Love 'em online; so-so face-to-face
Written: Dec 02 '04
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great online & ATM interface; good teller service; good telephone service
Cons: In-branch account support is sad; limited ATMs and branches
The Bottom Line: I would recommend Citibank for any busy person with Internet savvy and those who prefer using plastic to cash who lives in a major metropolitan area.
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| brendap1's Full Review: Citibank |
I have been a Citibank customer for over five years. I have had great experiences with their online service, and with the tellers. I use branches in three different areas in Maryland, and have never had a complaint about the window service. For the most part, I do all of my banking via the Internet or ATMs.
The Internet interface is superb! I am able to do everything except have cash pop out of my PC. Since I usually shop using a Citibank debit card, on which I now earn rewards, I rarely need cash either. Transfers, automated bill payments, tracking transactions, online account maintenance, online statements, the ability to link all of my accounts together and see them on the home page that I customized; love it, love it, love it. Customer support is the only drawback; you may wait a couple of days to get an answer through the online setup, so it is best to call the 800 number.
The online interface is clean, easy to use, and quick loading. In four years, I have only had a technical issue perhaps three times. They have upgraded their backup scheme since I started, so I have not run into downtime that wasn't caused by a contingency event in over two years. Payments have never been lost, corrupted, or missent. Any problems that I have had with bill payment have been on the part of the merchant, not Citibank. The color scheme (blue, black and some red on white) is very easy on the eyes, which is important if you spend a lot of time online, as I do. The only complaint is that I cannot see the rewards that I have earned online yet. As of November 2004, this is a new program with the debit cards, and is not fully integrated online yet.
Customer service: I have always been pleased with the telephone support that I have received. However, in the bank branches itself, the customer relationship managers leave a bit to be desired. With the exception of one branch, they all seem distracted or annoyed, sometimes both. The wait for assistance is too long when you go into the branch. Sometimes this is because people are asking for assistance who have long complicated problems. I can understand that. But having only one person available while three desks are sitting empty, computers on, with obvious signs of occupation, is a bit much. I avoid going into the branch for assistance unless I need it.
Tellers: Citibank seems to uniformly hire intelligent, friendly, and efficient young people who handle all sorts of transactions without problem. I am one of those people who walks up with 10 savings bonds and wants to split the deposits between 10 accounts. No problem. I need to deposit $250.50 in coins, all rolled with my account number on them. No problem. Need $100 in $20's, $5's and $25 ones? No problem. Always a smile, a "thank you", and a good-bye.
We have direct deposit, so there are no checking fees. We have overdraft protection, so there are no bounced check fees, unless we lose our minds(!). The Money Market account pays a competitive interest rate, as does the savings account (we use both). The interest rate on the overdraft account is rather high (over 18%), but we only use it for emergencies. Citibank Visa and Mastercards can be linked to the primary accounts, giving the online and ATM user a quick view of their entire account.
One other thing: check to make sure that Citibank has enough branches in your area to support your needs. We are still with Citibank because I work near one, but we have moved, and are no longer living near a branch or an ATM. If you are in a large metropolitan area and do most of your banking online, and make many of your purchases with plastic (debit or credit), this is a great bank.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
brendap1
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Reviews written: 15
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