Complaint Review: BB&T

Ranked #1 by JD Powers and Associates in Customer Service!  You’re kidding right? They must have paid someone big bucks to be able to say that on one of the many customer service phone numbers I called, provided by either branch offices, my own statements, and their corporate Headquarters in NC.

They even have the temerity to use robo callers to contact their customers, cowards! OK so I had a bad week. Computer crashes, car dies, milk spills etc. We all have them right.  But in this world of online banking without my computer and given I am a contractor who does not have direct deposit nor a routine cash flow of receivables to set up auto billing I have to pay when the money is there. It's always there by the grace of God, but I am forever juggling the timing of it so as not to pay more than I absolutely have to. Without the computer and up to date numbers I'm dead in the water.  It took a week to get back online, fix the putter and get the car into the shop, which means I'm now land locked at home until tomorrow. Closest bank is 15 miles from me.

Their robo callers started calling me on Friday, which didn’t surprise me since I couldn’t get to the bank on time or even make an online payment. "Hello this is BB&T if you are X please press 1" "If you need a minute to get X please press 2" If X is not available please have X call XXX....and refer to code 123456."  WTDevil is this?  Customer Service?  They have called on average 3x a day since Friday at various times. I guess hoping to catch me.  Well that caught me the first time but I don't talk to robots I talk to people.  If you have something to say to me talk to me! 

I finally was able to go online Saturday to make a payment after spending an entire morning figuring out what cleared and how much I have to work with at my bank. However, BB&T’s online banking will not allow me to make an online payment unless I have a checking account with them? HUH? WTDevil!!  None absolutely zero of my other accounts; checking, savings, credit cards whatever, have this restriction to online banking or payment bill paying. What’s the dam point of online banking at all BB&T if you can't use it to make a payment.   

So I call them today (Monday) and my branch office says it's closed? Is there a holiday I missed or something. I call another branch and they said they would send an email to the branch and that they probably didn't take the auto phone system off. Not Surprised this bank obviously loves automation!  Less customer contact the better is their motto! It’s what gives them that special #1 status w/JDPowers.  

I call corporate and after the usual dog and pony voice activated series of prompts (enter social then enter loan number) WTDevil I only have one loan! But I digress..I get someone who says I am late on my payment. No kidding like I don’t know that already I explained why and the issue of their online banking system but it feel on deaf ears. I also told her I had question about my interest calculations and she abruptly told me I need to call XXXX. I asked her what number this was for and she said the Securities and Finance customer service division as she was typing madly on the keyboard.  No doubt made a note in my permanent record.  GO for it hun!  I then call the number she provided, I get a women who after I explained my frustration to her, she tells me I have to talk to a loan office at my branch? So basically I'm back to square one again. I therefore call another bank and guess what happens at 9AM in the morning..."Hello and thank you for calling BB&T.  Today is Jan 26th and you've reach X, I am sorry but I will not be in the office today, please leave your ...and I'll return your call on the 27th when I return.  WTDevil is this?  Today is February 7th! 

In the meantime I have made every attempt since early Jan to resolve an issue (not my first) with this bank and it is impossible to do it. The closest I came to resolving anything  was once at a branch office where the manger had to call her special insider phone number to ask my questions so they could explain it to her so she could explain it to me?  She admitted she since she didn't do loans she had no idea of what they were talking about, but just kept repeating it’s fine the new statement is correct.  So I left there shaking my head thinking if she doesn't understand what they explained to her how the Devil can she explain it to me so I can understand it. Why for heavens sake when I called the number on my statement them they can’t explain it to me directly and send me to the branch? Since the work in that department they should know how it all works, or is BB&T hiding something from their customers on they way they calculate interest and fees? HUM….

My interest calculation hasn't been right for at least 6 months since I started making higher payments each month to get out of this nightmare bank. If I'm wrong as a customer I'd like to know if I'm being ripped off by the bank. You would think they would be happen to clear this up. But they have proven they are not, therefore what am I to think but perhaps they are ripping me off and hiding it somehow by avoiding me. The balance is not going down fast enough for someone making additional payments on the principle.  Also, if my daily rate is X why is my calculation for interest based on their formula lower than what my statement shows? I WANT ANSWERS and I want them from an intelligent, source not some third party messenger or a robot! JDPowers if you're following this bank it's time to re-evaluate your award system.