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October 2023 by Jeffrey Allen
I was a long-time customer of Bank of the West. I actually have been with the bank for about 30 years as it got swallowed by one larger bank after another. I was quite pleased with their service and their customer orientation. Last month BMO took Bank of the West over and, in the space of a week managed to alienate me with abominable service. Written representations made in connection with the transition proved untrue. It was impossible for me to access a live person with the numbers provided. All I could do was access the BMO bot that apparently had only one job: preventing customers from talking to anyone.I finally found a number for BMO in Montreal. I called that number and was transferred to a live incompetent with whom I spent over 2.5 hours on the phone, long distance from Egypt. At the end of the conversation, he had accomplished nothing, admitted that he had no idea how to fix the problem and mysteriously lost the call. not surprisingly, he lacked the courtesy to call back after losing the call. It appears to me that discourtesy is the BMO standard for customer service.BMO made written representations as to how the transition would occur. They proved untrue. I was disconnected from online access to all of my accounts and all funds they contained. As a result, I was unable to make timely payments on several bills; I was out of the country on vacation when this happened and had no way to address payment other than online. As a result, several payments became delinquent, causing me to incur late charges and interest. As a result of BMO's conduct, the unpaid credit card issuers filed derogatory credit information that resulted in a substantial lowering of my FICO score. Ironically, but not surprisingly, one of the banks reporting the delinquencies was none other than BMO. They did that, notwithstanding that I talked to that department and was assured that they would note the account to prevent that from happening.I talked to my local branch manager who has filed three complaints on my behalf internally about the situation. To his embarrassment, BMO has failed and refused to contact me and endeavor to fix the mess it made. I told him about something I worked out with some of the credit facilities that did not receive timely payment. They agreed that if BMO wrote a letter acknowledging the problem was its fault they would consider reversing the late charges and see if they could do anything about reversing the derogatory credit information they reported. Although he acknowledged the truth of the fact of BMO's responsibility, he said BMO would not allow him to write such a letter. Apparently the BMO way is to hide the truth and hope the problem goes away.As an aside, to let you know how totally inept BMO actually is: once I got access to my accounts again (a month later). I immediately went on line to make the payments that BMO had prevented. BMO told e it could pay Chase bank within a day and a half; and it did. BMO told me that it could pay Citibank within a day and a half and it did. When it came to paying itself, however, BMO said it could not make the payment for almost two weeks. And it didn't. Citibank and Chase confirmed receipt on October 6. Today is October 13, 2023; the outside date for delivery of my payment to BMO provided by BMO. I just checked and the payment has not yet been delivered. It is now 3:56 PM. Draw your own conclusions about BMO's honesty, trustworthiness, integrity and competence. On a scale of 1-10, with 1 representing the worst, my opinion is that BMO is looking way up at 1 and it is substantially out of reach.I have now given them multiple opportunities to respond and do something to fix the problem. So far they have not had the courtesy to respond at all, let alone fix the problems. I have had multiple conversations with the branch manager, who expresses his sympathy and assures me that it is not just me; lots of people are having the same problem.
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October 2023 by Abdulnasser alsumairi
Very good customer service.
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April 2022 by John Beall
I Like Bank of the West and particularly this mountain blvd branch is great! My Banker is Jose Leon who has gone out of his way numerous times to help with all my business and personal banking! Great all around experience
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March 2022 by JoAnn N.
This BOW gets my award for least customer-friendly organization EVER! Let me explain. I am disabled. I write one check a year to my insurance company from this account. I haven't needed checks. I requested this BOW to issue a counter check made payable to the insurance company for a specific amount and have my representative pick it up. Their ridiculous policy is that they can only MAIL such a check. Their policy needs rethinking. In fact, NUMEROUS policies at this bank need rethinking. Last week, my representative made a DEPOSIT for which she needed to present her driver's license and credit card, which they had copied before. TO MAKE A DEPOSIT????? MANAGEMENT: Please rethink your general policies. They must continue to protect you AND ALLOW ME ACCESS TO MY MONEY WHENEVER I NEED1
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February 2022 by Hazim Elbgal
the service here has hit a new low,
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October 2021 by Martin Quizhpe
Neds improvement
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August 2021 by QUIZ FOREVER
Neds improvement
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June 2020 by Tim C.
