Regions Bank is an old, stuffy, behind-the-times institution. Do not let the makeover with new paint colors, chirpy television/radio ads and other such surface pitches fool you.
I just became a Regions Bank customer and they have done nothing but make excuses in setting up my account with a special promotion/offer. The USPS mailed offer says you can set up your new account online OR go to a branch.
I chose to set up my new Regions Bank account online. Part way thru the set up process a pop up window message said the account set up cannot be completed at this time and to try again later . . . despite putting a pretty good amount of time already to get to this point.
But, I drove to the branch anyway. The branch set up the account, gave me an account number and about 1.5 lbs of paper in the form of folders, disclosures, new account card information, privacy statements, etc. They said I can now drive back to my office and finish setting up my Regions Bank online banking access.
I drove back to my office, tried to set up online banking, but my email address was not recognized by Regions Bank.
Called the 800# I found in the mounds of papers given to me by the branch. The Regions Bank telephone banker said they could not find my email address, so they cannot help me. Finally, relinquishing and giving the Regions Bank employee my SSN over the phone, which I and everyone else hates to do, they found the branch, despite holding my driver's license, US passport and SS card in their hands and me telling them my email address is my first and last name as they see on my driver's license, US passport and SS card, typed someone else's first name, transposed letters in my last name and inserted an extra letter in my last name.
I got that straightened out, but then found out the account number the branch gave me on the new account card was missing a digit.
The Regions Bank banker on the phone would not confirm the promotion/offer saying I have to drive back to the branch to have them put it on my account. I drove back to the branch and was told "we confirmed your email address when you were here". Ha, ha, riiiiiiiiiiiiight. Why would I confirm someone else's first name and the butchered spelling of my last name as my email address?! Nice accusation Regions Bank branch employee. They NEVER asked me to confirm my email address which I told them is my first and last name as they were holding in their possession my driver's license, US passport and SS card, all of which have my first and last names spelled correctly, not how Regions chooses to spell it.
They still would not confirm for me the promotion/offer has been applied to my account. They said to wait ninety (90) days and "it will be". That is fine, but why can't they confirm the promotion/offer has been applied to my new account which I was solicited to open with the enticement of the promotion/offer so I can walk out with the confirmation in-hand . . . like every other company does business? It is called a receipt . . . a confirmation . . . a reference point . . . something . . . anything.
I left with nothing in writing, just a 'trust me, it is there . . . check with us in ninety (90) days if not . . . oh, and don't throw away that postcard promotion you received in the USPS mail . . . just-in-case'.
I came back to my office, called the Regions Bank 800# and was told, "We (Regions) don't see any promotions/offers applicable to this (your) new account . . . who did you talk to at the branch?" Yes, I gave them the names, address and telephone number.
I could go on-and-on, but I'll stop here. I am exhausted from typing. I've had to drive to the branch 2x and have logged hours on the phone collectively over six (6) different telephone discussions in the first three (3) days of being "the best part of Regions Bank" as they like to close each conversation and the issue of not having confirmation of the promotion/offer being applied to my account is still not resolved.
Just go somewhere else. Use an online bank as I prefer to do. Don't be tempted by slick promotions/offers. Legacy banks that say you can bank with them online, like Regions, are simply incapable. Banks that originated as online banks have the process down pat. Online banks do not have as part of their script to drive to your local branch (multiple times) to complete your online registration, new account creation and online banking access.
I'll hang around as a new Regions customer until or if the promotion/offer ever arrives in eighty seven (87) days. If it does not, I will be outta there. And even it does, unless there is a miraculous turnaround in CX/customer service over those eighty seven (87) days to offset my first three (3) days, I will probably still be outta there.
Do yourself a favor, bank only with online banks. read more