ABSA is outdated

Goodness what a frustration it has been to be an ABSA client.

I've had my ABSA account since I was 9 and I am turning 28, that's close to 20 years that I have been with ABSA.

I am not pleased with how ABSA has been treating me, I moved over to FNB for my day to day account and stopped using my ABSA account all together due to the benefits I get from FNB with my qualifications. I needed to close my account as I kept incurring banking fees even though I do not use the account.

During this time frame I had lost access to my number that was registered with ABSA for my account.

Note I also have a 32day notice deposit account with ABSA which didn't carry a balance for a long time. I deposited a large sum of money very recently which was deposited for a temporary purpose, I thought I have the facility available I might as well use it to earn interest. Until I needed to withdraw that money and couldn't. I ended up using my FNB credit card to pay for what I needed the money for.

I still had the old phone that was associated with the account but the number was no longer in use. I thought I could just verify it with that phone but when I started up the phone the App had reset without warning.

It took me 3 hours holding a call to be answered by a consultant who took all my details but ended up telling me I needed to go into the branch to change my phone number and there's nothing he can do. This already is infuriating because I stay 20km away from the closest branch. I cannot go during the week since the branches opens at 08:30am and closes at 03:30pm. I work from 07:30am - 04:00pm, this is highly frustrating in itself.

Over the weekends I have to drive far out of my way to reach a branch. I ended up sacrificing a Saturday, I was at the branch shortly after 08:30am. I was told that I HAVE to have a card for them to help me, because I am not using this account I don't even know where the card is, more infuriating is them telling me I need to pay to get this card. For this I had to sit in a que AGAIN.

I was helped by the consultant, only to reach a boiling point where she was arguing with me over my proof of residence which I had both my rental statement and invoice with me on my phone but she claimed it wasn't adequate as they require a NRC number of some sort. I asked what an NRC number is and I could see the consulting getting visibly annoyed with me for asking, then she went on about how I should update my account because it has been outdated for a long time to which I explained numerous times it's because I don't use the account and the details are outdated and that's why I'm there to update.

However on the point of my proof of address not being adequate they had my Girlfriend sign an affidavit saying we live together at this address. Which doesn't make sense to me because she didn't have to show any proof of address I could have just gotten anyone to sign. Which frustrated me because the invoice should qualify more for this purpose and this consultant felt like she was fighting just to be difficult.

After this consultant assisted me with getting the card which I didn't want to get but was forced to and to change my number on the system I could finally access my account again. I also wanted to change my cheque account into a savings account so I don't end up paying banking fees on an account I don't use. As in the past this account went into arrears because I don't use it and ABSA handed me over to a VERY annoying debt collector (MBD) for R300 odd. After almost 20 years of having an account with ABSA this is how I am treated.

I was referred to another consultant, this is now the third desk I am referred to since I was told my cheque account cannot be converted and has to be closed only to open a savings account.

Eventually the account was opened and my cheque account closed, for which I needed to go to YET ANOTHER different person to transfer the balance which I could have done on my phone now that I have access.

After this was completed I no longer had access to my internet banking and cellphone banking, this resulted in me having to return and go sit in the que AGAIN to see the same consultant AGAIN. He was luckily able to help me quickly to get the access back and I was on my way.

This was extremely painful and unnecessary and took close to 4 hours out of my Saturday, I expect that when I go into a branch the service to be quick and efficient. But it seems ABSA lacks care for their clients, with FNB had I wanted to change the number for my account I could easily do it on the APP in less than 5 minutes.

This wasn't an isolated incident at a specific branch either because I have tried in the past in my previous place of residence to close my account to which I also waiting more than 3 hours in a que just to be told sorry we're closing and we can't close your account now.

ABSA's way of doing things is outdated and archaic and their customer service is poor, it has seriously degraded over the past 5 years and I will be clearing out and closing my remaining accounts as well.