Bank of America

Bank of America SUCKS. I literally have a passionate HATE for Bank of America.
I just had someone try to steal my card info.
So I called Bank Of America to report it. I was stuck. I couldn’t get past their machine.
After 30 minutes I finally got through to a human.
SHE TRANSFERRED ME!!! To someone who wasn’t there. IT WENT TO VOICEMAIL.
Then I tried to call again. Same thing.
I still haven’t reached them hours later … and some one is out there with my card info.

In a nutshell: It’s always something with these guys.
The short story: I’ve been with BOA for 8 years and have 5 instances where I’ve gotten a bad vibe, been spoken to condescendingly, had the bank completely unable to service me or have had their services mis-​represented to me. All 5 instances have been at this branch. I wish I lived closer to another branch.
The long story: One time I came in to open up a business checking and a personal checking account and was told the person that handled that was at lunch and would be back in 2 hours. «Wow,» I thought, «it must be nice to be a banker and get a 2 hour lunch break.» So I was unable to give them business.
Another time my ATM card had expired 3 days before. Despite the it being a BOA ATM card, having my checkbook drawn on a BOA account with me and having my driver’s license they wouldn’t give me cash. I had to go get a passport. I mean really?
Another time I came in to get a cashiers check. I went to the sales associates instead of the tellers. After waiting to speak to them, they suggested I see a teller and said it would be $ 5 – 7. So I waited to see a teller, but there was something wonky about my account, so they sent me back to the sales associate. She collected all my details and was ready to print the check and then was like, «oh yeah» and re-​quoted a price like $ 5 – 6 more. I’d been there more than 20 minutes, I was fed up, and was not willing to pay $ 10+ for a check — «Forget it,» I said.
I sometimes make business deposits here. 3 consecutive times, the same teller complained to me that I didn’t have a deposit slip. 3 consecutive times I noted that she had a blank stack of them at her fingertips and asked her if she wanted to give me some so I would have them for the future –each time she said «No.» On the 4^th visit as she started to go into her schpiel and I told her that it was the 4^th time we were having the exact same conversation and finally convinced her to give me some blank ones. «Thanks,» I thought, «was that so hard?»
Today, I made a business deposit at the teller window. When we were done, I wanted to make a personal withdrawal. She noted that the checking account I had would charge me for the withdrawal and suggested I go to the ATM. «I’m right here,» I said, «we’re already in the midst of an interaction, you’re going to make me walk outside and get in line at the ATM?» —- yes, of course she was!
This is to say nothing of the tone of their words, which come across as, «its totally your problem, why don’t you have the 14 pages of fine print associated with each of your accounts memorized? Why don’t you know all our internal policies by heart?!?»
The thing is, I was a teller for a year before college, so I have a lot of empathy for what their day is like. I’ve repeatedly gone in there thinking, maybe today will be different, maybe this new and different teller will be sort of nice and light-​hearted unlike the other several ones I’ve spoken to in the past. They never are. Since it’s always something with these guys, no matter who the «guy» is, it this leads me to believe that some sort of toxic culture has grown here.
I wish there was another branch closer to my home. In fact, the 4 times I’ve had the time, I’ve driven the extra 15 – 20 minutes to the Hawthorne branch and rationalized the journey with a stop into the branch of Powell’s over there. I need to find a reason to head south to the one on 99.
As I was typing this I saw Jim B’s review from 2009 that echoes the same style of complaints. My guess is they lost him as a customer and I don’t think I’m far behind.

Very nice staff. Never seems to be busy. Has parking lot! Walk over to QFC is easy. I like. And free notary if you have an account there.

I recently moved from the east coast where I belonged to a local bank. Therefore, I had to close one account and open something new in the Portland area. Because I was living in Brooklyn, I ended up at Bank of America on Milwaukie.
I went in to open my account and the lady was very helpful. Unfortunately for me, I got a call a week later. She had forgotten to ask me to sign an important document, and it had to be done THAT DAY. I had no car, so I had to walk the mile and a half. I got a Bank of America keychain as an «I’m sorry I f’d up» gift. just what I always wanted.
In the next month, I had to deposit a total of 4 checks. Each time, there was some sort of snag. Twice the employee was unfamiliar with the kinks of a new computer system. Twice the check was for a large amount and a hold was placed, which is understandable, but an additional hold was placed on both right before the money was due to be released. Not good when you owe rent, have to pay bills, etc.
The staff is always all smiles, and they have pretty good candy at the window.
Another plus is getting to smell Philadelphia’s oniony cheesesteak air when you are in the parking lot. Two stars overall for these pluses.
The message: Get your act together. Make sure your employees know how to use the computer system that processes deposits before they serve the public. Put more oversized Life Savers (red ones, please) in the candy basket. I’ll keep the bank for now, but one more big f-​up and I’m gone.