After my bank wouldn't open a new account for me without an appointment, even after banking with them for 30+ years, I decided to go into Santa Cruz County Bank to see if they could help me. I was greeted by Jade, who was happy to help me and opened my account immediately. I now have renewed faith in customer service! Everyone was exceptionally friendly. Thank you Santa Cruz County Bank for a most pleasant experience! I'll be moving more accounts in the near future! read more

Another well-deserved thank you -- for Cesar and his Capitola team. They've been totally helpful and very efficient for us. It's completely clear that having a working relationship with a local bank is a strong asset for ours and any local business. And one more Santa Cruz County Bank story: we were so glad to have Angelo DeBernardo, Jr. and his team on our side with the COVID-19 pandemic SBA PPP loans. Unbelievable service and support there; that made the whole process a lot easier and ultimately successful. read more

What can I say? I was wrangled into opening an account with this bank due to a snafu by my mortgage lender. He closed my line of credit when I refinanced and then when I asked him to make it right, he got me a line of credit through this bank. In order to have the loan, I need to also have a bank account with them. A web site out of the early 2000's. Clunky, you can't pay bills online, you can't activate an ATM card without calling a number and entering all sorts of information (instead of just using it at the ATM machine to activate). You cannot, no matter how hard to try, opt out of paper statements for the loan. If you have mail forwarded to another address temporarily, you must go into the bank and do it by hand, on paper, just like 1970. If you would like to withdraw some money from a window inside the bank, you can't swipe your card. You have to write a check. All of this makes it really a cumbersome way to bank. Consequently, I don't use this account very much. The staff is very, very nice...very personable and friendly. But the way the bank works makes it unfriendly. read more

If there were negative stars, i would click all 5. The reason they are receiving -5 stars is because of their customer service. Purely their customer service. Let me explain what happened to my boyfriend who is for the time being a customer of this bank... He was leaving town Tuesday night. So after work, we rushed over to the ATM to deposit the two checks from work. First, his card is not working. So we are informed by the branch manager who happens to be walking out the door at the time, she suggested since they thought there was fraud on the account and they canceled his card, we should have a new one in the mail. So we run home, grab the new card and think, this is too easy. We can get the money and get on with the rest of our errands. WRONG! We are driving back to the bank and the activate number ONLY works with the phone number you opened your account with...in this case, his pay as you go phone a year and half ago....so of course we do not have that phone number anymore, and of course it only works with that line. So I tell him call the bank, let them know you don't have that number anymore and you need to update your phone number to get your card going. OH WAIT---they do not have a 800 number! So you can not reach anyone past 5pm. EVER. PERIOD. So what to do now? How does he get his checks turned into money or activate his card? Nothing to do. SO I fork over my money to lend him. He assures me he will call the bank and get this card fixed and get me some money. I called the bank, since he is out of town and not near cell service before 5 pm. So I thought I would call them and calmly explain the situation. So not the case! The lady claims the only way he can change his phone number to activate the card is by physically going into the bank, filling out a change of address form with the phone number on the bottom. ONLY WAY. "when he changed his phone number he should have informed his institution..." she chirped in her 16 year old voice. Give me a break child!! So now he is out of money, his ATM card does not work, out of town and not a Santa Cruz County bank in site. So lets review here..... Santa Cruz County Bank: 1) Does not have a 800 number to reach them outside business hours in case of an emergency. 2) If you want to activate a card, you need the original phone number you started your account with. 3) if you want to change your phone number or update with current, you have to physically come in and change it. 4) Cannot verify information over the phone. My Bank/Any other bank ive been with: 1) Has multiple numbers to reach someone after business hours (they may be in China or India-but they still help me) 2) To activate a card, you can use ANY phone number. 3) To speak to someone over the phone about my account, I am able to answer security questions, and give me card number, account number or my SSN and they can verify all night long. 4) If I need to change my number, I call up, verify information and then WA-LA. I am livid with this bank. SOOO angry. My boyfriend is going to try to get service and call them today, if they will not activate the card for him, i think he will be switching banks, immediately. The only way they can redeem themselves is by activating his ATM card for him so he can access all his money. read more

You are the girlfriend first of all.. there's are a lot of bank fraud. You are not a signer on his acct. Santa Cruz County Bank is a small bank. Go with the big one- but still...it is easy to get frustrated when something comes up and you can't access funds with an atm with daily limits. No 24hr line- a draw back for sure! Santa Cruz County bank has no Saturday hours. I check my acct on line daily and when I am negative- if I cover myself by the end of the business day they cover me and return the return fee. They haven't bounced a check on me yet..and I have banked with the big guys- the fees are huge and there is no heart. BofA- they got a bail out so did Chase...etc will charge $38+ for a returned check no questions asked and manage the unemployment accts for everyone in the nation! BofA, Chase etc..got the bail out..etc and still foreclosed on homes! read more

I really wanted to like SC County Bank, but the teller's, especially at this branch, and the Front Street one make it really difficult. My 17 year old daughter banks here using an account set up for her as a child. Now that she has a job and does her own banking, this is the most convenient branch. The tellers are rude, inconsistent with what they will let her do, and have taken no interest in explaining why. Furthermore, when she goes to another branch, she's able to complete any transaction she needs. I've talked to the head teller, and got professional caring lip service, but that's all it was. The next time my daughter went in by herself, she got the same run around. And yet when she goes to the Scotts Valley branch, they help her with anything she needs and take the time to explain. read more