Shopping for New Bank

[kmitchl]

I have been with Bank of America for years, however, my recent interactions have been less than sterling. Working through a multilevel phone tree and when you finally reach a real person they don't know anything and are of no help. So I am looking for recommendations for a new bank. Not looking to borrow money and don't need a new toaster, however, an acceptable level of customer service would be great!

[Bayouboy]

Credit union.

[Werk]

Fidelity has Cash Management accounts and the service is nothing short of stellar. I use this in conjunction with an everyday account.

USAA is my other go to with amazing service and real folks here in the Us handling your concerns or issues.

[kcmarullo]

credit union

[McBar]

I also have USAA and just recently opened a Bank of Texas account with nothing bad to say. Only thing to consider with local banks is number and location of physical branches (if that is a concern).

[Greenheadless]

Originally Posted by Bayouboy

Credit union.

Funny, I came to this thread as I am looking at leaving my CU.

They have become no better than a big bank IMHO, with this dwindling offered services and customer service.

[CentralTXHunter]

Don’t know about in your area, but we prefer smaller, regional banks. We use ExtraCo here in central Texas and I also have accounts with Prosperity Bank. We were originally with First Victoria on those accounts, but Prosperity bought them out several years ago.


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[Jon B]

Following as well. It's well past time to dump WF.

[kmitchl]

I do like the fact that I can go to almost any ATM and withdraw money and have any fees credited back. BOA tends to be in the large cities but not the rural areas. Is that a service I would find at a smaller bank or Credit Union? I am guessing Chase and Wells Fargo are no better than BOA.

[txoutdoorsman24]

We use Chase and Prosperity primarily and now I have an account with Randolph Brooks Credit union. Also have an account at Austin Telco but they suck. Only use them for a vehicle loan. Chase has been great to us and is located in most major cities and we keep prosperity be they are in major and rural towns. Randolph Brooks has been great to me and I love their service. Will more than likely open another account

[sandbill]

Originally Posted by Jon B

Following as well. It's well past time to dump WF.

Totally agree with the dumping of WF.
EECU (credit union) is great. Not sure if non-educators can get in or not.

[Daniel32]

I use USAA & Randolph Brooks FCU with no complaints.

Only negative is there is no local branch's where I live. My wife and I have an IBC account when we need something local, however I do not recommend IBC

[marc.munoz31]

TDECU has great customer service. They have a good number of locations in the greater Houston area.

[joeshooter]

here to say Frost bank has been great for 25+ years with my accounts. customer service is excellent you get to speak to person who pulls up your information, handles the issue and answers questions for you as best they can. nothing bit good things to say about Frost Bank

[TreyRo]

We are searching ourselves. BOA is the worst.

[AgHntr10]

I would find a local bank or a credit union. I use both and its nice to be able to call a direct number for whoever I want to talk to.

[MitchParker]

I've been absolutely thrilled with Ally Bank.

[JakeM]

Originally Posted by Greenheadless

Funny, I came to this thread as I am looking at leaving my CU.

They have become no better than a big bank IMHO, with this dwindling offered services and customer service.

Which CU do you use? I use Shell FCU and have had nothing but good experiences over the years

[John Paul]

Switched to RBFCU a few years back. So far they have been outstanding.

[Howdy]

Another upvote for ShellFCU

[ThisLadyHunts]

I have accounts at Wells Fargo and have been considering moving them to Plains Capitol for several years. I've heard many great things about them, and after meeting one of their bankers at an event a few years back, I can see why. The only downside is their lack of coverage statewide.

While I have no experience with these two institutions, I've heard great things about RBFCU and USAA.

[RifleBowPistol]

Originally Posted by Greenheadless

Funny, I came to this thread as I am looking at leaving my CU.

They have become no better than a big bank IMHO, with this dwindling offered services and customer service.

I am in the same boat. My credit union is run by idiots, it just keeps getting worse every year. You don’t go through one of their drive throughs, unless you have 1 1/2 hours to kill, that’s when there are only three or four people in the drive through.

Then the companies I deal with all the time, they will flag those transactions randomly as suspicious/fraudulent. So they put a hold on my card. I have called them and asked many times, why did you flag a charge from the company I buy stuff from almost daily. There are companies I buy from all the time, those are always the charges they randomly flag, then put a hold on my card, usually at the worst time. Like when they are closed and we are out of town, it’s pouring down rain and we need gas right now.

