ATM tip/warning

[LGA777]

For those of you like me that have to occasionally hit and ATM and my own bank's is not nearby I want to share this news. So far at least Bank of America and Chase are now charging non customers $3 to use their ATM's, what a rip off as I found the hard way last week!

On a side note I switched to Commerce for my banking a few months ago and so far I am EXTREMELY SATISFIED with their GREAT service, just wish they had more branches.

Cheers

LGA777

[T-Bird76]

WaMu charges non customer 2 bucks which I think is a joke. I use Bank Of America, their service is rather bland. I heard Commerce is good and they gave great hours. I might have to look into changing.

[PhilDernerJr]

I've been using Chase, which I like mostly because of the amount of ATMs that they have. I've been considering Commerce lately, because there's a branch or two now in my area, but it's not appealing enough to me.

[USAF Pilot 07]

I get reimbursed up to $15 a month in ATM fees, so the fees generally don't bother me too much...

[Matt Molnar]

Chase also charges $3 for non-customers.

[Derf]

I just carry $50,000 dollars in small unmarked bills in my car just in case.... I have a Blue Nissan Altima.... Very BLUE! :lol: :borat:

[LGA777]

The main reason I switched to Commerce where the hours. I don't work 9-5 Mon-Fri and don't live my life in those type of hours either. If I go to a bank its almost always to make a deposit and I don't want to use an ATM for that, I want a live teller.

I had been fairly happy with Citibank except for the hours, basically 9-4 except 9-6 Thursdays, only I need that on Fridays. One Friday I working a swap on my day off till 400pm. Using their website and phone cust svc could not locate ONE SINGLE Citbank branch in NYC open after 400pm on a Friday, that to me is not customer service in this day in age.

Commerce lured me in not only by being open till 800pm every weeknight but if thats not late enough there are two branches in Manhattan open till MIDNIGHT on Fridays, Now that's more like it !

After starting to use several branches in the Bronx, Manhattan, and Queens I have been "Very Impressed" Every one has very friendly staff, they even have a greeter just inside the entrance to greet and direct you. Even on Friday afternoons they seem to have short lines (much shorter than Citibank/Chase/BOA) in part due to the fact they always seem to have decent size teller staffs.

For Tommy, Phil, anyone else remotely considering using them do me a favor. When you have a free ten minutes, check out your neighborhood branch, grab a couple of their greet free pens (near the deposit slips) they last forever compared to most pens, if you have a dog grab a free treat for Rover (near the tellers) and ask for one of their brochures descrbing their services and polices (such as free checks and free checking) go home, look it over nd then decide for yourself. The only remote negative is less ATM's than some of the big guys but all the other plusses far outway that for me, and they still have a lot, see below

http://bank.commerceonline.com/informat ... /index.cfm (http://bank.commerceonline.com/information/locations_hours/index.cfm)

If anyone reading this decicdes to make the switch, I think you will be very glad you did !

LGA777

[PhilDernerJr]

This is a good example of how those tiny things go a long way, for ANY business. Commerce adds just a couple niceties, and a loyal customer like Ron goes and pushes it hardcore. Next time I'm in the area of a Commerce, I'll learn more about them and see if it is worth my while.

[stuart schechter]

I use Citibank and up here in Westchester, there are plenty of branches everywhere. But what I don't understand is that the ATM's are 24 hrs in NYC no? They are up here...

[Matt Molnar]

Commerce has good hours, but almost every time I walk by any of their Manhattan branches there is a horrific line inside.

[Art at ISP]

I believe Commerce keeps staffing to a minimum. They are the LCC of banks, if I recall correctly.

I have accounts at Commerce, Chase and Citibank, so unless I am on the road, the fees don't matter much--although I think there is a bank who refunds the fees charged by other banks if you maintain a minimum balance.

[Midnight Mike]

I use Citibank and up here in Westchester, there are plenty of branches everywhere. But what I don't understand is that the ATM's are 24 hrs in NYC no? They are up here...

I use Citibank as well.

& the only reason that I use them are for the Citibank ATM machines, they are the best.

I go to the bank once a week to pull out cash for the week & that's it.

Have been thinking about switching to Navy Federal, but, I would miss using the Citibank ATM machines,

[nwafan20]

Good ol' National City for me, I don't know how big they are out in the NY area but they are fairly big out here.

[LGA777]

Good ol' National City for me, I don't know how big they are out in the NY area but they are fairly big out here.
Actually never heard of them so must not be any in the NYC market.

Very few banking chains have complete National 48 or 50 state coverage. Some are only in one geographic area, others east coast, west coast etc. I would imagine as more banking mergers occur this will change.

Cheers

LGA777

[stuart schechter]

the only reason that I use them are for the Citibank ATM machines, they are the best.

I go to the bank once a week to pull out cash for the week & that's it.

Have been thinking about switching to Navy Federal, but, I would miss using the Citibank ATM machines,

Ahh yes, the blue screen saying, "Please dip your card"

[yaas]

I use Commerce and I love them! I've been a Citibank and an HSBC customer in the past and I think I like Commerce the most. :borat:

Here's a couple of tips:
1- If you're near a Duane Reade, their ATMs are run by Chase and only charge 99 cents.

2- If you're near a McDonald's, I believe they now have "surcharge free" ATMs --I think your bank has to be part of the AFCU (Actor's Federal Credit Union http://www.actorsfcu.com/nyc-atm.html). I'm not sure how to find out if it's free for you or not but it should probably say so when you try to withdraw your money. They've never charged me, so Commerce is good for them.

I had a Totally Free Checking account which was free for 1 year and then $15 a month afterwards if my daily balance goes below $100.

I really love their hours & their being open on weekends (including Sundays!). They're always friendly no matter which branch I go into, and their pens have blue ink!! (blue rules, black drools! :lol:) And free lollipops! How can you go wrong with these guys?

[Nick]

I get reimbursed up to $15 a month in ATM fees, so the fees generally don't bother me too much...
You have USAA huh?

[USAF Pilot 07]

I get reimbursed up to $15 a month in ATM fees, so the fees generally don't bother me too much...
You have USAA huh?

Yup....

[LGA777]

One more Commerce plug. Today I went to my most frequently used branch in the Bronx and two things happened. As I approached the front door a sign caught my eye, it said we are OPEN on Memorial day. Fifty bucks says Citibank, Chase, BOA and others have the exact same sign only it say we are CLOSED on Memorial day.

More importantly I went to make a deposit, it was slow, two tellers, each helping a customer and one person in line in front of me, two other employees at their desks in the area where you open new accounts, customer service etc. After about 3 or 4 mins they both realized the person in front of me and I where still waiting. Both got up from their cozy desks, went behind the teller line, and one took the person in front of me and the other me.

It is rare (for me at least) to witness this level of service in today's era. It is also rare for a company to smartly cross-utilize their staff so effectively.

Now I have seen extra tellers open up before but not after leaving a comfy desk job.

Thanks for continuing to exceed my expectations Commerce !

LGA777

[Matt Molnar]

That is pretty impressive, Ron. And yes, I've seen the Closed on Monday signs at Citi. Sucks for Commerce's employees though.

[PhilDernerJr]

That is one thing I noticed at Commerce, too. The people behind the desks are all cross-trained. They swap out working the desks, the counters and as greeters, too.