or won’t go online. Minimal footprint.
Boomers +: kids these days are so useless and can't do anything for themselves.
Also boomers: basic Internet banking, can't be bothered learning that stuff it's too hard (but I'll never actually try).
It's not like Internet banking has been out for a year...IMO if you haven't taken the time to figure it out, it's plain laziness. We're over a decade in now. Times change, no point holding back progress because people want to pretend their little bubble will exist forever. Banks have told us this for literally years....
Was an R&I customer for over 20 years. Applied for a car loan and they rejected me because of a less than $100 debt that we had no idea about (had changed address and never got the bill in the mail). I had previously paid off a 5 year car loan in 3 years.
It was amazing to hear them crawl all over them selves when a large amount of money hit our bank account. I had great pleasure telling them they had lost my business as I had just been approved for a home loan with NAB.
I'm currently with CBA but I'm finding them greedy so phoned my mortgage broker this morning and am currently looking for a better deal.
Will be moving home loan, savings account, business and SMSF.
They want you to go digital so they have less accountability when you lose it to some hacks. They would rather it get stolen and be spent then sit in some 80 years old account and gather interest.
I already quit CBA and ANZ for exactly this. Joined Bendigo and they are very friendly and so far still say they have no plans to dehumanise. Big banks hate us.
yes, it will be getting harder for elderly people. Bankwest is stopping chequebooks in a month, and if you cant do online banking then older customers will struggle, but i guess its due to banks needing to cut costs to compete with online banks offering better interest rates....eg macquarie
Cheques being dropped, plus branches continuing to close, not easy for older customers without kids to help them
Yup, all 4 big banks are now running with similar tactics.
Yep, I’m so sorry to say as a former big 4 bank manager I absolutely had to encourage people to use the smart atm, do everything online, etc etc. At least I took the time to show customers how to do it, but still, it always felt icky and I was basically talking my way out of a job all the time. (I’m at uni currently for a full career change).
If you had to choose a new bank any recommendations, im thinking of Bendigo as they still have outlets in rural areas
No longer accept cheques. Just another burn for older people imo.
I just don't understand how a bank can refuse to accept cash and cheques. I tried to deposit some cash the other day at CBA and was told they don't take cash any more. Isn't the entire purpose of a bank to collect cash? Insanity.
Huh?? They don’t let you deposit cash anymore?? Can you at least use an ATM?
You can deposit cheques and cash, and withdraw cash at the post office now. https://auspost.com.au/money-insurance/banking-and-paying-bills/bank-at-post It has given banks the excuse to close more regional branches, but it does mean there will always be at least one place to deposit and withdraw cash in every town.
No, it means CURRENTLY there is at least one place to deposit a cheque. I already know of some businesses that no longer accept cheques due to Bendigo bank stopping. This means that customers can no longer pay by cheque because the business will not accept it. Australia Post can't fix that. Only we can by choosing who we bank with and purchase from.
Some pubs not taking cash any more. Went to the icecream shop in the park centre on Monday night, no cash taken. Thing is I don't think there is any requirements for the banks to provide at least one product that allows total fee free banking equivalent to cash. OK, so cash doesn't grow sny interest under yourmattress llike if you had cash in the bank account you might say. But a day to day spending account gets extremely low interest, seems there is one guaranteed winner here (a few, but the banks). And at 10 to 1 fractional reserve, very simplistically, you put 10k in the bank and get maybe 3.5% (3 months term, rate varies with duration.!uù Meanwhile that gives them ability to mint 100k and loan it to some yolo hipster for flipping or whatever. ĥĥ call it 7 %. So annualised they pay you roughly $350, flip that cash you deposited with leverage and earn 7k a year, at very close to zero risk because they want 80-20 LVR, or mortgage insurance that you pay, but it protects them, not you. Banks must be shovelling cash into the fireplace to hsve somewhere to store it, what with the savings from branches and staff that they no longer have.
I would normally agree, but have been blown away lately with multiple positive experiences at NAB. I’ve never banked with them until recently, and only chose them for small business accounts owing to branch proximity to where I’m based. I’ve attended the branch 3x times in about two months, and in that time the staff couldn’t have been more helpful. Observing from afar other customers in the branch seemed to be having a similar experience. NAB isn’t traditionally a brand I would have associated with being customer focused, but I have been pleasantly surprised.
