Business Banking: Hours wasted for thousands of rands in costs

Standard Bank Westville branch, specifically Smanga Cele, cannot resolve simple day-to-day business problems that result in members of my team constantly having to run around to fix issues.

For example, when attempting to make an online purchase for the business we need our card limit increased. When requesting this from Smanga, he does not understand that the card limit needs to be increased, even though this is explained and requested very clearly in writing via email. He believes that the bank account EFT limit needs to be increased, and so requests we do that and gives irrelevant instructions.

When reminded of the actual request, he then states that the card limit has been increased. We again attempt to make an online payment. An error message states that the card limit is still set at R15,000. This is forwarded, via email, to Smanga.

Smanga then asks for the error message to be forwarded, even though it has already been forwarded. It is re-forwarded.

He then states that the card limit has been increased and sends a screenshot of this. The payment is attempted again and the error remains the same. The payment is attempted 5 more time over 3 days and the error remains the same.

A simple payment ends up taking hours of my teams time and wastes the business productivity. Smanga makes no effort to actually try resolve or debug the issue.

Another example: The company needs a new card. Smanga sends the forms via email to have the card ordered. The forms are filled out and sent back to him. Smanga says that the forms are not completed properly. Smanga says the card will be mailed to our office. The forms are sent again. Smanga doesn't respond. A few days later a reminder is sent. Smangs says the forms were not attached to the last email. They were, but are re-attached. Smanga then goes out of office. No followup is made. 2 weeks later follow has to be made again. Smanga then says the card must be picked up in branch, not that is has been ordered.

We literally spend THOUSANDS of rands each month on bank and management fees with Standard Bank and waste hundreds of hours each quarter dealing with a business banker that can't seem to keep up or proactively solve issues. We kindly request a new business banker at a more senior level in Cape Town, or we will be moving all our balances over to a new Nedbank account we have opened.