I was looking for the online BOW site and came across the ratings for the Montclair Branch and was astounded at all the negative remarks made about this branch. I have banked with them for over 35 years and find them totally engaging, the staff to be so helpful and personal what I was reading in these reviews has not been my experience. Each of the staff who help me have been so helpful I just have a hard time believing these reviews. When I traveled to France for instance one of the staff members made it possible for me to dL Euros beyond my maximum making it easier and cheaper to use the bank transfers. So, sorry folks, this is a super branch and I will always stick up for these folks who work here.
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November 2019 by Antoine Pirson
BOTW is one of the worst banks I ever had to work with. They do not understand what services they should provide for an international customer, nor do they provide even decent customer service at the counter. As example, you cannot get 9,000 dollar out of your account. You have to wait a week!!!! They cancel your debit card (they claim for low usage), but don't send a new one and thus you CANNOT use it to get money out of any ATM or at the counter. They even asked me why I needed the money?????
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August 2019 by R L.
Bank of the West (or its derivative) has been my primary bank since 1973 (not this location). I cannot recommend this particular branch, however. You will have better luck elsewhere, as customer service and accommodation is limited at this location. Customer satisfaction is not the management's primary concern. Time is important, and it is much easier to find a bank that can provide reasonable, more convenient assistance elsewhere, that can better meet your needs.
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January 2019 by E. D.
This institution is so broken I'll save you all my tears. I have never seen any real business like a bank be so flawed... Just look at these reviews.. I'll say no more... don't get caught up with this institution you'll be hurt over and over again.. computers never work, Debit cards constantly fail and never ending shame when you're purchasing items or auto pay and the transaction fails. FDIC needs to close these people down.
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July 2018 by Michael S.
The ATM is crap, will not accept multiple checks for deposit. I have complained for over 2 years, bank staff does not care, not their responsiblity.
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September 2017 by Nicole T.
This BOW branch is a complete failure. All due to a lazy, ineffective senior service officer: Margarita Padin and her manager, Mary Avila. I can't even transfer an account successfully with them. Why does it take a full month for new checks to be ordered? Corporate Management needs to step in and reevaluate this Branch manager's work ethics. Instead of lessening the hours of operation, they need to do a full assessment of this branch and ask themselves why can't this branch incur more customers. The branch manager: Mary Avila is hardly around, her attitude is astoundingly offensive. Her gratifying tactic is to deflect her laziness and poor management's style onto her customers. By arbitrarily closing their existing accounts, just to conceal her errors. The one thing she did do correctly is to inform me that Bank of the West is no longer the right bank for me. I was told by Mary that I was rude. Yes, perhaps I was rude. I could not access my funds for 1 month. I had no checks. My ATM card is not linked to the transferred accounts. The account that was asked to be closed, yet remains opened. Mary's unprofessional behavior is the reason why this bank is loosing customers and their hours are decreasing. Both Mary and Margarita would rather that the customer do their banking either at another branch or completely at another bank. They should be ashamed of getting their paychecks from BOW. I have watched this bank declined since she's been employed. The only redeeming quality of this branch is the nice person, Grace. Perhaps Mary Avila, the manager, can learn effective customer service lessons from Grace. Up to this point, I have been with this branch for 8 years.
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October 2016 by Valerie A.
I have been with Bank of the West since they took over a previous bank in Oakland's Montclair district. When they took over they cut the hours, and then in the last year have continued to cut back on the hours. They cut back the Friday hours to 5pm, and now they have closed entirely on Saturdays. They say you can got to the Lakeshore branch, which has very little parking, and they have long lines and short staff on Saturdays causing long waits, and close at 1pm. I have made several complaints but nothing is done. The Wells Fargo Bank in the Montclair district is open M - S until 6pm!!! At least the US Bank is open until 6pm M - F, and until 1pm on Saturday. It seems like Bank of the West has little care for the customers. When I asked why they cut back hours they said "most of our customers bank online". I know that they do not have any more customers banking online than any other bank, so they just seem to not care! They could have at the minimum kept later hours on Fridays, but to close on Friday at 5pm, and be closed on Saturdays makes it really difficult for customers who work...which I assume are most of the people who bank!
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September 2016 by Denora D.
I went to Bank of the West this morning to open an account with them. I walked in no one acknowledged me. They just pretended I didn't even exist. A lady came in behind me and they spoke to her. Needless to say I walked out and decided to go with another bank. The cold reception I felt inside was an indication that this was the wrong place.