CAISSE D'EPARGNE Reviews 152

A shocking bank! Excessive charges, very poor service, and dreadful staff attitude.

I needed to stay with this bank for 15 years due to a business and I can honestly say It started well but in the last 2 years has been beyond belief. The attitude of the team in both a local branch and HQ is truly detached and non helpful. Slow to respond and when they did it took weeks. Bank charges were never ending. IF YOU NEED A FRENCH BANK ACCOUNT, DO NOT USE CAISSE EPARGNE would be my advice.

Yesterday I travelled approximately eight kilometres from my house in France to Orthez.
I had a transaction I needed to make from my account at the Caisse d’Epargne to pay a bill for services that I had received recently.
The company that I wanted to pay has an account with a different bank in Orthez.
Before setting off to the bank, I checked the website and found that the bank’s afternoon operating hours were from 1400 hours until 1800 in the after lunch period.
I left my house at approximately 1630 hours and arrived at the bank around 1645 hours.
Immediately upon entering the bank I noticed that only the entrance foyer was open to members of the public, thus allowing access merely to the ATMs and a paying in machine.
The rest of the banking area was shut off by floor to ceiling reinforced glass panels plus a door with a bell attached to it. Underneath the bell’s button was a note requesting customers to push the button if they had arranged a rendezvous.
I had not made any such pre-arrangement, so I knocked on the glass.
A minute or so later, an official of the bank opened the door and enquired whether or not I had made an appointment. I replied that I had not.
He stated that he was unable to help me because the bank was closed.
I drew his attention to the fact that the bank’s website stated that its opening hours were from 1400 hours until 1800 hours. He said that the afternoon hours were for rendezvous already booked.
I told him that there’s no mention of that being the case on the website.
I asked if I might arrange a rendezvous just then, as it was clear he was available, and that I was willing to wait if someone else had to perform the transaction on my behalf.
This was not possible, he said, and that I must return in the morning between 0900 hours and 1230 hours.
I suggested that it would be more convenient for me to return in the afternoon, but he insisted that I return in the morning.
Extremely unhappy with this outcome, I returned home.
Today, I travelled to Orthez again and on this occasion the whole front space of the bank was open.
A male cashier was seated behind a desk and I explained what I wanted the bank to do on my behalf.
The transaction was completed for me.
Then I drew his attention to the fact that several months ago, I had emailed my so called “contact” at the bank to request that a recurring debit be cancelled. After several months, I am awaiting a reply !!
I am pleased to report that this cashier cancelled the recurring payment.
When he had completed these tasks, I requested to speak to a representative in a management position because I wanted to make a complaint about the manner in which my wishes had been handled.
He excused himself to retrieve documentation from a printer and gave me copies to sign.
I then thought he was going to summon someone to speak to me, but he turned to speak to the customer behind me.
I was astonished, took my paperwork and left the premises.
The service I received is hard to summarise.
Perhaps I might commence with:-
“Absolutely abysmal”;
“Not caring a jot for their clients”;
And, if possible grammatically,
From WORSE to WORSER !!

J Roy

We have an account with this bank for 18 years. I went into the bank in Nice and tried to withdraw money from my account (I do not have a card) but as my bank was not in this branch I was not allowed to do it. BEYOND BELIEF and could only happen in France.

Caisse D'Epargne RUFFEC, Poitou Charentes - UTTERLY, UTTERLY PIRE.
Shame I can't give zero stars! The absolute demonstration 'in action' of dire customer service.
I have been a customer for 22 years and my account has always been in order. They have shut my branch 'to improve my service' , once refused for 9 months to repay money they had incorrectly transferred from my account without my consent, refused to change my address without a written request even though I visited the branch with identity cards, my cheque book and visa card and an EDF invoice from the new address. FINALLY they have taken 18 months to fail to close my account, a process that is STILL not finished (Nov 2023) despite being requested in May 2022.
So far I have:
>>Written 8+ emails
>>Made 10+ phone calls at my own expense
>>Made 2 personal visits to the Ruffec office
>>Sent my ID twice by recommended post
>>Filled in several forms and hand written letters
>>Requested transfers that have not been initiated (two times)
>>Been requested to write letters to close lines of credit I never requested, accepted or used
>> Request details for fund transfers which they then refuse to activate withoout additional proof of ID already provided several times (for the final transfer of €100 euros)
>> Promise to call me back (Never Ever happens - (I'm waiting now!))
>>Withdraw the ability for me to make transfers form my own account myself using the internet to close it and then insist on charging me to make the necessary transfer

I have Had staff in the office open their office door in full view of me and refuse to talk to me briefly when I visited because they were 'on an internet session with a colleague'. I said I would wait as long as it takes but was told the conference would last all day.

Staff are generally impolite and overly bureaucratic, hiding behind security rules and requests for obscure written confirmation to carry out the most simple requests. Those who try to help are overwhelmed by the complexity of the bureaucracy and the inaction of their colleagues.

A dreadful organisation who refuse to acknowledge the existance of customers in any way. I have been a loyal customer for 20 years and have been treated as valueless.