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November 2017 by Ben C.
My family has done business with Borel Private Bank (now Boston Private Bank) since the early 1990s. We have used them for payroll, savings and deposit accounts for our family farms and businesses. We have had significant deposits with the bank for the last decade or so, and have done millions of dollars of business at the bank. I am sad to say the old Borel standards of customer service and helpful personal banking appear to be long gone now that it has been absorbed into Boston Private Bank. In the last few years it appears the level of service has dropped to a very low level. The former Borel employees I've encountered at the local Bay Area branches have either become "grumpier" to work with over the years, or have been unable to continue the same services and perks they've offered in the past, or have left the company completely for greener pasture. The final nail in the coffin for me was earlier this week when they dishonored a mortgage payment made due to insufficient funds in one of our family business accounts. One of the historical benefits of banking with Borel (Boston) was that in the one time we messed up in the past, they would cover the amount of the check until we replenished the account. Because of the especially small amount overdrawn (~$156 dollars), and their history of doing this, I have kept an account with them even since their purchase by Boston Bank and their subsequent charging of silly monthly fees (despite us having hundreds of thousands in family business checking deposits). After calling to get help in making sure this morgage payment went through and preparing to replenish our account the same day, I was placed on hold for a long time, only to be told they had decided not to pay the check, and that they could provide no additional help, except to refer me to someone at the bank who was currently on vacation, and could get back to me whenever his vacation ended. Even more silly is that we could have transferred the $156 amount from any one of the multiple other accounts we still have at this bank! So long to what was formerly a great community bank in the Bay Area--goodbye to the nickle-and-diming fees (despite the 20+ year customer history and large average deposit account balances), the high-turnover of personal bankers and disgruntled staff--and I wish so much future success to the very helpful bank people who call me on the phone simply to tell me there's nothing they can do to help!
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March 2017 by Ryan N.
As a former Bostonian, I've been using Boston Private for over a decade. When I moved out here to Silicon Valley, I was happy to find that the impressive level of service and personal touch continues at the Palo Alto branch. They helped me sort out all sorts of annoying logistical issues surrounding my recent move and new home purchase, and in so doing made the whole process much less stressful. Courtney Booth was particularly helpful and thoughtful. And I think it's great that I still have the same personable banker and main point of contact that I've had for all these years (Christine Cahill), even though I moved across the country. I can always reach her on very short notice by email, always get a personal reply and can always expect her to be up to speed on my personal situation and history with the bank. Try that at Bank of America! I'm surprised to read about the unhappy stories due to the transition from the former bank it was before acquisition by BPB, but I think those must just have been temporary kinks that have since been worked out--at least based on my experience so far.
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December 2015 by M. H.
If we could give them no stars, we would. These people are the worst in the Bay Area, and unethical and dishonest. It's all about them making money, and nothing to do with the customer. Their Trust department is known by local attorneys "the trust department of last resort". They are so incompetent, and yet they are incredibly arrogant. You will lose money, and make very poor business decisions. Furthermore, Stephen Ink is one of the worst! Please do yourself a favor and go anywhere else. Don't be fooled into complacency by the Boston Bank that has bought them, because it is still the same old Borel Bank and "the good old boys" network.
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September 2012 by Laurie K.
Notice how all the great reviews were for when it was Borel Private Bank and Trust. Now that it is Boston Private Bank and Trust it will get terrible reviews. The transistion has been a dismal failure. They are so busy trying to erase all signs of Borel that they have been an incompetent mess ever since day one. The tellers barely know how to use the new system and making simple deposits takes forever. They are more concerned about their logo being plastered on everything than to worry about running an efficient bank. I wanted a local bank when I joined Borel, now I have an impersonal corporate bank located in Boston. I'm joining the droves of people who are leaving Boston Bank and I'll go to a credit union or maybe First Republic.
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July 2012 by Samantha W.
