Ohh...Scotia!

The Wizard got quite upset today when he found out that he was being charged 0.65 for each transaction over 15/month. They call transactions:, Debit, online bill paying, teller withdrawals, ABM deposits/withdrawals... in short -- any transaction. Bothers me that they did not 'notice' and let me know that I could have unlimited transactions for $9.95/month! Last month alone I was charged $30.00!!!!

In any case, this brings me to my next point. A while ago, I asked Scotiabank why they were only open Monday to Wednesday 9-4 and Thursday and Friday 9-5. (I work on the opposite side of town and could never make the branch hours -- even on lunch.)

Following, is their response:

Dear Mr. Wizard, (Name changed to protect me!)

We appreciate your comments concerning the hours of business held by our the Scotiabank branch in Your City. (Withheld to protect me!)

Mr. Wizard, we found that the branch hours have changed over the years in accordance with the growth of our self service banking options. With the expansion of our electronic banking services (i.e. ABMs, TeleScotia, wireless, and Scotia OnLine), the need to have certain branches open extended hours every day was greatly reduced. In particular, it was determined that there was very little demand to substantiate having the branch open. While it is clear that you wish to take advantage of the extended hours, it is unfortunate that we are unable to warrant remaining open late at present.

Please know that you are welcome to deposit funds at the branch ABM (automated banking machine) and, with our CashBack feature, you will have immediate access to the funds up to a preauthorized limit. In addition, if you make a cash deposit, no holds will be placed on the funds once the ABM cash deposit has been verified the following business day. Similarly, you are welcome to use the night deposit box and have the funds added to your account balance in the morning of the following business day.

That being said, we value your feedback. Despite Scotiabank's continued effort to find an optimum level of service to meet the needs of our customers, it is inevitable that our branch hours may not fully accommodate all customers. In attempt to service all customers at any time, our Electronic Banking Contact Centre is available to assist 24 hours a day at 1-800-4SCOTIA (1-800-472-6842).

However, to make certain that we are meeting the needs of our customers, we can assure you that our branch hours are regularly evaluated while taking customer input into consideration. While we are unable to comment on whether there are going to be any changes in our branch hours, we appreciate your remarks.

In closing, we deeply regret any inconvenience caused to you as a result of our branch hours. We trust that you will find our alternative banking options helpful. If you have any other questions or wish to discuss this matter further, please do not hesitate to contact your Branch Manager, (Name withheld), at (number withheld).

Mr. Wizard, thank you for choosing Scotiabank. You are a valued customer; we appreciate your business and look forward to assisting you in the future.


Regards,


Name withheld to protect me!,
Email Customer Service Specialist,
Electronic Banking Contact Centre,
Scotiabank

--Now..hmmm. Can't get to the branch - don't have cash back feature.

I guess I am S-O-O-L!

Done venting!

*About Scotiabank
Scotiabank is one of North America's leading financial institutions and Canada's most international bank. Although our reach is global, our energies are focused on individual customers, employees, and shareholders, and on building a strong community presence.

--They said it... not me!