Banks are Bad

Customer service sucks, but there are different components to keeping customers satisfied. I think that when the board of directors for a corporation sit down and address the problem of customer service they reduce queue times of the call center and they hire or train more qualified people to answer those phones. In the case of banks, in particular, Citibank, they have it all wrong. The problem that Citibank needs to address is the amazingly complex systems and weak interconnects between different business units. As a customer, I shouldn't need to know that a contributory IRA account has a folder account number, a money market account number, and a brokerage account number. I shouldn't need to know that I need to have each of my accounts in matching region codes in order to "link" them to make transfers. I shouldn't need to know that the Citibank Thank You network has a different password from my Citibank Online account. I shouldn't have to explain to every customer service rep that I had an account that was created online therefore their wack system set me up with a MD region code, then all subsequent accounts needed to be set up with the same region to facilitate linking. I shouldn't have to know that my Equity line of credit is in a DC region code because the collateral property resides in Virginia. I shouldn't need to know that even though they guaranteed me that the equity line could be linked when I got the account and subsequently found out that it could not be linked that I would be charged with a $350 fee to cancel the equity line even though they lied like theives.

Despite my utter outrage and disgust - I still sleep well at night feeling that Citibank is the best solution for me. How you like them apples.