Standard bank service

[Dave A]

Nah - I'm not a dealer.
And it isn't always quicker. Those guys use placeholders for a reason.

Sometimes I've had to fight a bit get the "normal Joe" queue teller to process more than two vehicles at a time, but the most I've ever been in with so far is three - and a "please" and a winning smile can go a long way

[roryf]

Ians the Standard Bank Pinetown branch was much better.The Business manager was Steve Arde who really was a gentleman.Our account has been moved to Kingsmead which is a pity as we got excellent service from Steve.Our current business manager at Kingsmead is good and their service has been sharp.I have accounts at Standard and Nedbank and play the one off the other for better service/rates.

I have to agree with Dave about the logbooks.I called last week and they sent it via courier to my door and today the bakkie was registered.I don't stand in the line,one of my drivers do .

[ians]

My wife used the Pinetown branch for a while, as she had a contact there, but the contact has been relocated, so now she gets the same kak service as everyone else and stands in the que. I don't know when last you where at the Pinetown branch, the lines where out the door the last time I went there, could have been because the ATMs went off line, much like Standard bank internet banking at the moment, trying to sort out payments but no internet banking for some reason

[ians]

finally it has just come back on line.

[desA]

Standard Bank has gone down over the years. I'm also looking for a new banker to gradually migrate towards.

How is Capitec?

[ians]

I just wish I could find a bank which can give me good service and a simple price structure, like the elite for R99 but for business. FNB has something similar for around 170 and one for around 280 but if you go over the allocated transaction they are double the normal rate and it doesn't cover this and that.

Maybe someone should start a consulting company which gets commission for finding the best banking deal, or maybe the bank who wants my business and I think many other companies who don't want the hassle of sitting for hours trying to work out what I need

[IanF]

Just saying all banks in SA don't care here is my latest FNB adventure.
We get an email from Tokyo that they want to sell some of our stuff on their website, and want to buy from us they pay upfront organise their own couriers only they pay via paypal. So now to setup and link paypal. Setting up paypal they process a $1.95 transaction on your credit card which will have a code to complete the linkup. That takes a few days to show. Then they open the account to receive money. Now you have to link so click the link in Paypal and it takes you through to FNB to sign in but you have to allow popup boxes. So google this and allow for FNB and try again. Then get FNB site and no indication of what the next step is.
So phone paypal services at FNB and you click on Forex then on Menu on the left hand side and choose paypal services and click menu again and then link account. You then spend 5 minutes fixing all the prepoupulated boxes with lots of back and forward which takes another 5 minutes. Get a OTP by SMS and some boxes are wrong so you start again.
Eventually after repeating the above you can click to link to paypal and a popup window comes on paypal session timed out. So thinking you weren't quick enough you repeat the same cycle again with the same result. So phone paypal services at FNB and they can't help but they transfer me to paypal and a consultant there helped and 7 minutes later it was done. The big difference is the paypal guy (he even phoned me back and walked me through the process) wanted to help and did and the FNB consultant only wanted to do the bare minimum.

If you want to know what to do.

• Get paypal account authorised to recieve payment.
  This takes a few days for the code and $1.95 to show on your statement
• Use the code to authorise your Paypal account for receipts.
• Try and link your paypal account to you FNB banking profile
  The best is authorise popups for all web pages clear your web browsing cache and restart your browser.
  Then login to FNB and click on Forex then on Menu on the left hand side and choose paypal services and click menu again and then link account. You then spend 5 minutes fixing all the prepoupulated boxes.
• Then fill in your OTP and the a paypal page should popup and you are linked.
• If you don't have an FNB profile be prepared for a long process while the consultants there may or may not help as you FICA and RICA and whatever other Red tape the bank and government throw at you.

Anyway lets hope we get some nice orders from Tokyo.

[Miro Bagrov]

I had an entire news post be removed from IOL. Possibly because of my reply/ and other general comments. \http://www.iol.co.za/business/busine...ment-991263301

It was called "Get Breakdown Before Paying A DEBT."
It showed how banks just help themselves to your money. The Article was about How banks are seizing your money from savings and cheque accounts when you miss payments on loans. It mentioned all big-brandname-banks. It provoked huge outrage and only lasted 1 day online....

Here was my reply.
Interestingly my reply is still on Discus, under my profile. But the whole article has been removed. Why is that? And who asked for it to be removed?
IOL only posts articles from reputed sources and are pre-screened. So why remove this one after the fact and not any others?
I've uploaded the proof here.

Anyway:

You left a comment

This is an old story - the banks were wondering how to cut down on bad debts and lower risk - so they decided to force bundle products. (eg. Force you to have a savings account with them if you have a student loan). This became illegal under the consumer protection act although few people know of this yet. Because of this the banks came up with a one product solution so that they are not "technically bundling" but have got all your assets and liabilities in one spot where they have more control and power to offset.

The right to take your money out is included as a clause in the agreement when the account was opened concerning fees. The other place where it is included is when you link accounts to each
other - here they also permit themselves to take out money for outstanding debts.

My first advice - Never link accounts!

I mentioned that all banks are
pushing for "one bank account" products - this is done not to help you
"consolidate" and "cut costs", actually it's done to make sure they have
access to your assets to offset debt when needed. They only lower the
fees so that you can be hooked in, and will increase them in near future when enough people have switched over. Then the old standalone products will slowly be phased out.

Solution: Keep your loan accounts in a different bank from the bank your savings
account is. Then they can't touch your savings.

Legally: If you feel your rights have been violated you can ask the government to prosecute through the Consumer Protection Commission in Sunnyside, Pretoria who will refer it to the Banking Ombudsman. (Read on "Consumer Protection Act"). Further more, do not be blackmailed - if you can not pay, you can not pay. The law can not force you to sell assets or go into debt to pay what you can not afford. (Read on "Impossibility of performance - common law".) - These are rights the banks will not tell you about.

Many of you will think "why go through the effort?" I suggest it's safer to start on the right foot in case you lose your income and then you will have the answer to your own question.

- Former banker

Dave, have you had requests to remove posts? If not, I can guarantee they would love for you to delete this type of discussion.

Edit: BTW: I am not against banks because I'm also a banker. I'm against how they give jobs to useless lackeys and then cover up after them. Where perfectly well qualified people can't get work because they are not greased up with either the political correctness or the right people.

[AustinBert]

Miro you are very good with your sharing...!
I like your stuff...!
Keep it up...!

[ians]

My favourite one with the bank is still the R115 you pay for returned debt order, even if there is money in the account in the morning. Being a businessman like lots of you on this forum, waiting for money from customer is one of realities of running a business (if not, please your secret). I have now opened an account which only runs debt orders, another waste of my money but at least I know the money is in the account, so in fact I save money and my credit rating, I am already up to 6 again in a matter of 4 months.

Another favourite is not giving me a business credit card because I am a sole prop and I am not worthy, but they give me R50k on an overdraft and R50k on a credit card in my personal capacity on an account I have just opened, yet my business account has been with standard bank for more then 10 years, vehicles have been paid up, you name it.