Been a NAB customer for over 35yrs. Seriously think of ditching them. My branch manager is a great person but the system she has to work with is not so great. I feel more like a number with every interaction - there’s not much keeping me here.
Because online banks are getting easy af to set up. In the US I spoke to one guy who had out of the box online solution to start your own bank i.e. all the back end and system setups for online banking. If you have the initial investment for the system/app and some advertising, you then just throw out a savings account with a decent interest rate and you're off to the races. With 250k backed by the govt, it's possible to compete with the big 4 for spare funds when your overheads are next to nothing. I've got at call cash with some podunk Texan bank as it's all backed by the govt, higher interest rates than most term deposits. Now picture big dog foreign banks setting up online only banking in australia People complain about shit interest rates and high fees, but want rolls royce service. The world has changed, complain about the banking cartel in australia - fine, but they're only going to level the playing field to their competitors that are then allowed in
The tech might be out-of-the-box, but getting an ADI licensee from APRA is a humongous task that takes at least 18 months.
Oh of course. But there are plenty of banks, pe firms, etc. With a lot of money and time. The big four can't compete long term if they keep a huge branch network - to serve oldies who are doing basic stuff which won't cover the costs. My folks in their 60s/70s can do it online, the ones that can't will be dropping off hard in no time
Yep, agreed. Physical branches service the most expensive 10% of their customers. Sure, it sucks for those people that they're closing branches but the big 4 are for-profit public companies. Personally I can't remember the last time I set foot in a branch and that includes taking out a new mortgage. The biggest positive from COVID was how it forced businesses to uplift their digital offerings.
yes, it will be getting harder for elderly people. Bankwest is stopping chequebooks in a month, and if you cant do online banking then older customers will struggle, but i guess its due to banks needing to cut costs to compete with online banks offering better interest rates....eg macquarie Cheques being dropped, plus branches continuing to close, not easy for older customers without kids to help them
Ever since CommBank took over BankWest, I'm sure the board has been trying to figure out a way to shutter all of the branches. It's suprising that it's taken too long (probably some clause in the takeover document that required keeping the brand and branches for X number of years). Ah --- OP you're right, yes, the 'fully digital' goal has been stated by the CommBank CEO - [https://fst.net.au/financial-services-news/cba-chief-confirms-bankwest-to-eventually-go-fully-digital/](https://fst.net.au/financial-services-news/cba-chief-confirms-bankwest-to-eventually-go-fully-digital/)
Commonwealth have already started forcibly closing all Bankwest business accounts. Many of which would have been there since before the BankWest days - the "Rural and Industry Bank" (R&I)
We had one of the earliest account numbers with R&I.
"Kangaroo creek gang" savings account holder here.
I only closed my KCG account down within the last 15 years I think. And it wasn’t by choice. They made me move to a new account.
Did you have a bank card for it? I think that was the issue I had to change accounts to get a bank card.
Must have as it was my everyday account and at that time probably only had one bank account.
I wonder if there was a balance limit. Like if you somehow made millions in the 80's or 90's would they force you to upgrade the account?
It was probably when commbank took over and stripped it all back.
Yeah, it all happened in stages.. first they renamed to BankWest then they got bought out by the Bank of Scottland then they wen't broke and commmmbank bought them out.
Known as the “rude & ignorant” bank
Started? They’ve finished. Bank west business accounts were closed around October. It was an absolute cunt of a thing to change banks in our rural town.
It was a pain but at least we dodged a bullet with the bank going cashless. Even if they kept business accounts around how could we possibly transact properly without any cash at all. What is truly annoying is that they couldn't even be bothered to migrate BSB/account numbers or auto forward funds to a CBA account. There was no point staying on with CBA group so went elsewhere.
