"Private Banking" and how they ***** you with Rewards

<p>Below is my final email to FNB, after numerous previous mails, all of which were not resonde to (despite apparently having a "Private Banker")</p> <p> </p> <p>Dear "Private Bankers",</p> <p>So after four different calls to the number I was provided after my apparent "Private Banker" was not available, despite the promise that "you will have a private banker on call 24/7" (in 3 of the calls I was intentionally dropped after long explanations and being passed around, which ****ed me off substantially, as I am sure you can imagine), I have finally figured it all out. Apparently you guys changed the rewards rules to include the requirement that I log into the FNB app at least once a month in order to qualify for ALL REWARDS (that is an insane rule change by the way, but let's forget that point for the moment). Nobody told me that or ever communicated that new rule to me. I have no problem using the app, I use it occasionally on my phone and iPad, but honestly prefer to use online banking as I am in front of my computer all day anyways. So I have been going merrily along earning eBucks and getting to Reward level 4 after spending a couple hundred thousand rand in the US in the last few months, only to find out that because of a rule change that I was never told about I am now demoted to Reward level 0, where I lose ALL my SLOW lounge visits, I get none of the bonuses or other benefits that I have earned and built up, because you guys changed a tiny rule and never told me. The only reason I upgraded my account to this Private Client account in the first place is for the benefits, especially the SLOW lounge visits. I travel a lot and am a big fan of the lounges.</p> <p>The point to my long story is this: I am flying down to the Western Cape next week Wednesday (12 July 2017), I will be going to the domestic SLOW lounge. If I am charged for my visit then I am taking all my accounts, including my business, share trading, saving, cheque and credit card accounts and moving to another bank. I have been with FNB since I was a kid, literally, I got a BOB Junior account when I was a boy, but this is the final straw, every time you guys give me benefits which I like and then make me upgrade to a new account type in order to keep receiving them, first it was upgrading to Gold, then Platinum, then Premier and now Private Clients. It is the last straw, I have come all this way and because of some tiny irrelevant rule change that nobody even communicates with me, I lose all my ****** benefits. It is absolutely unacceptable.</p> <p>So the line in the sand is drawn. I will prepare to be disappointed (and have already eyed Standard Bank as a suitable replacement), as I have already suspected that the "Private Banker" concept is just a marketing ploy and you guys don't actually have the will or capability to actually do anything to keep my business. So there it is, I will be sad to leave as we have come so far (and it is a real mission), but honestly there is only so much that I am willing to take.</p> <p>So let's see what Happens Next Wednesday.</p> <p>Regards<br />David</p>