Disgusting and frustrating experience

Recently I decided to change banks. The choice was the bank I used when I was still a university student. Because of my new choice of bank, today was an absolute nightmare.

I thought my salary wasn't paid into my new account and after numerous visits to the Thibault square branch, they figured that it was my work place. I sent a very abrupt email to my salaries department and they were on it immediately. After less than 30 minutes, they realized that standard bank didn't FICA me as they were suppose to.

My frustration was that I collected my card and the consultant that assisted me was so friendly that I thought all was well yet nothing was. I visited the branch on a second occasion for my confirmation of banking details for my HR department and still was told that my account is active and the only thing that was offline was the fingerprints

Yesterday I went to the ATM to check my balance, it gave me an error message and I went into the branch. Went to the 'hellodesk' and was told AGAIN that my account is active.

So today I went with a lot of anger and disappointment to figure out what the problem was. My account was blocked. I asked the consultant that served me (Nwabisa - or something to that effect) what I have to do? She checked my profile and called a manager (Nadeema Adjiet). The manager came and told her that if my ID and proof of address is not scanned, she cannot unblock it. I told the manager that I brought both when I collected my card. She simply walked away. The consultant then saw that my application form was not completed and the terms and conditions wasn't signed. So, my thing is, why block my account and not tell me about it? Why tell me yesterday that my account is active but it's not? Why give the fault to my work place when it was in actual fact Standard bank? If I was told about this, I would have gladly go to the branch to fix it.

After completing and signing the docs that was missing, another manager came to unblock my account. They then assured me that my salaries department can now transfer my salary and it will reflect immediately. I go back to my work place and relay the message to my salaries department. They advise me that standard has my salary. I go back to standard bank and explain this to them and AGAIN they tell me it's with my salaries department. I speak to the manager (the one who walked away) and ask her what they are going to do to fix this? She gives me a bank statement and tells me to give it to my salaries department.

I felt like giving up, closing this standard bank account and just letting it go but why?

I sent my salaries department an apology for blaming them and they assured me that if anything gets rejected and they pick it up, they will contact me.

16:10 I received an SMS from standard bank saying that my salary is reflecting. A sigh of relief, I think, let me give them another chance. I go to the ATM to withdraw money and guess what? I couldn't because my ATM limits have not been set.

I was so disappointed and I feel disgusted. I have spoken to the call centre on numerous occasions trying to set up my account details, SMS, email, etc and not once did they mention any block on my account.

I really feel like I have made a very bad choice. I feel the way this was handled was disgusting and unprofessional. But this is probably just another complaint that will go unheard because I mean we are talking about one of SA's biggest banks right?

So to the staff at Thibault square, well done on the service delivery. Well done on effective managers who walks away from customers instead of staying and fixing the problem. Well done on actually finding the time to read this and saying 'oh well, we don't need this customer anyway'. Well done. Let's hope that one day none of you will be in this situation

So today(Saturday the 26th of August), I make my merry way AGAIN to Thibault square branch as my atm withdrawal limits were not set up. I speak to Nwabisa....AGAIN! She sets it up for me and says this "happiness". I ask her politely to check and see that everything is now fixed and I won't have to come back to the branch. She smiles and says that everything is fixed. I can now transact. At about 12:30 I go to clicks and when I paid, my card declines.....AGAIN. Phone the call centre and they tell me that my account has been blocked by collections and they will only be able to assist me the Monday. No apologies, nothing. Thanks Laura for spelling your name to me (call centre and sarcasm) I have had it and today I closed my account (28/08/2017) Should have checked the ratings before joining this bank