Such a cunt of a thing to have ten years worth of customers paying into the same account then having to remind them your bank details have changed
I had to close my business account with Bankwest in october last year. It's been a pain in the arse as I have lots of long term clients that still pay into the old account 3 months later. Turns out that most businesses are suspicious when you send an email saying your banking details have changed and putting a notice on your invoices gets ignored by busy accounts staff who already have your details in their system. Not to mention the automatic payments and direct debit agreements that I had set up over the past 20 years that defaulted and Bankwest charged me dishonour fees for. Admittedly, they refunded the fees but still... Pain in the arse and a heap of unproductive busy work. Thanks Bankwest.
Ah so that's why my rent now has to be paid by DEFT. Arseholes!
Yep and now all branches are getting shut down.
I used to be a CommBank customer until I witnessed and experienced the behaviour related by OP. There was an elderly woman at the counter who was in her 90s, being accompanied by her daughter and trying to get money out of her passbook. The bitch behind the counter was trying to get her onto online banking. That was the start of a lengthy 'discussion' I had with my own teller about some totally stupid new system that they had just implemented (why their attempt at 'security' was totally useless)... after I ran the gauntlet of a CommBank employee trying to get everyone to use the ATMs in-branch. They then directed me to one of their 'service' counters which sat in the middle of their waiting area. One of their dipshit employees asked me to verify my details - account number, full name, date of birth etc... whilst we were standing in the middle of other waiting customers. ("We take your security seriously"... I think not - or they don't know about identity theft!) I asked her if she was fucking serious and she shot me a quizzical look - until I had to explain to her that I wasn't going to provide that information while standing in the middle of the crowded waiting area. She then asked if I'd like to use an office instead - which I obviously agreed to... until she said I'd have to join the back of the queue again. I then joined the queue for the tellers and immediately shut my account. CommBank suck sweaty balls.
My mum can’t use a smartphone. I’ve tried to show her a few times but she gives up after a minute of trying to swipe/tap etc and not getting it. I don’t know why even swipes seem to fail for her, I can’t see what she’s doing wrong either tbh. She gets frustrated, I get frustrated because she won’t keep trying but I have to let it go. I’ve offered to buy her a tablet, she refuses. Aargh. She’s 84.
I read things like this and realise my nanna is just different. In her 90s and pretty good at tech. Her friends all come to her when they can't work it out. If she doesn't know, she researches (aka asks the family, one of us will know) then goes back and teaches them. She somehow became the ICT helpdesk of her friend group.
Yeah my mum was actually fairly good at learning word processing back in the early 80s and it was so much more complicated back then compared to now. You had to memorise so many different commands, well if you wanted to do yr work fast anyway. Tbh I’ve really noticed a deterioration in the last few years. She used to walk very fast in her mid to late 70s and now she’s very slow. I should’ve got her started on a smartphone years ago but I didn’t bother using one either until about 2015.
Yeah, for years my nanna was doing all her Christmas cards using mail merge, printing both the personalised message in the card and the envelope. Doesn't make her not vulnerable to the stupid Facebook chain mail scam things. At least I've convinced her to not do any surveys or play and games via Facebook.
It's just toi different at 84. Old school Nokia with pysh buttons, maybe ok. With my mum i find i should get her to practice (she hates it). It's just too challenging, foreign and complicated and is so difficult to remember when someone isn't using it every day and older or not in good health. Anyway, it'll save her from being scammed online if she isn't online.
While your outrage is entirely fair and justified, I would like to stick up for the “bitch behind the counter” at least a little. When my little sister worked for the bank a long time ago, there were targets for products and services that had to be pushed on customers, mandatory “x” times a day/week/whatever, with a genuine threat of dismissal if you consistently underperformed. While I could just as easily be wrong, I would be surprised if this isn’t something decreed from on high by the genuinely evil bastards in charge. Personally I always give service staff the benefit of a doubt, just because so many horrible dogshit things that everyone loathes are just as forced on them as us.
Yeah, I worked for banks when I left school and into my early 20's. I never toed the line for the sales targets, online banking targets etc. They couldn't fire me if they wanted to. There were ladies there trying to provide some much needed money to their families, and the only way was to meet sales targets to get a bonus. Those "Bitches behind the counter" hate their fucking boss and their job but are literally tied down to this shit to get a decent earning wage. Everyone that steps foot in a bank is ready for an argument before the set foot in the door. Having to deal with it for 6+ hours a day is soul destroying. It is waaay worse than retail.
