1 reviews | Active since Aug 2019
ABSA Pavilion- worst bank and staff to ever deal with
ABSA Pavilion branch is by far one of the worst banks to deal with. Their Pavilion branch especially. Staff are unfriendly and don't know what to do most of the time. The bank is never really full yet you got to wait forever for service. Theres no acknowledgement either. My most frustrating experience for the second time in a few months was today. I have accounts for my children aged 15 and 17 at 2 other banks besides ABSA. Last year we had amendments done to our ID's. My 17 yr old's and mine were ready months ago and we took the new ID document to have it updated at the various banks. Absolute pleasure at the other banks and it took the staff like 5 minutes to do the updates. Then comes ABSA, we waited and waited, eventually the staff member at customer service said they cannot do the update, I need to see a consultant, only they can do it. Theres only 2 places for a consultant as is seen to the public in that branch and both were empty. Then the staff member called Shiksha came in from lunch. By this time my pressure was rising, eventually, Shiksha was the one to help us, we sat and waited, again, just waiting, no acknowledgement nothing while she is having a conversation with other members of staff. Eventually I asked what was going on to which she said her computer takes a while to boot up, she is waiting for that. Nevertheless, she eventually updated both mine and my 17 yr old's details. Today, knowing customer service cannot help from experience we waited for the consultant, one of whom being Shiksha. We were then called in to another lady within a cubicle who said to me I need to go to customer service as only they can do the update. I explained what happened previously but she still insisted and took me to customer service, a lady name "Tobikile" ( I probably have the spelling wrong) who insisted she needs to redo FICA and I have to give her proof of residence and my ID. I gave her my ID but did not have proof of residence on me and was not about to run around and get it as 2 other banks did the updates perfectly well and fast just with the ID document. Nevertheless, even Shiksha insisted yes she remembers but the rules have now changed and they cannot do the update without those other documents to redo FICA. The most frustrating bunch. All banks should be following the same rules/laws unless ABSA is "SPECIAL" as they different and give their clients a hard time. They refused to sort the update out, I was going to close the account to which "Tobikile " at customer service desk sat back and says they cannot close the account, for that I need to go to the cashiers. I just walked out, it can close itself. Absolutely ridiculous, there will be some issues you experience with different banks but its how their attitude is and willingness to help is and if I could give ABSA a minus I would, definitely the worst. But they get 100% or more for making their clients lives difficult. Again, all banks should be governed by the same rules, so if there was no issue with the other 2 banks in updating the details with the original Home Affairs document and it was done in under 5 minutes, what's ABSA's problem? And they did update my details together with my 17 yr old's a few months ago.
Thank you for your attempt at helping with ABSA. An update on the issue: Yesterday a lady from ABSA customer care Pavilion did call me and ... well, she could not answer anything with her only response being " I don't know" and "I'm not sure" She then said she would get the manager to call me, to which I told her that's fine as long as the person is able to help and can answer. This morning the manager, Nosipho called me, apologised, took my son's ID number and said she will look into it and call back. I just got off the phone with her, she started off with apologising first and stated the staff are able to do the job if the customer service staff are not available. That is the first thing, so they able to help but choose when to. Then she basically stated the same thing and wanted me to make and appointment and come in with all documentation as my son is "15 yrs old and not 16yrs old. Its no longer a matter of just a document, when I pointed out to her that my son was still 15 yrs old the 10 minutes prior to us going into ABSA from the other bank, she said "this is ABSA rules". According to her, every time something is done, they need to redo FICA, despite the account being open for a while, linked to the parent account and having my ID. FICA was done less than a year ago anyway. I again asked her the simple question of if ABSA follows different rules and regulations from other banks. She refused to give me a direct answer, but kept saying, she does not work for other banks, she works for ABSA and those are ABSA rules. To me, this means that ABSA is different, they are not regulated by the same rules and regulations as other banks. Irrespective of any of this, all staff from all banks that follow the same regulations should know the rules and regulations for the financial sectors and be aware that it applies across board if in the same field. ABSA apparently is different. I'm glad this was made clear by Nosipho as I don't need the extra stress and run around that ABSA subjects their clients too. Even closing an account is a mission. Anyone wanting added stress and challenges and to constantly have to carry documentation to their bank, ABSA is the way to go
Thank you for your attempt at helping with ABSA. An update on the issue: Yesterday a lady from ABSA customer care Pavilion did call me and ... well, she could not answer anything with her only response being " I don't know" and "I'm not sure" She then said she would get the manager to call me, to which I told her that's fine as long as the person is able to help and can answer. This morning the manager, Nosipho called me, apologised, took my son's ID number and said she will look into it and call back. I just got off the phone with her, she started off with apologising first and stated the staff are able to do the job if the customer service staff are not available. That is the first thing, so they able to help but choose when to. Then she basically stated the same thing and wanted me to make and appointment and come in with all documentation as my son is "15 yrs old and not 16yrs old. Its no longer a matter of just a document, when I pointed out to her that my son was still 15 yrs old the 10 minutes prior to us going into ABSA from the other bank, she said "this is ABSA rules". According to her, every time something is done, they need to redo FICA, despite the account being open for a while, linked to the parent account and having my ID. FICA was done less than a year ago anyway. I again asked her the simple question of if ABSA follows different rules and regulations from other banks. She refused to give me a direct answer, but kept saying, she does not work for other banks, she works for ABSA and those are ABSA rules. To me, this means that ABSA is different, they are not regulated by the same rules and regulations as other banks. Irrespective of any of this, all staff from all banks that follow the same regulations should know the rules and regulations for the financial sectors and be aware that it applies across board if in the same field. ABSA apparently is different. I'm glad this was made clear by Nosipho as I don't need the extra stress and run around that ABSA subjects their clients too. Even closing an account is a mission. Anyone wanting added stress and challenges and to constantly have to carry documentation to their bank, ABSA is the way to go
