Discussion Banks are where the horrors of adulthood kick in

[Síriocaz]

Maybe.

All in the span of one week: made the paperwork for a credit card online, only problem was that I couldn't register in their app, went to one of their locations to fix the issue but they couldn't help me due to "a technical error" on their end, they told me I had to wait for the physical card to arrive; and so I waited, but the second time I went now I couldn't register because I didn't have a PIN (not the ATM PIN), so I go with one of the clerks to create one.

I made it, talked with one of the executives to do more related paperwork, did a final necessary movement at the ATM, and BOOM, it didn't work. Same issue, you don't have notifications on, sir. So I turned back to return with the executives, but I couldn't because it was 2:50 and the bank had to close at 3, tough luck that I work between 8 and 3 and can hardly afford coming here. Come another day.

Now I decide to call, one agent says I should try going back to the location, in other words, couldn't help me, transfers me to the "app experts" and the first person doesn't really know what's up, it is then that I get transferred to another lady and she told me that I only had to bring proof of address and one special government ID issued here in the bank.

I said alright, so I go today and, guess what, no, sir, you also have to bring your fiscal ID. Nobody told me beforehand anything of the sort.

I was so done. I requested a cancelation but the executive poured the icing on the cake: this can only be done on the phone, sir, and make also sure to have your app with you.

There's government offices, cable providers, tech support and a lot of more places with horrible customer service, but banks are where the money is at, literally and mockingly.

Sorry for the wall text but I'm very frustrated. Here's Geralt doing bank paperwork for good measure, captures well enough the eternal struggle with the financial system:

 

[ermitron2]

but the executive poured the icing on the cake: this can only be done on the phone

This is the worst, specially since at least here you still have to go to any bank location to finish the process. I remember the last one I cancelled a card and they were trying so hard to not do it:

Me over the phone "Yes I'm absolutely sure I want to cancel"
agent over the phone "thanks for the confirmation sir. Your request is registered with the ID 123455. Now please go to the nearest bank location and give this to any executive so we can cancel this card"
Me, already in the bank, with the speaker on "There you go man , cancel this fucking card"

The look on the executive was priceless, they knew they had to cancel it. Later a friend who worked at one bank told me they do this process as complex as possible to reduce the churning.

 

[ziggyrivers]

The look on the executive was priceless, they knew they had to cancel it. Later a friend who worked at one bank told me they do this process as complex as possible to reduce the churning.

Came here to say this. Banks have internal policies and procedures to ensure this. It's like subscription based businesses: they depend on consumers forgetting they have a sub being credited to their account every month.

With how the Biden Administration is addressing these sort of stuff like junk fees, I wonder if they'll enter into this other part of the banking industry to ensure simple and safe processes for consumers to close accounts, including credit card accounts

 

[Síriocaz]

This is the worst, specially since at least here you still have to go to any bank location to finish the process. I remember the last one I cancelled a card and they were trying so hard to not do it:

Me over the phone "Yes I'm absolutely sure I want to cancel"
agent over the phone "thanks for the confirmation sir. Your request is registered with the ID 123455. Now please go to the nearest bank location and give this to any executive so we can cancel this card"
Me, already in the bank, with the speaker on "There you go man , cancel this fucking card"

The look on the executive was priceless, they knew they had to cancel it. Later a friend who worked at one bank told me they do this process as complex as possible to reduce the churning.

Thankfully, I didn't have to go to the bank to finalize the process, neither did the phone agents insisted to know why I wanted to cancel.

Kind of a shame because, once the setup process was complete, I probably wouldn't have to deal with the bank outside of their app anymore, not to mention I applied with them because they tend to have great offers in a store I frequent. Their loss.

Still, bureaucracy is hell.

 

[Narroo]

Try getting a cell phone in Japan with a full three-part western name and a suffix. That, ladies and gentlemen, is difficult.

 

[Lugia667]

I mean...I guess the one advantage the DMV has over banks is that you don't have to go as often because otherwise it's even worse