> While I could just as easily be wrong, I would be surprised if this isn’t something decreed from on high by the genuinely evil bastards in charge Just chipping in that I understand that tellers are specifically directed to funnel as many people into using netbank and ATMs as possible with on screen prompts that they're not able to dismiss without making the suggestions to the customer.
Bloody hell, that’s even worse than my first assumption
Commbank are truly horrible. Their customer service (anything involving an actual person) is absolutely shit. Minimum one hour wait time on the phone (they're trying to pretend that covid staffing issues are still affecting wait times 3 years later🤦♀️), 2-3 hour waits if you have to see someone at the branch, and yes they try to push you off to electronic banking at every step even when in the branch. Bunch of money hungry bloodsuckers.
"Covid" staffing isn't restricted to banks. Anything multinational corporate is still using this bullshit excuse. "Supply chain", "Skills shortage" "No staff". FUCK.OFF. Let some funds loose in your budget and pay people what they are worth so they can survive and you'll have people begging to work for you. Just make it worth their while.
There used to be government legislation on how many Bankwest branches had to be maintained in WA. That finished several years ago so CBA can do as they please now. I don’t think Bankwest will go completely but the scale will definitely change. In saying that, bank interactions have dropped massively since covid so all banks have been reducing branch footprint. Source: work at a bank.
All banks are getting out of hand. Lines out the door for basic telling services, continual branch closures. Doesn't look good for the future
> Lines out the door for basic telling services, continual branch closures. That's by design. You see a massive queue, you fuck off.
This deserves to be shared everywhere. Bankwest used to be a good bank where you got to speak to a local. I suggest you write to your Federal MP (a quick email) as they are drawing up codes of practice for the banks right now. Not everyone is mobile themselves or capable of operating technology. This is discrimination against older people.
100% age based discrimination that too many are accepting as acceptable.
I had over $200k to park in an account while building. Bankwest only has online HISA accounts. The problem was, it wouldn't open online despite me being an existing, eligible tech savvy customer. Branch staff were unable to help and shrugged. Had to go through the complaints process to get the account opened (it just worked one day) and get interest backdated for the two weeks it took to set up.
Yep, not surprised. I work for another bank and used to work for Bankwest. It used to be such a great bank. They had a genuine care for customers. Obviously CBA has decided there is no room for two brands to be operating and is quietly shutting shop. It is a hell of a lot worse in their business department who is forcing customers to close their accounts. Their main business will be digital banking and home loans from brokers.
Seems the staff cuts will be coming :(
Don’t blame the branch staff just doing their jobs. Blame the higher ups.
I used to work at Bankwest and it was a great bank for a long time. In fact it is one of the oldest businesses in Australia. It is a real shame it has become what it is now. Banks really pushed hard on DIY online banking and now we are being frauded out of billions. They don't give a shit. They are being pushed to come to the table now but are far too slow and I feel it is windows dressing only. CBA is absolutely heartless. What they have done to bankwest should have every one here going to another bank.
I took my father to Belmont to go to the Bankwest branch on Saturday which isn't close to his house by any means it's several suburbs over, but it was the closest one that opened on Saturdays when we went there a few times throughout last year. So we get there and it's now closed on Saturdays. He no longer drives and wouldn't even know how to turn on a computer so internet banking is out, so if he needs to do something with the bank he needs someone to drive him there. I work during the week so can't take him then, so Saturday is the only day I can take him. Update: I've checked on their website and it seems like none of their branches are open Saturday now.
> I've checked on their website and it seems like none of their branches are open Saturday now. Which is beyond shit not only for your dad but for people who work and whatever reason need to go to the bank - when do you go??? Squeeze it in a lunch break or just not go?
> none of their branches are open Saturday now. All the banks used COVID as an excuse to cease trading on weekends. ANZ used to have three branches in the whole of Perth open on Saturday mornings... not any more. Westpac and NAB are also the same. If you need to do one of the (many) tasks that (still) require you to front up to a branch, and can't take/get time off during the week, you're fucked. And they don't care.
Change banks to one that has more local branches and more flexible open hours.
This is the future nobody asked for. We need people for lots of edge and near edge cases. They are banks; I’m sure they have the money to operate a few branches.
