FNB - No Assistance to Company

We have been in a relationship with FNB for many many years since we opened our business. We are a real estate company and hundreds of thousands of rands has been travelling through our accounts with FNB since the start of the business and we have used a lot of FNB's facilities relating to business. We always believed that FNB is the best Bank to bank with when it comes to business. Since the start of the Lockdown (24th of March 2020) we have not been able to work and we do not know when we are able to work again as the Government has enforced a lockdown for real estate agents until we reach Level 2.

Since the 24th of March, I have been trying to make arrangements with FNB relating to our business. The Deeds Office's are closed and due to this reason there will be no registrations on any of our sales that has been done prior to the 24th of March which in affect causes that absolutely NO FUNDS will be going through our accounts.

We have app**** for all the Funds made available by the Government as well as the bank itself. The SAFT Covid19 Fund application has been made available by FNB (which was a nightmare because of the fact that we could only do this via the APP and when we phone or ask questions - not one of the call centers could assist as they themselves did not know how, when and what and all the numerous different numbers that I am referred to, keeps referring me back to my Relationship Officer (Business Banker) where in turn I should start over again as she refers me back to the app and back to the call centers). and we app**** for this as well. They confirmed that they will firstly assist the employees with R750 per week for 15 week if we are approved. We were approved and we also received confirmation that the R750 will be paid within 7 working days. This did not happen. It has been over a month since.

Barring for this, I have also been trying to make arrangements with FNB for the last 2 months to make some kind of arrangement for the payments of credit cards and loan facilities. This as well has been fruitless. I have phoned the numerous different call center numbers, emailed the different email addresses (being told that the insurances that we have does not qualify). Complaining and requesting help from our representative has also been fruitless as I was told that her hands are tied up and she cant do anything. I have asked all of them to make notes on our profile but it seems that this has also not been done as I receive numerous phone calls with threats that they are going to hand us over to attorneys etc for not keeping our accounts up to date. (My question to this is, HOW? We are not allowed to work).

2 days ago, the Government Loan Fund has opened and we are suppose to speak to our own banks Representative. I have inquired about same and how to go about this but still, no feedback has been received. We are not getting any customer service what so ever and the bank seems to not care about our business and I feel that should we be able by one or other miracle we as a company do survive the lockdown and get on our feet again, we will be changing our relationship with FNB to another leading bank that has more compassion and willingness to understand and assist companies in distress.

Why do companies have personal bankers? Are they not suppose to assist your company as far as possible. Are they not suppose to be the only person to communicate your banking needs with. Why are we being referred to one call center to another. (Is the banker not suppose to be your "One stop shop" where you do all your banking requirements centralized at one point). Asking the bank numerous times for assistance has fallen onto deaf ears but they are very quick to phone me and demand monies almost on a daily basis with no understanding that our company has been forced to a complete and immediate halt on the day the lockdown has been implemented. The company has employees and all of them are now in huge financial distress and might end up on the street with their children.

Its not FNB's fault that we as a Real Estate company can not work, but are they not suppose to at least try and help there long standing clients?