Bank of the West

So far the only people I've found who have anything positive to say about the bank are the ones who work there, and not even all of them do, apparently. Not anymore. They used to be the best bank around. Great value, outstanding customer service. It wasn't all about the fees, unlike what you find at most big banks. Their customers counted. I recommended them to everyone and most of my friends banked there based on that recommendation. Over the last year or so, though, they've gone very "big bank", a change that's been reflected in their rapidly declining value and especially in their now virtually non-existent customer service. There were several examples of their decline, but this last one took the cake. An outside company we hadn't done business with in months made an unauthorized debit from our account and it took no less than three emails PLUS phone calls to get BotW to even claim they'd look into it (which, sadly, they really didn't as the vendor still has the money.) They took the money back from Bill Pay (who had nothing to do with the mess) instead of getting it back from the vendor and suspend our ability to pay our bills online because they decided it was easier. Never mind what was right. They never actually looked into the problem, as we discovered after spending over an hour (most of it on hold AFTER calling them back because they hung up on us) with them trying to get them to give bill pay back their money, since they didn't have anything to do with the transaction, unblock the bill pay option, and actually get our money back from the vendor who took it without authorization in the first place. In the end, we're still out the money and they're still not really helping or listening. This is just the latest and greatest in a series of missteps by them over the last year, but it's definitely the last straw for us (and several other friends who've been watching the trends as they've been developing with our account and their own and decided to go with us). I don't do big banks. Bye Bye, BotW.

I am, sorry to say I am a customer of Bank of the West, currently looking for a new "local" bank. My story starts with me paying off my boat loan. I sold my boat on June 26th, 2010 Saturday. I deposited the check on 6/27, Sunday, it posted on Monday 6/28, but they told me there is a hold on it for 10 business days. They said it would be available on 7/8, it was and I was told by my branches Loan officer Aaron I could pay it off on line, simple? I asked him several times about the "pay off", he stated what it showed is what I owed (really even I know there is interest somewhere there). So when the funds were available I paid it off on line, it showed a balance of 0, I thought oh good I guess it is really that easy. I stopped in on 7/9 to see when and where my title would be mailed to. They (the tellers who looked it up!) told me it should be mailed directly to me. I waited a few more days and called, they told me my loan was not paid off? What, I said, but I paid the entire amount, they said "Oh but there was interest due until this date, which was now the 20th of July, and they told me not to pay it on line because that's not the correct amount. Fine I went in and paid the $41.75, only to be told they do not have my title, it was lost some where in the Commerical Federal - Bank of the West merger. I asked them to look, they said no, if they don't have it they don't have it. They however could send me a "Release of Lien" and I could go get a duplicate title? Duplicates cost $20, by now it is the principle of the thing, I asked who will re -imburse me the $20, the CS gal said I could fill out a request in writing and they will forward to the branch manager (who by the way is on vacation for 2 weeks). I did this on 7/21, I asked if there was anything they could do to expedite this, they said Oh no, it takes 5 business and they could not do anything about it. I should recieve the "release of lien" by 7/28. The 28th came and went, no call from; the bank, no papers. And I waited, and waited finally I called on 7/31, I was told by Aaron (the loan officer) that it was Fed Ex'd yesterday 7/30 to EXPEDITE the matter and I should receive it on Monday 8/2. (What do you say at this point?) Monday 8/2 comes and goes, I called today on my way home 8/3 talked to the CS gal Shannon, she tells me I won't be needing the re-imbursment for the duplicate because I won't need a duplicate...they found my title and mailed it out regular US mail on 8/2? I will not hold my breath, I am however looking for a local bank.

SP in Omaha