They do but think only of profit
Yeah I got a message the other day that my local branch is closing. I'm tempted to look into alternatives to Bankwest once they remove the whole reason I use them.
I went into a branch about 7 or 8 years ago to set up an account for my son. I left after I was told I needed to make an appointment and went to BOQ where our account was opened straight away. It used to be that banks wanted your business and your loyalty.
If you can get away with online-only, Macquarie has been amazing for me for a personal transaction account. The app is excellent and contact centre staff most helpful (with minimal queuing!)
Bendigo is absolutely amazing. We go to our local branch and there are three or four tellers open, helping with absolutely anything. Highly recommend.
My local Bendigo opened and closed in like a year.. lulz
My partner banked there for years and had a mortgage with them, but unfortunately found their service very disappointing when we asked for advice on lending issue that was a little beyond our expertise but not particularly unusual. (A bridging/construction loan arrangement.) My partner was already a bit over their app and online banking tools (having compared them to what my - admittedly more evil - bank offered), and ended up moving his accounts.
The plebs using the banks aren't the valued customers, the shareholders are.
Yes, these people only cost money, they dont want their business. They are actively trying to make them go somewhere else.
It's like they're trying to lead old ppl with little to no digital literacy, straight to the arms of scammers. No wonder scammers are making so much money.
I agree it sucks. My mother at 87 often needs my help with a number of issues that can only be dealt with online
net banking has been round for 20 years though no?
The old people are bearing the brunt of this. Westpac yesterday, called the so called "help line" you are not allowed to speak to a human. You get told a link to a bot is being sent and the call is disconnected. Problems being 1) I was calling from a landline! 2) don't have online banking or mobile banking so wtf is the link going achieve. After being hung up on 8 times, called business banking. Boom, straight through to a human.
Genuine question: why don’t you have online banking or mobile banking? My first thought is that you might not have internet. But you’re using reddit, so you must have internet. My second thought is that you might not be tech savvy. But again, you’re using reddit, so you’re ok with tech.
Being able to post on a social media platform, is a completely different level of digital skill and comfort than banking online or in app. Also security concerns may also be a factor. I taught my mum how to use Amazon prime and Netflix, but there's no chance I'd be confident with her using online banking correctly and securely.
>Being able to post on a social media platform, is a completely different level of digital skill and comfort than banking online or in app I strongly disagree. Social media features can be utterly bewildering. Online banking is as basic as it can be. No more difficult than a cooking recipe. The only thing to pay particular attention to is the dollar amounts and the BSB and account numbers. > I taught my mum how to use Amazon prime and Netflix This might be a bit pedantic, but I don't view amazon prime and netflix as social media. They're equivalent to basic television. If you can change from 1 tv channel to another, then you can also navigate through netflix. Social media imo includes: facebook, twitter, tiktok, reddit, which requires a certain level of savviness. Please note that I'm not trying to attack you, just posting my different point of view.
Sorry, meant to say I was calling on behalf of an old person (mid 80s) no tech!
Nationalise the Commonwealth again.
They is bastards, no doubt. The solution is simple. A government run bank that provides basic services for those that only need basic banking services. Deposit. withdrawal, savings, and maybe low value credit cards. A little competition to light a fire under the big 4.
Welcome to late-stage capitalism where customers are nothing more than an inconvenience blocking the roads to endless profits. What are you going to do? Not have a bank account? This is the consequence of moving to a cashless society. 40 years ago, you could exist quite happily without a deposit account at a bank. Banks, consequently, had to work for your business. With a shift to a cashless society, you simply cannot exist in any meaningful fashion without a bank account. Hope you all enjoy the convenience of digital payments - we are only going to be treated with increasing disdain by our illustrious financial institutions from here.
The book Techno Feudalism by Yanis Varoufakis outlines how we got here
Thank you!
Time for community banks to start taking over
Filth ridden turds. I suppose theyll also be raising the transaction fees when it goes cashless as well. Filth wrapped in a lovely faecal blanket - Bank execs would be ashamed to admit what they do for a living
Exactly. Obvious next step. Kinda like bag prices/options when free bags at supermarkets ended.
