ABSA - We don't care about our customers

I write this message with a heavy heart and almost in tears as to how ABSA has made me feel.

I’ve had endless issues with your insurance department and in writing I was promised feedback and to date have not received any feedback. Vumile Njamela is the person who to date has not resolved my query or responded. This is off the back of endless insurance issues in the past around back and forth with claims.

More recently I was quickly sold a bond increase so I could carry out further renovations at my home and as soon as this money was paid, ABSA is nowhere to be found. I am struggling to get any service from Louise Loader. On the 3rd November I emailed her asking if there is anything for me to be concerned about as I wasn’t debited for my bond. No response to date and in good faith I made a transfer of my bond repayment amount into my flexi reserve as I am not someone to default on commitments. At the time of taking these additional funds I was promised that I would be able to transfer in and out of this flexi reserve as I please. This is not the case and for the past two days I have been struggling to transfer these funds for no apparent reason other than “System error try again later”

I got supp**** with the internet banking call centre number. Response from the agent – (Summarised) Sorry I can’t help you, call bank in the morning to the home loans department. I mean in a time where business is tough --- Have you heard of going the extra mile? “Sir let me take your details and give you a call bank in the morning once I have investigated” fair, not fair?. Like usual just pass the buck so I can close my ticket and knock down my KPI's – As well as use your airtime (Money) and call again.

Christa, my new banker supp**** me with her mobile number (Months after the departure of my previous banker – Johan Bezuidenhout) once my portfolio was handed over to her from my previous banker. Christa is unreachable and her number forever engaged. (Christa Colangelo‬) I have been an ABSA client from university days (Almost reaching 20 years) and have historically declined other banks wanting me to move over despite better offerings and rates due to being a loyal client and believing in the brand. I am now at my wits end with the past two years being nothing but horrible. The long telephone calls trying to resolve queries (That I have never been reimbursed for), my time, endless queuing in branches, untrained staff with attitude and its clear to me that this is a brand that doesn’t care about their customers. It’s a “I don’t care culture” but we will take your money.

I promise to spend a large amount of time to never recommend this bank to anyone and I feel terribly sorry for moving my wife over from standard bank and my mates over from FNB to ABSA.

Whether my queries get resolved or not I think its fair you understand what is happening in the Cape Town region as well as the public as I don’t feel that its fair for people to lose their hard-earned money to a bank that is useless in my opinion. I don’t expect any hand outs despite the fortunes I have lost over time due to ABSA’s incompetence and don’t care attitude. Hopefully, these learnings will contribute to more focus, customer service and success for you and your brand in the future.