Another bank rant. I got turned away at a bank today.

[Beausoir]

My supermarket put in one of those little convenience banks a few years ago. Two tellers and one little enclosed office. For years I have been shopping, using the bank's ATM machine and then asking the teller to exchange one of my $20 bills for 2 fives and a ten. That's it. Simple and handy.

They refused me today. I handed him my $20..asked for the bills and he looked at me suspiciously.

"Do you have an account with us?"
NO.
"Well then we can't help you."

Now, I used to be a banker. I started out as a teller and worked my way up to a Personal Banker. I know the ins and outs of banking fairly well and I can promise that we would have NEVER turned away a customer who was looking for change for a simple $20. We considered it part of our responsibility as bankers to make change.

What is wrong with people? Now..you can't get change for a $20 bill at a freaking BANK!

BTW, I HAVE been paying their ATM fees everytime I used their machine, so technically, I AM a customer.

I got in my car and drove across the parking lot to a different bank. Again, I don't have an account there. No problem! They were happy to exchange my bill.

Should I write to complain or am I just being over sensitive.
I am actually quite pissed-off about this.

[AX10]

1. Which bank was this?

[Beausoir]

14. Bremer Bank. n/t

[harpo]

2. I would be an ass and point out the part on the 20 that's relevant...

the part about it being legal for all debts public and private.

[vademocrat]

3. Go ahead and write - you're not being oversensitive -

Also, since you're already in the grocery store, buy an item with your ATM card and get cash back from the clerk. You can ask for whatever combo you want. Do everything in your power NOT to pay ATM fees! Don't give the bloodsuckers one cent more than you have to...

[Warpy]

4. Write and complain

You're paying their fee and they owe you some service.

This is nuts. I think you just got a moron having a bad day.

It deserves a complaint, though.

[SoCalDem]

5. You should write a complaint letter

:) You will feel better ..:)

[Uncle Joe]

28. Was this their honeymoon photos? n/t

[LisaM]

6. Write to the supermarket and cc the bank

Let the store know that you got bad service from the bank that is presumably in their store as a convenience to its customers. If you have been shopping at the store, I think it's insane that the bank on the same premises won't give you change. If you'd stumbled in off the street, it would be different (though I still think you should have gotten your change) but since they presumably want to link their businesses to the benefit of both, it's crazy that they won't give you change.

[Jane Austin]

12. Exactly!

This is not what the supermarket had in mind when they leased them that space.

[Beausoir]

17. This is exactly what I am thinking of doing. Hit 'em where it hurts.

I may just point out to the supermarket that the reason I shop with them is because of the convenience of the bank. Now that I am not longer able to get customer service there...might as well go elsewhere.

[The_Casual_Observer]

7. If they keep up that shit, that little corner of the store will be selling

coffee instead in a month or two.

[ugarte]

8. Let me guess...B of A...the frigging worst...

They don't even like taking my deposits, if the check has a single comma out of place or my name is misspelled.

[BR_Parkway]

9. Do cash back at the supermarket counter when you buy - ask for the

change the way you want it AND you don't pay any additional fee for using an ATM

[Coyote_Bandit]

10. The bank where I *AM* a customer

charges a hefty fee if you deposit change. And that is true even if you have it rolled instead of loose (and thus requiring counting). No justification for that in my mind....

[LisaM]

20. Buy a Starbucks card and use your change at a Coinstar machine to refill

There is no fee for that.

[Norquist Nemesis]

22. They do it because they CAN.

And I'll lay three to one odds that they don't do it to business accounts; only personal accounts.

[lavenderdiva]

11. Did you ask to speak to the bank manager at that point?

I have nearly always found it helpful to speak to the person at the top, when I am faced with a situation like yours. My questions or needs have almost always been met. I used to train others in customer service for many, many years. You just keep asking to speak to the next level up the chain until you receive satisfaction. You don't go away until you get satisfaction, providing your request isn't out of the normal boundaries. Of course, your request was well within their abilities. People are 10 times more likely to share a bad customer service experience than they are to share a good experience.

on edit: ps. You are perfectly justified to rant!! :rant:

[Beausoir]

15. To be honest, I was so embarassed at being turned away that I

just left.