I could give you a list of other dumb crap they do. They are complete idiots, and they are supposed to be keeping my money and thousands of other peoples money safe. If the hackers or scammers ever learned how incompetent my credit union is, they would be cleaned out in a few days.

[Throwin Darts]

I've been a banker for 20 years at both very large banks and now a small family owned bank. There is no way I'd bank with one of the mega banks any more. They are a mess with no customer service and are so big you can't get to the right person to get anything done. I don't bank where I work (no one here needs to see my stuff) but I moved all my accounts to a small local bank and the ease of doing things is a million times better than where I banked before (BBVA). I haven't missed a big branch network in the least. Besides a free ATM whats the need to have branches everywhere anyway? I can do everything I need to online and if I have a problem I can call and get an actual person to pick up.

[Jon B]

I really like the WF app. Super easy to move money.

[Redfeathers]

Left Wells Fargo long ago (not soon enough).

[JayB]

Funny. We use Wells Fargo and have had great experience with them. When we travel overseas, no issues with business accepting our Wells Fargo Card. Some of your local banks/CU may not get that service, so keep that in mind if you travel. We were with a local bank for years and had great service from them, but just some limited access when traveling away from home state.

At the office we use Chase. We get good service from them also from the commercial side...but we also hold a pretty large account .

[bsills]

I do like the ease of the BOA app for paying bills. Do most small banks have features like this?

[Burnadell]

Originally Posted by Throwin Darts

I've been a banker for 20 years at both very large banks and now a small family owned bank. There is no way I'd bank with one of the mega banks any more. They are a mess with no customer service and are so big you can't get to the right person to get anything done. I don't bank where I work (no one here needs to see my stuff) but I moved all my accounts to a small local bank and the ease of doing things is a million times better than where I banked before (BBVA). I haven't missed a big branch network in the least. Besides a free ATM whats the need to have branches everywhere anyway? I can do everything I need to online and if I have a problem I can call and get an actual person to pick up.

^^^This^^^

I was also a banker for 24 years, mostly the mega banks (before they got so mega), and with a smaller bank. The big banks have screwed their expenses down and increased revenues. They are frustrating to deal with now.

[speck1]

Originally Posted by joeshooter

here to say Frost bank has been great for 25+ years with my accounts. customer service is excellent you get to speak to person who pulls up your information, handles the issue and answers questions for you as best they can. nothing bit good things to say about Frost Bank

^This. I have had business and personal accounts with Frost for 30 years. Great people. Bank of America are woke commies. Their refusal to finance gun manufacturers tells you all you need to know.

[AgHntr10]

Originally Posted by JayB

Funny. We use Wells Fargo and have had great experience with them. When we travel overseas, no issues with business accepting our Wells Fargo Card. Some of your local banks/CU may not get that service, so keep that in mind if you travel. We were with a local bank for years and had great service from them, but just some limited access when traveling away from home state.

At the office we use Chase. We get good service from them also from the commercial side...but we also hold a pretty large account .

That is what credit cards are for. I wouldn't trust using my debit card abroad regardless of what bank I use.

[JayB]

Ya know, you're right...in our trip prep with our mission team, some folks did not have credit cards, only debt cards. That was what that conversation was about. Carry on.

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[TexasTealHunter]

look for a community bank

[Greenheadless]

Originally Posted by JakeM

Which CU do you use? I use Shell FCU and have had nothing but good experiences over the years

Bravos Valley Schools

[dphillips62]

Been with TDECU for many years have always had great service

[Greenheadless]

Originally Posted by JayB

Funny. We use Wells Fargo and have had great experience with them. When we travel overseas, no issues with business accepting our Wells Fargo Card. Some of your local banks/CU may not get that service, so keep that in mind if you travel. We were with a local bank for years and had great service from them, but just some limited access when traveling away from home state.

At the office we use Chase. We get good service from them also from the commercial side...but we also hold a pretty large account .

I would think most bank cards are backed by MC or VISA, no? Hence their acceptability.

