NO SUCH THING AS A FREE DEBIT ORDER SWITCHING AT FNB

Yes believe it or not there is no such thing as free debit order switching, unless of course you do it yourself, because guess what!? It’s already a non chargeable service. Do not fall for the bells and whistles of a PR marketing scheme to get you to switch your bank “JUST” because it offers free debit order switching.

So this is my blog on how the “FREE” debit order switching to date has cost me about R1500.

I opened my FNB account on 31 July at the Grassy Park branch with Mrs. Adam who I had informed I was not sure at the present time of the debit orders which had to be switched and she informed me that on the application she would select “no debit order switching” but that I can come any time to then arrange for the debit order switching.

A few days later, 10 August 2012, I went to FNB Grassy Park and provided a 3 month bank statement as requested so as to see which debit orders need to be switched. A girl named Kouther assisted me because Mrs. Adam who initially opened the account for me had been busy with other clients. Kouther did not seem interested in assisting me and said that I could do this online since I have been registered for online banking, I then told her that well I am already here and we might as well do it now. She then got the forms which I then completed with the aid of my 3 month bank statement from Standard Bank highlighting all my debit orders. She took the forms and informed me that it would be faxed off.

On 27 August I started receiving calls about failed debit orders, which then took me about 2min to change telephonically to my now current FNB gold cheque account. However as a result of all the debit orders going off I have now incurred banking charges at standard bank. Resulting in a cost of about R900 this includes my service fee of R99 which deducting this has given me debit order charges of over R700 each failed debit order costing about R111 if I am not mistaken.

If I had known this was the case I would have

a) Arranged for my own debit order switching and

b) Closed my standard bank account.

I have asked FNB when I joined “should I close my standard bank account” and they advised me not to do so. As a result Standard bank refuses to close or change my account until it is paid in full which results in more service fee.

After enquiring about the matter and emailing RB Jacobs (FNB Twitter Account) I was contacted by Mishka from the FNB Grassy Park branch who then informed me that there was no record of me coming into the branch on 10 August 2012 and no record of filling in any debit order switching forms. This prompted me to then visit the branch which I had done on 13 October 2012. I had spoken to Mishka and to Mrs. Adam as well as to Kouther who says she has never seen me before in her life and that there was no way that she had assisted me with anything, this took me by surprise because I knew for a fact that she had assisted me. I was then questioned whether I was at the branch and whether I was sure that it was Kouther who had assisted me. I then told them I will try and find the exact date that I was there when she assisted me as I was unsure. I then asked them to check video footage to verify that I had in fact been there and that I had filled in those forms. Both Mrs. Adam and Mishka had told me that I am right in my case and that I should be reimbursed for the debit order charges on my Standard Bank account. When I said that I wanted to lay a formal complaint against Kouther all of a sudden Mrs. Adam and Mishka became tense and it seems as if they did not want me to lay a formal complaint, this was just what I picked up from their body language.

I then went to Standard Bank and pulled a 3 month bank statement which I again submitted to FNB.

The following day I was called by Mishka saying that they need an exact date and time that I was in the branch; I had assumed it was Saturday 11 August. They phoned me back and informed me there was no record of me at the branch, the next thing I done was to log into my Standard Bank internet banking account which stated when I had requested a 3 month bank statement, which was 10 August 2012. I then phoned Mishka back and gave the exact date as well as the time and she informed me that they would get back to me if they find anything. About 2 hours later I phoned Mishka to find out if they have found anything, her response was that the footage gets checked by management and not by them but she would inform me. I phoned on Friday 26 October 2012 and was told that both Mishka and Mrs. Adam would be off until Monday however I left a message that I had called. It is now Monday 29 October 2012 and at 15:15, I have already phoned the FNB Branch for Mishka but told she was on lunch and again left a message that I have called.

This in my opinion is totally unacceptable for an amazing bank that is applauded for their initiative, easy banking facilities, cutting edge technology and innovation. I believe the service I have received from the FNB Grassy Park branch namely Kouther is a slap in the faces to Michael Jordan, RB Jacobs and the rest of the FNB team especially after winning the 2012 BAI – Financial Global Banking Innovation Award for the most innovative bank in the world.

I am an unhappy client. The next time you decide on which bank to switch to please do yourself the favor and do not let the bells and whistles be the deciding factor in your decision.

Thats my 99cents!

Mitcheku