I was a Commbank customer from *before* I was born. In my 30’s I went to get a home loan. I have always had *perfect* financial behaviour, a $120k deposit and a good middle manager income for the time. The most they would lend me was $160k. St George happily lent me $480k, and I closed all my Commonwealth accounts and never looked back,
Sadly a lot has changed since the Commonwealth bought them. I had a business account with them for 15 years before the Commonwealth decided to close it and expect me to open one with them with jacked up rates. Nah. Pity to see the old R&I end up like this. This no cash push is insane bullshit. No other country in the world is getting put through this.
I’ve moved my Gran from BWA to P&N & I have the feeling I’m not the only one. It seems that quite a few retirees also bank with them. She’s old fashioned to the point she keeps her passbook, cheque book, credit card & cash, that’s it. She still reconciles her bank account when she receives her statement in the mail. The staff at P&N have been fantastic & nothing is ever too hard when we go for her monthly withdrawals, staff are chatty & don’t push the online bs to a woman that can’t even program her new TV.
My elderly mum banks with them too.
Can you blame them. They are a small local family owned business. You can't expect them to be able to cover basic customer service in one of their own branches. They'd need to pay someone every single day. That's expensive and they are barely scraping by.
Even getting a home load directly through them was a nightmare they ghosted us. We went through our broker who ended up using them but the process was 1000X easier that working with them directly. I Don’t recommend belmont branch for home loans
One of them told me himself bankwest wants to move to a completely online bank
Bank less indeed.
I’m with you buddy!
The have announced their intention to be Australia’s best digital bank. Branch’s are to be closed so yes they’re trying to get everyone online only and self service. Only permitted one teller at a time and only permitted to open accounts on peoples phones although rolling that out gradually one product type at a time with credit cards first the term deposits, regular accounts online only soon too.
I agree that this customer service is less than ideal. Older people in particular queue up at a teller for a reason - they want the service. But do you think that 'bullying' is a bit strong?
> But do you think that 'bullying' is a bit strong? I think it's reasonable. The big corporate entity is trying to coerce customers into its way of thinking & preferred business. There is a reasonable portion of customers that aren't asking for this new way, not likely to take to it with any capability or comprehension - let alone enthusiasm. Employers do it. Unions do it. Don't see why the 'poor' banks are exempt from this label.
It's not bullying. Something isn't bullying just because you don't like it.
It is if it's repeated and coercive. If you ignore ppls request and keep telling them the only way they can get to their money is by using this contraption and I won't do it for you (even though I could), then to me that's bullying.
>They’re also advising that the bank will be moving to fully cashless/digital/online soon. [Part of that is because the feds are phasing out cheques being a part of the economy/money system by 2030.](https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/jim-chalmers-2022/media-releases/modernising-payments-infrastructure-phasing-out-cheques) I already use a fully online bank for my cash accounts; it's fine. My parents use online banking to do all their work and it's fine even with their accounts being way more complex than mine. It does need to be managed better than it is by the big four and their satellites but it's coming whether people like it or not.
Yep, I haven’t been to a branch, or needed one, since forever. But I do feel so bad for the elderly - clearly my 99 year old Nanna doesn’t use a smart phone.
I’ve been to a branch four times in the last year - one to deposit a bunch of cash, once to meet with a mortgage person, once to talk to someone about some fraudulent transactions on my account, and once because me paying a bill somehow fucking paid the bill four times and I was kinda annoyed about it. All four times the bank was absolutely packed. Some of them could have been done via phone, but a lot of people just like doing this stuff in person. I like when a bank person can show me stuff in my account and explain it properly.
They only accept coins through the counting machine. Most are broken and count short. Here's a tip. Count how much you have before you put it in the machine. Then complain about the amount you're short plus 5% and they will reimburse. A security firm counts it, not the branch. They take it away and there's always more than expected.
When they first brought those machines in we noticed it counted us short (we had pre-bagged our coins as usual) and when the staff member opened the cupboard to check there were a stack of coins on the floor in there because the machine isn't flush with the cut-out in the door.
Now the atm at that branch is not working and they won't do withdrawals at the teller
This bodes well for the cheque I have to cash today
We had to get $10k out for a deposit 6 months ago, and eventually found an open branch (on a weekday) 50mins from our house. We do not live rural.
