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January 2023 by Kevin Kerst
Closed no longer open
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February 2022 by William Henpenn
Just went into the bank and they told me they couldn’t exchange my $50’s for 100 dollar bills. The politely asked if I needed something else.. and I told them that I needed more 100 dollar bills. Asked the teller if she thought it was strange.. she replied “no it’s like going to the grocery store and not having what you want”? I left speechless..
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October 2021 by DJ J.
Newly signed up with them, but already notice the very third rate customer support. 800 number does not tell you how long wait time is, does not give option for a call back, and there is no online chat for support. Branch tells me that wait times can be 40 minutes on monday, 20 min other times. That is as they say in canada, piss-poor.
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February 2021 by JP W.
They closed the only branch left in Petaluma, with no heads up of any kind. They sent me all kinds of emails trying to get me to borrow money, but couldn't be bothered to let me know that there's no branch open in this town. I'm done with them.
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November 2020 by Loren Winzeler
Do NOT do business banking at Bank of the West. There are better options in 2020. I have have a business account for an LLC over 10 years, since spring 2010. Through a fluke automated transaction timing my account was ($37) for less than a day. They charged a $35 fee for 5 x $8 debits resulting in $175 in fee. They refused the reverse the fees except for $35. $140 in fee for being ($37) for less than a day.Bank of the West is NOT recommended for small business. They do not understand technology businesses at the local retail banking level.
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June 2020 by Rob Liroff
Yes, Bank of the West has served us flawlessly over the past 20+ years,, personably and professionably. I can't think of a single instance where there was either a problem or unpleasantness. What more can I ask of a bank?
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April 2020 by Samer Suheil S.
. They just want to open a new account when I lost my debit card they text me and I was asleep the next day I saw the text I call then they block the card they should have done it in half an hour they wait almost 12 hours and $400 was charged they want me to fill out a application is hard for me to fill so I needed to go to a branch and when I opened the account I give them my email and they righted a wrong and I open it for the bonus on internet no customer service try to tell me different rules well even manager would call me about the fraud happened and gave me very short date now I have to wait a whole month they taking half of the money I get well I hope I'll be able to take them to court good thing it manager called me so I can tell them he's a liar just like all of them and they say they treat other people like they want to be treated LOL thief's
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October 2019 by Ellen Skagerberg
This bank is not customer service oriented. They appear to have repositioned themselves as a a bank for businesses, not for individuals. After my bad experience with them (described below), I asked some folks at my workplace about it and was told that Bank of the West used to have good, friendly customer service, but then they merged a couple of branches, laid off a bunch of tellers, and the customer service went downhill, while the lines got longer and longer.
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December 2018 by Ginny S.
I have banked at Bank of the West since the mid 1980's and I'm done. I went in today to get change for 2 twenty dollar bills. i needed a few $5 and $10 bills. Mind you, it was the first Monday of the month, but I stood in line for 18 minutes before I got to a teller. Slid my 2 $20 bills over and asked for 4 $5's and 2 $10's. The teller asks me if I am a customer and I say, "yes, I have been a customer of this bank, this branch for over 30 years." He asked to see my ATM card, which I didn't have with me. He then tells me he can not give me change, and slid my 2 bills back too me. No offer to look up my account. I was shocked. I have been standing in line for close to 20 minutes and was now 5 minutes late to another appointment. I left, but once in the parking lot, I was so mad I went back into the bank to speak to someone about this and of the 8 to 10 people working there, I did not recognize one person. The turn over is crazy. A gentleman who I am assuming was maybe the new manager (?) approached me, and I told him that as I had been coming into this branch at least once a week for over 30 years, I couldn't believe I could not get change for my two $20 bills. He said that yes, he did recognize me, but they had a policy, because of fraud, that they could not give me change unless I had my bank card. Not my drivers license, which they could have used to look up my account, No, I had to have my ATM card. He was sorry, but that was policy. As if, me a 65 year old woman, who he recognized as a frequent customer, was going to comment fraud passing two bad $20 bills. This is just the latest of BAD customer service and constant turnover of all employees. They have a drive up window which they closed about a year ago, so too bad for any one who is handicap, any sick persons, senior citizens, parents with sleeping babies or small children all buckled into car seat. Just get out of your car and come in because bank of the west doesn't care to man the drive up window, which by the way is directly behind the tellers by about 15 feet, not on the other side of the building, no just behind the other tellers. I am feed up with them and I will be closing my accounts. DO NOT BANK AT BANK OF THE WEST.
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November 2018 by Vicki A.
This bank has the worst customer service I have ever experienced. My elderly mother went there today and forgot her checkbook, they could not find her account, what the heck! They couldn't look it up by name, or most likely just wouldn't. This coming off of weeks of other horrible service. We have now moved her accounts. Stay for far away from this place.
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May 2018 by Patrick M.
All the rigidity of a multinational but none of the benefits (currency, transfer and other transactional fees), and none of the courtesies of a local banker. Prior to the Santander acquisition and closure of the East Side branch this was a 4+ star place. Not so much anymore. Top it off with staff turnover and what's the point? Best thing they have is their app. However, no better than Chase et al. Avoid like a bad cold.
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March 2017 by Gene G.
Sadly, Bank of the West has proven to be like a lovable but incompetent uncle or neighbor -- you want to like them, but after getting taken advantage of over and over again, you finally snap. This bank is VERY old-school: high fees, slow and frustrating. I put up with things because it is a convenient location, but after my free checking account got switched without my involvement to a fee-based account requiring a minimum balance, I realized I had lost all confidence (not good with a bank) so simply went back to my credit union. I would be very cautious doing business here -- I tried to work out all the various anomalies with the local folks, but had to involve corporate to get meaningful results, and then I must add that customer satisfaction ranks considerably below trying to prove some sort of rightousness on the part of the bank. I won't go on and on with specifics -- you'll find out yourself if you are an account holder. For those who are not, I strongly suggest a local credit union. Given the dynamics of modern online commerce, I'm surprised a large institution such as Bank of the West isn't a little more savvy and modern thinking. The days of needing a local branch to visit are becoming fewer, so the lovely (but never lit) fireplace and giant stuffed bears in the lobby just aren't enough to make up for the poor service and high fees. I am sorry for leaving a bad review as it reflects poorly on some of the well-intentioned staff who are just trying to make the best of their employment. But ultimately it is the corporate entity that matters, and the French parent of Bank of the West needs to re-focus on customer service and realize that banking is about relationships, not about trying to maximize revenue per account.
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December 2016 by Neils G.
There are probably some better options out there for your banking needs. I went in to cash a BOTW check and since I don't have an account with them they have a service fee of $7.50 to cash one of their checks! Is this standard practice at all banks? There customer service could use a tune up as well.
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August 2016 by Jay D.
Terrible customer service. I had an accidental overdraft due to my paypal. The banks are closed during the weekend so I was unable to deposit my paycheck from Friday. I put money into my account on Tuesday & was charged $105 in overdraft fees. I explained to them my situation and everyone I spoke to was condescending and rude and actually told me that if I didn't want fees that I should manage my money better. I'm barely scraping by as it is... My family has banked here for 10+ years and never have I been treated like this. What happened to the service? I'm done with this bank. They don't treat customers right. They should at least remove one fee as a show of good faith for being closed on Sunday. All you have here are robots going through the motion who don't value their work. Try banking somewhere else.