I hate being made to feel like I did something wrong.

[lavenderdiva]

24. I can certainly understand your feeling that way...

however, you know you were in the right, and it sounds like this twerp teller was yanking your chain. I am sorry they made you feel that way. Next time, and hopefully there won't be a next time, ask to speak with the bank manager. A lot of times, they will just do what you are asking to get you out of the way, or they will truly express their apologies and still render the service you are requesting. Either way, you are getting what you want.

[bleedingheart]

13. i have had that happen to me at banks...

and it pisses me off.

[Trillo]

16. If you're not part of their "gang"

you must be a criminal.

[ccpup]

18. Is it possible

for you to call a Manager instead of write? The action taken, if any, seems to be a little quicker with a telephone call. And if they don't have a Manager at that location (you mentioned it was a small set-up) speak with the Manager at their nearest branch or the Manager of the supermarket they're set up in. I've always found that if I mention I'll be telling my friends, co-workers, neighbors and strangers at the bus stop of my horrible experience with the bank, store, etc., they get real apologetic REAL quick. Nothing sells (or destroys) quicker than word of mouth and those in the know in business know this more than anyone.

[specimenfred1984]

19. Have Someone Else Try it Too

If they get rejected as well, send a letter to the bank and cc the state attorney general, suggesting a pattern of discrimination. The bank's lawyer(s) will have to look into it, wasting a ton of money and time. Plus, there will be a record of a complaint at the AG's office.

[Norquist Nemesis]

21. One bank turned me away for changing coins

to bills. We keep a small (mayonnaise jar size) container of loose coins. Every so often, we'll take them to the bank to change into bills. Whenever I've been to either of my banks, they never ask first if I have an account there before they do it; and it's not like I go in there all of the time for them to know who I am, either.

A couple of months ago, I wanted to change the coins and was dropping off my son at work. There is a small family bank in the parking lot and, since it was right there, I stopped in with container in tow. The teller smiled, said "I can help you with that!" I walked over, put the container on the counter, and said I wanted to change these to bills. She cheerfully asks if I have an account with them to which I replied, "No" and moved the container toward her. She pushed it back at me and said, "I'm sorry."

I was stunned! I said, "You're kidding!! For change???" She started to justify it by telling me something about it being normal business practice, I told her that sucks and is really stupid, and further that I'd NEVER be a customer at this bank if that's the way they choose to handle potential clients.

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

[foreverdem]

29. Almost the same thing happened to me

I went to the bank with all my coins wrapped. I gave them to the teller and told her I wanted to change them in for bills. She starts looking all over one of the wrappers, and I said 'Is something wrong?" She tells me that she's looking for my account number, I need to write it on all the wrappers. When I said I don't have an account here, she goes into this speech about it "not being a service they provide to non account holders". I was stunned. I told her in all the time she wasted with the BS she could have done the exchange for me. And I told her that I would never, ever open an account with them. Dumb asses.

[redirish28]

23. My wife's mother and even my wife had problems with National City Bank

If you don't have an account with them and want to cash a check(the check came from a corp account there) they where going to charge $7.00


One time a few years back my mother-in-law placed cash into her checking account then wanted to get half out for some reason but they told her that NO she could get money out of her own account for at least 24 hours.


As my wife says: "Bottom line if they are being jerks take business elsewhere. sooner or later they get the message".

[Fitzgibbon]

25. Which applies up toa point.

If they all apply essentially the same policy, what then?

[Neil Lisst]

26. Go back in, tell them you'd like to discuss opening an account.

Let them explain it to you. Ask them questions. Then when the time comes, say "nah, you guys wouldn't change my $20 the other day, so stick it!"

[Beausoir]

27. Baha. Yeah, but as a former banker....I would rather eat worms

than listen to all the bank regulation lingo again.

[BuyingThyme]

30. I got turned down for a roll of quarters.

They wouldn't take my ten.

It was the only bank in a small town, and I had to go elsewhere to get and spend my quarters to do my on-the-road laundry. So, the small-town bank likely kept one of their depositors from doing business with me.