Bank of the West

Terrible customer service: representative unable to think ahead or provide other options.
I’ve been in the bank and talked over the phone multiple times to speak to an investment broker, but apparently there are none available, every hour of the day. No offer to call back or set up an appointment. I’m so confused ??? I just need a simple answer for tax purposes, yet no help at all.

I’ve been a Bank of the West customer for more than 12 years and have, up until about a month ago, been very happy but they continue to drop the ball correcting a mistake they made with an online payment, which they processed twice in the amount of more than $ 500!
On ¹⁰⁄₂₆ I went to the Clement St. branch and spoke with an employee who called the online services number, filled out a report on my behalf, gave me a case number and told me the second erroneous charge would drop off in 3 – 5 business days. I asked him if I needed to contact the vendor and he said no since it was a bank error.
I followed up on ¹¹⁄₃ and was told I had to contact the main SF branch, which I did.
I followed up again with the customer service manager at the main branch on ¹¹⁄₁₂ (13 business days later) and got an email from her stating, «Given the research for both department and calling all over to see what was done if anything I am completing a new claim. I spoke to Clement I finally got in touch with the person he was on vacation only to find he did nothing. No claim was completed.»
However, when I sent another follow up email today (15 business days later) I was given the response, «We must speak to the vendor because they are the only ones that can refund the amount to you.»
Overall, BOW has lost a long-​time customer-​worst handling of a bank error ever!!!

Always have a great experience here. The Manager remembers your name and greets me every time I am in. The staff are always nice friendly and accommodating. All around great Branch.

Tried to cash a check drawn on a business that uses the bank for their checking.
For those of you not familiar with the banking system… if the company writes a check and you go to that bank that it is drafted on… and there are sufficient funds it is a 100% given they should cash it; as long as you have personal ID… which I did.
The woman teller was just a complete Jack hole. Why would you bank here with people like that?

Banked with them for about a bit past 2 years even though they’ve been in the neighborhood for years. Very friendly staff w/​that good old fashion bank décor. Its like walking back into the 50’s, except for the computers. Most of the banks with this setting with the exceptional high ceilings have turned into restaurants now. Gary, my personal banker along w/​John, Christine, Jenny & Mr. Mack always in good manners greet the entering customers. The good manners «stand out» because there’s such a lack of it all around us now. That social fiber. Was reading some of the other reviews & it’s a standard now on all banks to charge cashing transactions on walk in non-​account holders. There’s never a long wait or line. The only discrepancy I would say is that their website on the investment side is confusing to navigate compare to their banking. I wish it stays in the same one page instead of the transition to another site. The ATM are kept clean and is very secure, especially after hours. Its enclosed in its lobby so you’re now standing out in the sidewalk. The branches where you access entrance by your ATM card after hours are the most secure.

Went in here on a Saturday morning to take care of some stuff. Staff was very nice. Quick and painless. Jenny and Christine were awesome! Thanks!

$ 6 dollars to cash a check. made out to CASH by a BOW account holder.
Googled it and it does say this online, but just a heads up for anybody that is looking to cash a check.
Location is dark and feels a bit stuck in the past, but it was completely empty so I’m sure if you needed any banking needs, there would more than enough staff to help you out!

This is by far the worst bank location. My husband and I have been customers of BOW for about 10 years. I’ve had really wonderful experiences at other BOW locations in other cities, but after moving here and experiencing the dreadful customer service at my neighborhood (Clement St) branch, I’ve decided to move my money elsewhere.
Today was the last straw. It’s a rainy miserable day and I lugged my heavy change jar up to the Clement street location. Both of the tellers there were incredibly rude and unhelpful. They told me that they do not have the machine to process the coins and they argued with me that they never had. However, I have taken change to be processed and deposited at the this very location around 3 – 4 years ago. Coins are cash, after all. Since when does a bank make it impossible to deposit your money? Anyway, it was a huge pain and the older Asian woman with a short bob working Saturdays really needs some schooling on customer service. Hopefully management can help her get her attitude in check. It’s not ok to make mean faces and argue with customers. So long BOW.

Avoid this bank. Go to Consumer Affairs for reviews of problems people are having. I’ve been a customer for 7 weeks. I set up bill pay for the 15^th of the month (pay day). I went on-​line on the 12^th to cancel a payment. I saw «processing» cannot cancel it. I called and I was told it went snail mail on the 10^th to get there by the 15^th. Are you laughing yet? I said it was their error and to cancel it. They said for $ 35 bucks! Their website is in old DOS and isn’t user friendly or smart. Send the APPLE team… The nerve of them to change my bill pay send date. I’m here looking for another bank… inside the SF branch very friendly and helpful staff but they will need to do more than smile.

i haven’t used the inside area of the bank. Every time I come here I have used only the ATM right out side the front door. Better lighting at night would be nice.