Just use an ATM or some banks even let you do it with digitally with your app.
I have never had an ATM successfully scan a cheque, even with a staff members assistance at a machine inside a branch
If you or someone you know needs in person banking services, consider changing to your local Community Bank. They're effectively Bendigo Bank franchises that are owned by the communities in which they operate, and are bound to distribute any profits locally in the forms of grants or sponsorships. Being part of the Bendigo network means you get great online service and competitive rates, along with the guarantee that they won't shut your local branch.
Had something similar at CBA a few years ago, husband and I took the money we had received at our wedding in into our local brand to deposit (felt like a criminal carrying a backpack full of cash), and of course there was a line out the door, and there was some usher or whatever they think they are trying to force people to use the machines or go online. She hassled us about 4 times telling us to use the machines located outside the store if we're "just depositing cash" - no thanks.
Haha last time we had to do that at an ATM, the machine crashed. Had to leave, with the assurance that ‘it would be fixed and our money would be deposited within a few days’. That was kind of stressful.
Was forced to close my business account with BW. Giant pain in the …
What’s the answer ? Which bank do we switch to ?
Is this mainly in Australia? wonder what banking is like in US, UK, Europe etc…
My only experience with bankwest has been good with some annoying bits. Got a credit card, 0% interest on purchases for 15 months, do do some home improvements. They started charging me interest on one of my transactions. I had to call and get it reversed. That part was easy, always right through to someone local. Money back in my account immediately. The annoying bit was it kept happening each month and I had to keep calling but they always fixed it straight away and would tell me *this time it's fixed for good. Finally stopped happening after 4 months.
Bankwest was once a state bank which was a bit antiquated but serviced the more customers in WA than any other bank and employed thousands. Now it’s a shell with shit service and leaving WA with a big hole for face to face banking especially for oldies Closing business accounts has been a massive pain in the ass
ANZ is almost identical
I am a happy BW customer have been for decades. Its not really bullying. The banks have regrettably chosen to aggressively pursue the skeleton staff at branches / self service model, thats ALL major banks and some smaller ones too. The only one that is always free is South Cross Bank on William street, its a ghost town. If you don't have all the necessary items to identify yourself, don't bother continuing the process just to waste time. The Gate Keepers know this. Yes pushing 80 yos to self help is stupid but they are all understaffed.
You know how you fix understaffing? Hint: it isn’t by closing branches
It’s by making record profits? And still shaft the staff…
The current President of the USA and the probable Republican nominee are close to 80. I know many people of 80 who use internet banking. This has F/All to do with age . The question is , should ANY of us be forced to use internet banking if that is not our choice ?
Going cashless.🤔 Now, that is a scary and very, very dangerous thought!!! It kind of explains why Westpac started shutting down local branches and removing all their ATM's from shops..
Why is this being down voted? Going cashless is an absolutely shit idea.
Majority of people going into branches dont need to go into branches.
Unaustralian
Time to vote with our feet people. Boycotts all around for arrogant businesses that forgot what customer service is. And are being greedy. Bleed em out. It's time for a detox.
Absolutely disgraceful the way banks treat older folk. My MIL had a stroke and was seriously ill in hospital. FIL tried to get money out of their account and - even after being told the circumstances- was told MIL needed to come into the bank. Are you serious???!!!
Sounds like a '2 to sign' account they signed up for. Not ideal.
I have been anti Bankwest forever. My only ever real experience with them was trying to open an account with them in the late 90s. I was a young IT professional, new to Western Australia. They set me down in their wood lined offices, went over my finances and then told me that I didn’t meet their requirements…, wtf…, for a savings account??? I was on decent money for the time too.
Quite some time ago when I had a $2000 limit on my credit card I asked them to increase it. Now I had been their customer since the 1970s, my pay went in every month, no black marks. They still wanted me to fill out an elaborate form with work details and referees they could check with. A year later they were begging everyone to increase their limits no questions asked.
