Once-great bank shows contempt for Umina customers
The utter contempt that the Commonwealth Bank appears to be showing its customers at Umina Beach is beyond belief.
Several weeks ago, we had a staffed branch, which had been in Umina Beach for over 60 years), two ATMs and the use of conveniently located "precinct" ATMs free of charge.
Then without consultation, they announced and closed the branch, conveniently leaving one ATM and cancelling free use of precinct ATMs.
At the end of October, I got caught with a $2.80 ATM fee, advised on screen, with a queue of people behind me, and unaware that they had very generously left a CBA ATM, because there was no awning sign.
I paid the fee.
I phoned to complain, angry that there was no warning of the termination of free use of precinct ATMs and explained my issue.
Furious that I was being transferred to a third party, where I would again have to explain my complaint, I abruptly told the young lady not to bother.
I would take my business elsewhere.
Later that evening, I had calmed down and followed the bank's complaint system, filled out the form, requesting refund of the $2.80 fee and mentioned that a sign, visible from West St, that a CBA ATM was still in place.
On November 11, nearly a fortnight later, I received a response by email to my telephone complaint, not the written one.
It was evidently a cut and paste generic response and neither answered my question about an awning sign nor refunded the fee.
In conclusion it stated: "There is nothing further you need to do if you are satisfied with the outcome.
"If you are not satisfied with the outcome of our investigation you can contact our Commonwealth Bank Complaints team, write to CBA Group Customer Relations, tell us online, or call 1800 805 605."
As I had already complained through the bank's form filling experience and have still not received a response, I replied to the email, stating that I had complained in writing and was awaiting a response and that I was once again, unsatisfied.
Yesterday, I very diligently went to the CBA ATM, blocking traffic using the busy West St main crossing only to discover workers repairing the bank front after removing the ATM.
I again resorted to using the precinct ATM and again incurred a $2.80 fee.
I attempted to use my phone app to request a refund and have kept screen shots of the conversation with a robot.
I requested to talk to a human, and was asked the last four digits of my account number.
I had to exit the chat session to find the number and then tried to resume the chat.
The entire episode is so bizarre I don't know if I should laugh or cry.
If this is an example of how far a once-great banking institution has fallen, I recommend everyone with banking accounts at the CBA Umina close them.
Not all banks who support the precinct ATMs charge fees for their use.
SOURCE:
Email, 3 Dec 2022
Michael Emmett, Umina Beach