This review is specifically for the PALO ALTO branch: In a nutshell: ever since they were acquired by a larger bank based in Boston, MA, their customer service has taken a nosedive. They have no compassion for clients, especially women who are on pregnancy leave and went out of their way to open an account so that they can deposit their disability check from BoFa to Borel. Condescending attitude...if you don't have a million dollars in liquid assets don't bother coming here. Bottom line: I'll stick with my go-to bank FIRST REPUBLIC who I have been banking with since my KGO TV days. They do have compassion and treat clients the same should they have 1000 dollars or 1 million.
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December 2011 by Nanette S.
Borel used to be great. However they have been taken over by a large institutional bank. Yesterday they converted to new online banking and it was a huge mess. Online access codes didn't work and the phones rang busy. They have also made the bill pay feature hugely inconvenient by requiring a separate access and several steps to get into the feature. The whole user interface looks awful compared to the old one. Since I do 90% or more of my banking online, this is a big deal to me. I am switching over to First Republic as their current interface is the same as Borel's old one. The people at Borel are very nice and it is not their fault that the bank merged, but when a large bank swallows a small community based one you just need to be aware that with size comes a degree of anonymity. It may all be fine after the transition is complete, but explore the features first.
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January 2010 by Matthew W.
Borel is one of those first rate companies that you point to when you're trying to articulate the superlative value of small businesses. Simply put, they "get it." I was fed up with being treated like an account number by the big banks, and my long search for a new home finally lead me to Borel. It was already an easy sell based on the excellent Yelp reviews and great word of mouth. But what sealed the deal was visiting the branch and meeting all of the outstanding people that work at Borel. As another reviewer put it best, Borel's ranks of employees are "amazing people, from the highest to lowest places in the bank." In particular, I want to highlight the excellent service provided to me by Sue C., a VP and Deposit Relationship Manager based out of the California St. branch. The amount of energy she puts in to the customer relationship is simply without precedent. When was the last time your banker emailed *you* to let you know that a transfer you were waiting for had come in? If it wasn't already clear, I can't recommend Borel enough. 5 stars.
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September 2008 by Janet P.
This bank is the best one in the universe. When my aunt died, I was the executor. My aunt had dealings with three banks: World, B of A (BANK OF ASSHOLES!!!!!!) and Borel. World wasn't too terrible, I do not want to speak the name of the other bank, but Borel was amazing. We walked in, chatted with a wonderful woman, they transferred the account to us. Done. Five minutes tops. I don't want to talk about the other experiences because it makes my blood pressure shoot through the roof. That experience led me to close all my own accounts and get one at Borel. I. Love. The. People. In triplicate. Any problem is never a problem. They can handle anything. The service is exemplary. No, they don't pay as much on CDs or Money Markets, but at least you can get your money out. And they help you and smile and work with you and never give you problems. I've never run into another financial institution like it.
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September 2008 by Mashimaro M.
After unhappy results and services at banks such as Wells Fargo, B of A, WAMU, and even Citibank, someone recommended this bank, emphasizing their superior service and attention to detail. I opened all of our accounts at their Burlingame/San Mateo branches. After meeting with one of their personal bankers and talking to them, I opened new accounts for our entire family there. Excellence. Efficiency. . . There just isn't enough complimentary words to describe them.
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September 2008 by Uncle Fishbits Aeneas X.
AMAZING service... incredible devotion and connection to the customer. The other reviewers are spot on... this branch is a group of amazing people, from the highest to lowest places in the bank.
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July 2008 by Joe C.
This bank uses real people, and they don't charge you extra to speak with them. They don't put holds on the checks you deposit. They'll give you a cup of coffee if you want one. They always know your name and act as if they're happy to see you. They don't mind answering questions. At some level, a bank is a bank - but 5 stars for all the above.
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November 2007 by Mike A.
Borel Private Bank is known for its GREAT service. NO 1800 numbers, you actually talk to a live person right away. You sit at the teller's desk, and there are no lines.