My po-dunk CU card (backed by MC] can be used internationally. I take the AgHntr stance though and use my AMEX for everything.

[jaime1982]

Ive been with Shell FCU. Never had a bad experience and a person is very easy to get a hold of. How are people (hunters) even with a big bank in 2022?

[kmitchl]

I think I will give Chase and USAA a test drive. I found out yesterday I qualify for USAA through my reserve service.

[EarleyBird]

Originally Posted by ThisLadyHunts

I have accounts at Wells Fargo and have been considering moving them to Plains Capitol for several years. I've heard many great things about them, and after meeting one of their bankers at an event a few years back, I can see why. The only downside is their lack of coverage statewide.

While I have no experience with these two institutions, I've heard great things about RBFCU and USAA.

My oldest son works for PC and has nothing but good things to say.

[trophy8]

Chase bank and United Heritage Credit Union.

[JLivi1224]

Dumping BofA soon as well

[HFD38]

I've been with Woodforest for a while with no complaints.

[rut-ro]

I use Naval Federal Credit Union, Brazos valley Credit Union and Prosperity Bank. No issues with any of them

[offthemap]

I have had accounts with Southside Bank for 20 years. They aren't great but also haven't done anything to run me off either. I have other biz and personal accounts with VeraBank and absolutely LOVE them. Probably going to switch my personal and the wife's personal & biz from Southside to VeraBank at the beginning of the year.

[Laketex]

Just switched from Chase to Independent Financial. Chase closed the closest location to us and was very unreliable. Plus we wanted to get away from the big business banks and into something a bit more conservative and small. Plus I can communicate directly with the bank and develop a relationship with them. Downsides is there's not an atm on every corner, they are a lot more apt to flag suspicious purchases, and the debit card was a royal pita to set up.

[Texas452]

Originally Posted by CentralTXHunter

Don’t know about in your area, but we prefer smaller, regional banks. We use ExtraCo here in central Texas and I also have accounts with Prosperity Bank. We were originally with First Victoria on those accounts, but Prosperity bought them out several years ago.


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I have been happy with prosperity, I had to call them yesterday and got a real person right away.

[curtintex]

I've always preferred community banks. I use The Mint National Bank in Kingwood, TX and Citizens State Bank in Woodville. When I call the bank, I not only want to talk to a real person, I want to talk to someone that knows who I am and I know who they are. I don't use drive-thrus. I go inside and bank in person. I don't have an ATM card. I carry cash and credit cards. When I run low on cash, I swing by the bank and get some more. I can't stand the impersonal way that most business is done today.

I really would recommend finding a smaller community bank. Introduce yourself to the president of the bank. Invite him to lunch. Interview him as to why you should bank there. Community banks thrive on the relationship side of things. It's the only way they can compete, so they do it well.

[Drycreek3189]

Originally Posted by Throwin Darts

I've been a banker for 20 years at both very large banks and now a small family owned bank. There is no way I'd bank with one of the mega banks any more. They are a mess with no customer service and are so big you can't get to the right person to get anything done. I don't bank where I work (no one here needs to see my stuff) but I moved all my accounts to a small local bank and the ease of doing things is a million times better than where I banked before (BBVA). I haven't missed a big branch network in the least. Besides a free ATM whats the need to have branches everywhere anyway? I can do everything I need to online and if I have a problem I can call and get an actual person to pick up.

Makes perfect sense ! We use the bank right here in the greater metropolis of Troup, TX. We never use an ATM, no debit cards, and on a first name basis with the ladies in the drive through. Been over all the midwestern and western states traveling and never needed an ATM yet, carry a few hundred in my pocket, two credit cards, and a 9mm. I figure I can get anything I need with those.

[dustoffer]

good luck--call directors/phone trees are my biggest frustration in dealing with companies!!!

[Aric]

I would second or third Frost. Texas based bank, been in business for well over 150 years with an outstanding customer service record and approach. Also the largest network of ATM’s in the state with partnerships with HEB and Circle K. Their bankers actively participate in all of the communities they serve. Top it off, they man a 24/7 call center in San Antonio they will get answers to your questions. So why not do business with a bank that serves our great state and gives back handsomely.

[kingranch]

Navy army is awesome
They also give a 3.5% return on your avg monthly balance which is huge compared to most