I love the staff at Banner & love the fact that checking is *free* as is ATM use (via reimbursement) anywhere. That part is a big five stars and then some.
While there are few Banner Bank branches around town, they’re more or less accessible from anywhere, so after-hours ATM transactions are easy - and you can (usually!) deposit checks via the mobile app. Sometimes, however, the ATM’s deposit feature has been unavailable when I’ve stopped by in the evening to make a deposit, which is especially detrimental on a Friday evening. It’s happened way more than once or twice, which is why I mention it. And - what’s with the Springfield branch not having an ATM? Not a deal-breaker, but it’s been problematic from time to time.
That said, the biggest “cons”, in my opinion, are the lack of after-hours support and the mobile app. There is no customer service available *at all* evenings or weekends aside from fraud prevention, which begs the question: why not have chat support available *opposite* banking hours? I mean, if you can only staff chat support 10 or whatever hours a day, why have it and bank staff concurrently available? Stagger it, at the very least; shut chat support down at midnight, not at 7:00 pm! C’mon, let’s *think* about this for one hot minute, guys… Jeesh. But what I *REALLY* don’t like is the mobile app. It’s clumsy, to put it mildly. Overall, I find it very user-unfriendly and difficult to navigate. As far as specific app issues: occasionally, and without warning, the mobile deposit feature is unavailable. This has happened quite a bit more than once or twice, to the point where I’m pleasantly surprised when I need it and it’s actually working. Also, for whatever reason, I am constantly getting locked out of my account. It’s super annoying - but might not be be *as* annoying were it not for the absent after-hours customer support. So if the app locks you out on a Friday evening, you’re SOL til Monday... which is BS, especially given the hair-trigger settings the app must have to lock up all the time. Facial recognition settings seem to kind of disappear & need resetting - as well as supposedly remembered passwords - which seems to up the lockout odds substantially. Never had this issue with any other banking app, including B of A (which is a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad institution - don’t walk, RUN away from them), PayPal, Chime, Cash, Venmo, etc… Better keep some cash in your mattress for these occasions.
Overall, though, I would recommend Banner Bank to anyone (who’s not planning on traveling out of the country, that is). I like that they’re a local bank, and the friendly staff, free checking, and free ATM use make it well worth the annoyances.
BW
Bridget Walsh
Oct 7, 2012
DO NOT bank with Siuslaw Bank.
I first signed up with Siuslaw Bank to get away from the impersonal, corporate giant Bank of America. I switched banks for the Occupy Eugene bank change day and because I was unsatisfied with Bank of America. I wanted a small, locally-owned operation with good costumer service and fair late fees. Siuslaw sold me on these fronts.
But they were only fronts. Siuslaw Bank is every bit the ruthless, for-profit corporation that Bank of America is. AND their costumer service is atrocious--I only wish I had stayed with BOA, and that's saying something. I had representatives from Siuslaw lie to me, give me incorrect information, and, ultimately, their errors cost me several hundred dollars.
If you're looking for a friendly, neighborhood bank that will treat your hard-earned money like hard-earned money then DO NOT bank with Siuslaw Bank.