False Promises on Ebucks Allocation & Terrible Customer Service

For years I have been an avid supporter of FNB to a point where I would defend FNB to my friends and family against others Banks which they seemed to have preferred. I found myself to be quite the brand ambassador and would personally take offense when any of my acquaintances would drag the FNB brand through the mud.

After being a strong supporter of FNB for all these years, I now find myself in a position where I am utterly disappointed with the service FNB is currently affording me, especially being a private banking client and paying exorbitant fees for this very unprofessional service.

1. For a year I have been asking my previous private banker to transfer me to a new banker as I was unhappy with her service, she continued to ask for a second and third chance until it got to a point where I could no longer stand for my e-mails being ignored or having to constantly follow up on matters. I then resorted threatening to move my accounts to Investec if I wasn't transferred. Only then did she finally agree to assign me to a new banker.

2. Being an loyal FNB private banking client, I had to jump through massive hoops in order to get FNB to beat the interest rate that other banks were affording me for my home loan. Not to mention that it took the home loans consultant a whole week to even acknowledge my home loans application (after I had to follow up multiple times) when other banks immediately got back to me the very next day.

3. My biggest qualm is the false advertising around the 50% back in ebucks on my first home loan repayment. Both my private banker (at the time) and the home loans consultant promised that this is one of the benefits of signing a home loan with FNB. Even though I had received sub standard customer service, I opted to stick with FNB even though ABSA was willing to better the interest rate further had I moved all of my accounts to them. I however, once again, chose to give FNB the benefit of the doubt.

My home loan was instantiated in October last year, I followed up on my ebucks allocation in November, in October, in December and in January....on every single occasion I was told that the allocation would occur the next month, but when the next month came no allocation was done.

Of course I followed up once again in February this year just to be told that I don't qualify for the allocation as the proper process was not followed.

I sent another mail to my private banker replying to this with my discontent and the false promises made by FNB just to have my mail me ignored. So yes, my new private banker is now also resorting to blatantly ignoring my emails. Is the type of service one should expect and accept from FNB?

4. Did you know that the majority of the private banking personnel and home loans specialists are making this false promise on ebucks allocation to their entire potential customer base thereby deceiving the customers into signing home loans with FNB? I say this as I have four different friends with in progress home loan applications (across banks) and FNB private banking & home loan personel are all promising my friends the same. But I of course now know better than to believe this gimmick.

I cannot begin to express what a disappointment FNB has been to me over the last year. It's one thing trying to attract new customers but the key to retaining your loyal customers is to afford them exceptional customer service.

I would rather pay a little extra in account fees and move to another Bank and be treated with the respect I deserve than to continue to allow FNB to falsely advertise, lie and blatantly ignore me as a client.