FNB- ruining small businesses in difficult times

My wife app**** online for a FNB Business account for her company: Clop South Africa (Pty) Ltd in August 2022. All the required docs were sent through to the KYC department and the account was declared open and active. She used the account details on her YOCO device and for all her online purchases for her clients so there is money in the account. But now she cannot access this money at all and this cannot continue with business as usual ie. Do purchases as i cannot access her funds. She app**** for the account with her ID and married surname as per her ID which is Johanna Catharina Hattingh – and they sent her the card with the name JC De Villiers on it – which is her ****en surname.

She was then told that She would have to pay for a new card with the correct name on it as well as the courier cost – which is ridiculous as it was not her error – and it should be fixed. Thursday, She tried to access the FNB app and it gave her an error saying “Unable to register – you do not have an inContact number registered” – so She called the call centre and was on the phone for a total of 47 minutes with exactly 7 people! And got absolutely nowhere. The following was told to her: The business account department put herthrough to the App department – they couldn’t assist as She had to speak to the Accounts department – they told her they couldn’t assist as there was a hold on her account due to outstanding documentation so they transferred her to the KYC department – they checked the account as well as the card and advised that there is no hold on either one – they then transferred her back to business banking and She spoke to a guy who said She need to speak to the apps department again – She was transferred. She got through to a lady who explained that She needs to take the card to an ATM, insert it and select more options and open business banking – this would apparently activate the account and use the username to get into the app. She asked her where does she get this username from and she said she will Ask my wife some security questions, thereafter she advised that there is no profile created for my wife on FNB! So she doesn’t not know who to further assist my wife and she needs to go to a branch to get this sorted. My wife does not have the time at this point to go sit in a branch to get something sorted that has been advertised as the easiest way to quickly and seamlessly apply for a banking account ONLINE – no branch visits required! It is why she opted for the FNB account. And nowhere or at any point did anyone tell her that She would need to go to an ATM to have my account activated.

She had to do purchases this week and couldn’t use her funds. This results in a delay in getting orders ready for her clients and directly affects her bottomline as well as her business reputation.

We are absolutely fed up with this situation and we just want to cancel this whole thing and move it to a bank that can actually do what they promise!

And if you read this FNB- you have ALL my wife’s details and documentation do not phone us again and keep us waiting for hours on the other end of the line “whilst trying to get this sorted” and then after hours of holding and providing the SAME INFO WHICH HAS BEEN SHARED MULTIPLE TIMES - just get to the point where nothing gets done again. So sort this out on your side and call her when its done!