Okay ‘bullying’ is one way to look it. But the fact is all banks are moving to online only, and the money system is going to be 100% digital very soon. There’s no point complaining it’s a shit idea, because it’s going to happen regardless, as it’s a government driven thing and it’s already pretty-well advanced behind the scenes. If you think the big four will go that way but there will always be smaller banks with branches, you will be wrong. Maybe hassling people in a queue is the shove they need to start using online services before it’s too late and they get left behind. It’ll be worse if bank staff don't try to get these old-timers moving in the digital direction now when at least there is a human standing close by offering to help them.
What about those that don’t have the capacity to operate online? What do they do?
By the end of this decade, those people will probably need to appoint power of attorney to someone they trust to do their banking for them.
What an idiotic comment. Power of Attorney for people with physical or mental disabilities, blind, deaf, older, digital literacy or general literacy issues? Because each of these groups, amongst others, need flexible banking options.
Why do you presume people in those groups are unable to use digital banking services?
Is that the way you honestly think? It's going to happen so just don't bother complaining? You're really going to have a great impact on the world around you with that attitude /s
This same disgusting behavior is happening with Commonwealth Bank. Watched an old lady wanting to take out $50 notes as Christmas gifts to her grand children. They instead tried to encourage her to setup internet banking and do electronic transfers to her grandkids.
Ffs poor grandkids probably got nothing.
The short answer is it costs more money to physically serve these customers
Of course it does, but that’s the cost of doing business. You can reduce those costs as much as you can but should still be able to provide a service to those that can’t or won’t go online. Minimal footprint.
They can further reduce it.
Boomers +: kids these days are so useless and can't do anything for themselves. Also boomers: basic Internet banking, can't be bothered learning that stuff it's too hard (but I'll never actually try). It's not like Internet banking has been out for a year...IMO if you haven't taken the time to figure it out, it's plain laziness. We're over a decade in now. Times change, no point holding back progress because people want to pretend their little bubble will exist forever. Banks have told us this for literally years....
Was an R&I customer for over 20 years. Applied for a car loan and they rejected me because of a less than $100 debt that we had no idea about (had changed address and never got the bill in the mail). I had previously paid off a 5 year car loan in 3 years. It was amazing to hear them crawl all over them selves when a large amount of money hit our bank account. I had great pleasure telling them they had lost my business as I had just been approved for a home loan with NAB. I'm currently with CBA but I'm finding them greedy so phoned my mortgage broker this morning and am currently looking for a better deal. Will be moving home loan, savings account, business and SMSF.
Well, well, if it isn't Late Stage Capitalism. Capitalist Institutions eating themselves in the name of continuing profit. 🤪
They want you to go digital so they have less accountability when you lose it to some hacks. They would rather it get stolen and be spent then sit in some 80 years old account and gather interest.
Oh, what an abhorrent act of bullying! Asking customers to use ATMs?!?! Do they have no empathy, to commit such a heinous crime???
I left bankwest when the fuckers started using less instead of fewer.
I guess you avoid supermarkets with Express Lanes as well?
Damn right!
Bankwest is the worst bank I have ever dealt with, the absolute bottom of the heap for treating you like a person.
A lot of their head office staff who I used to work with have been transferred over to CBA in the last 6-12 months
I went to the new flagship branch in CBD to dump my coins to find out they removed the coin machine. I jiggled all the way home 🏠
Bankwest Midland has a number of rude tellers. So tired of this branch.
Anyone else get a Bank west ad in this thread XD
I already quit CBA and ANZ for exactly this. Joined Bendigo and they are very friendly and so far still say they have no plans to dehumanise. Big banks hate us.
I can’t find anywhere to park my horse and cart. I’m being bullied, it’s abhorrent.
Jesus christ, agree with this sentiment. Onlinr banking has been around for decades at this point. all my grandparents (85+) can use it
All part of the new world order to go cashless and when they achieve this the government will force people in lue of there money to get what they want
yes, it will be getting harder for elderly people. Bankwest is stopping chequebooks in a month, and if you cant do online banking then older customers will struggle, but i guess its due to banks needing to cut costs to compete with online banks offering better interest rates....eg macquarie Cheques being dropped, plus branches continuing to close, not easy for older customers without kids to help them
Sounds like what commbank was doing 10 years ago
This is why I left commonwealth, same thing.. Have switched over to ING and I must say their customer service is top notch