Private Banker Constantly Says We Must Wait on Management Feedback!!

I have been a client of FNB for over five years, and the primary reason I chose them as a bank was due to the fact that they work together with PayPal. I am from the US, and the PayPal linkage makes it very easy to remit funds back to the US to pay bills on that side of the pond. For the past two years, I have been a customer of their Private Banking product. I chose to upgrade to this product for two reason - one for the access to a dedicated private banker and two for the access to airport lounges as I travel frequently. What follows is an account of my experience on three key components of service:

1. Airport Lounge Access - As a client of Private Banking, I am entitled to access the Slow Lounges in South Africa. This is done by presenting my credit card at entry. I can bring a guest, but this is limited to a certain number. Anything over the monthly limit and your account gets charge R250+ (depending on if it's international or domestic). In addition, FNB arranges for you to receive a Priority Pass for use outside of South Africa. When I was originally issued the Priority Pass, it was practically unlimited. I took 6 guests into the lounge in Johannesburg with me at one point. Sometime last year, they decided to invoke limits though they didn't communicate with clients on how much these limits would be. I suddenly started incurring massive charges and immediately inquired about them. Of course, they only hit your account a couple of months after they are actually incurred. When I inquired, I was told about the limits but could not get a clear idea of what my limit was. By the time I found out that I was limited to TWO VISITS PER YEAR with no charge, I had already managed to wrack up over R3,000 in charges!! Keep in mind, I can get an unlimited Priority Pass account directly for $359 (with a coupon code easily obtained online)!!

2. PayPal Functionality - I have been using the PayPal functionality at least once per month since August 2013 to remit funds back to my US account. It has worked very well, and the fees are minimal. I have recently opened a Platinum Amex in order to get a complimentary unlimited Priority Pass (see point 1 above), and now suddenly my PayPal account does not work - stating that I must register my temporary residence permit as opposed to my passport number on the account. My banker tells me this has been done, but it still does not function. Now I need to transfer money to pay for the annual fee on the new Amex, and I cannot do so!

3. Overall Private Banking Service - the radio ads make it sound like you have someone at your beckon call; this has not been true of my experience. I call and leave voicemails, sometimes never receiving a call back. I have to use read receipts on emails and still get no reply oftentimes. When I first opened the account, my assigned Personal Banker refused to reply to me at all, and I had to demand a new one. I never receive a reply stating "we are looking into your query, etc." Given the fact that replies often take several days to a week, it would be nice to know that your email has been received. The worst part is that my banker often "passes the buck". When I told him how easy/cheap it would be for me to get my own Priority Pass directly, he escalated to his manager and the marketing division. The last feedback I received was 27 November 2017 stating "I haven’t received any feedback from the marketing division as of yet. As soon as I have though I will inform you". That's over two months ago now!! On the PayPal issue above, he left me a voicemail on Friday stating that he had checked with the non-resident division and had ensured that my Temporary Residence Permit was loaded on the account. No further course of action and it still doesn't work.

Personally, I would have already taken my business elsewhere if not for the PayPal functionality. I'm very put off by the fact that the buck keeps getting passed!! I don't feel that my business is valued whatsoever.