i used to live about half a block from this bank so it was very convenient for me. i have a checking account here, nothing special. but the tellers are friendly and they would remember me when i would come in to pay my rent, they knew my landlord’s name too. one time i accidently paid my visa bill from this bank account than another account and they called me, yes, called me (!) to let me know and give me the chance to deposit funds so that i could pay my bill. i think most banks would rather have your penalty money then try to call you. they are under no obligation to do this but they did. that’s pretty unheard of in big banking. they’ve helped me out in this way more than once for similar issues, checks that hadn’t cleared yet and calling to move money from my savings account into checking if i needed funds. i only wish they had more convenient branches in other places of the city because now that i’ve moved the nearest branch is downtown and its not very convenient for me. but since they have such good customer service i will continue to bank with them for now. i do most of my banking online and via direct deposit anyway.

I normally don’t post reviews — but this business deserves a negative mention — I wish there was an option for a negative star to really underline how miserable an experience I’ve had.
This is one dreadful bank — really, really, really BAD.
I had high hopes that switching from a mega-​corporate institution bank like Chase to a smaller local bank would be a joyous move — no such luck.
This bank is stuck in the 1800’s, online banking is impossible, they consider you an unknown quantity until 90days into your account — and therefore hold checks for 14days — that’s 2-​weeks — 2 weeks!!! How is one supposed to function if you cant access the funds you place into your account?
The people that work at this bank are impossible — not helpful –switching banks is a test at the best of times & these people do not make it any easier.
I’m now stuck and wondering if it’s worth the hassle to close the account and switch back.
I do not recommend personal banking at this institution.

I used to come to this bank but fortunately I no longer have to come here on a regular basis. Every teller that works here is always in a pissed off mood. They treat you like you owe them a million dollars of their own personal money. This is the kind of bank that has one teller to every 6 people in line. The only person who is a pleasure to deal with here is Michelle. The rest of them need to take classes in basic customer service. Overall Bank of the West is a decent bank.

COUNTERFEIT, DON’T GO THERE!!! HOW CAN BANK OF THE WEST MACHINE SAID THAT BILL FROM THEIR BANK WAS REAL AND BANK OF AMERICA MACHINE SAID IT’S COUNTERFEIT???
ARE THEY (BANK OF THE WEST) RUNNING FUNNY BUSINESS? HOW COULD THEY NOT CATCH COUNTERFEIT???
I took a cashier’s check and cashed it. They gave me a stack of a $ 100 bills after running through their counting machine (so you would believe all their bills are real?), then I took that same stack of money to go to Bank of America to pay for my mortgage and one of the $ 100 bills was counterfeit money. I went back to Bank of the West and they denied it and they said I changed it. Jesus Christ, that bill has the teller’s (Mark) fingerprints and he denied that he gave it to me! He said once the money went out of the bank and it’s my own responsibility but shouldn’t the bank verify the money first before giving it out to their customers???
My advise, don’t go to that SMALL LITTLE BANK because they don’t check the money. Actually, they don’t even have the new machine to check if it’s real or counterfeit money! They went through their machines and proved all the bills were real, so I believed in them but when I went to BofA, they (BofA) check with their machines and they said the $ 100 was FLAKE!!! So BofA manager took that $ 100 with me to Bank of the West and they ran that same $ 100 bill into (Bank of the West) machine, it went throught again and they said that $ 100 was real, can’t you believe this???
I wish I can give them negative stars, but Unilocal makes people give out at least one star. DAMN Bank of the West!!! I just lost my $ 100, you guys, so remember that and don’t be stuipd like me to make the same mistake and waste your hard earned money!!!

And how did I forget to mention that it’s the only branch of a bank I can ever recall having been to with an indoor ATM that requires you to swipe your debit card after-​hours in order to enter? Not that it’s a bad neighborhood, but reassurance of safety in a big city is definitely a perk. Still the best bank ever, in my opinion.

I don’t bank here but I love the way their tellers and staff are so polite. They should send their staff here down the block to Bank of America to train the tellers there. I love the one guy here that always smile and so nice to anyone that needed help. Wish that more banks was like that. I just had to go and ask the dumbest question about my lost check and wondering if anyone happen to find it and turn it in to them. They were polite and told me nope. The guy added that if they did they will mail it back to my boss. How nice and simple is that? People down the block like BOA need to learn this polite and simple gesture.

Let’s see, I have about 87 more years of free checking with Bank of the West. The fact that they’ve seem to have become more widespread lately, is a plus. I always seem to be running to the Clement branch when I’m in the City. It’s usually pretty convenient, if you already have parking covered. The tellers are nice and the place looks like an old-​style bank. I always find myself needing to stop in whilst I’m shopping in Chinatown and need that extra cash to get dim sum, fruits/​vegetables, or some crab. Or sometimes, I just need flash cash. Tonite, I definitely need it.