With ATMs, online banking, and other options, getting great customer service from a bank might not seem as important as it once was. But you'd still like to be able to get solid advice and assistance when you need it. Our surveys of consumers reveal that a number of area banks give superior service. With others, an ATM may be as close as you ever want to get to a bank employee.

Read our article and findings (available exclusively to CHECKBOOK subscribers)

Back to Boston Consumers' CHECKBOOK Table of Contents.

Sample Subscriber Comments/Reviews About Banks

CHECKBOOK provides subscriber comments on their experiences with the firms they use. Please remember that individual subscriber comments are informal. Subscriber comments may give you insight into the types of features and problems that exist in a service field, but are not the best basis for selecting or rejecting a specific firm. To assess the quality of a firm's performance, we recommend that you give more weight to the percentages of favorable ratings. Those percentages are generally based on much larger numbers of consumers' ratings (the number of consumer ratings is noted above).

As You Can See Below, Some Banks Get High Praise from Their Customers. Some Others Don't. So Choose Carefully.
Here Are a Few Samples of the Thousands of Comments CHECKBOOK Has Collected on Hundreds of Different Banks.

• Subscriber from STOUGHTON, MA wrote Another Bank: Rating pertains to Citizen's Branch at Cobb Corner Stoughton MA........
• Subscriber from WAYLAND, MA wrote Another Bank: I switched to Middlesex after 18 years at that other very large bank, and have..........
• Subscriber from BILLERICA, MA wrote Another Bank: Branch manager made us feel he cared about our business, unlike the bank we left..........
• Subscriber from WEST ROXBURY, MA wrote Another Bank: I've been a customer since they took over Lighthouse bank. Nice folks in every branch..........
• Subscriber from SUDBURY, MA wrote Another Bank: I use the ATM almost entirely so the hours don't matter verry often. I do..........
• Subscriber from LINCOLN, MA wrote Another Bank: Twice in the last year there have been fees levied on my accounts that shouldn't..........
• Subscriber from LINCOLN, MA wrote Another Bank: Excellent service--in EXTREME contrast to the terrible service I have received from Sovereign Bank........
• Subscriber from WATERTOWN, MA wrote Another Bank: Local banking at its best. Friendly service from top down. Products are average. Bank is..........
• Subscriber from WATERTOWN, MA wrote Another Bank: Customer service people will provide the best service possible, no matter how long it takes........
• Subscriber from WINCHESTER, MA wrote Another Bank: A gem!.......
• Subscriber from WALTHAM, MA wrote Another Bank: Compared to most banks I find very small lines when I need to go in..........
• Subscriber from NEEDHAM, MA wrote Another Bank: Classic bank. They are not trying to go the extra mile........
• Subscriber from FRAMINGHAM, MA wrote Another Bank: Very satisfied customer since the credit union's founding........
• Subscriber from ROSLINDALE, MA wrote Another Bank: high fees; the back office and front office give different information........
• Subscriber from BOSTON, MA wrote Another Bank: I've been a customer for at least 35 years through all of the bank's permutations..........
• Subscriber from ACTON, MA wrote Another Bank: We closed a student account due to inability of the bank to remove fees that..........
• Subscriber from MEDFORD, MA wrote Another Bank: Surprisingly bad at handling anything complicated or non-standard. And dealing with "retail lending" to discharge..........
• Subscriber from CHELMSFORD, MA wrote Another Bank: Not enough ATMs/Branches in/around Chelmsford.......
• Subscriber from WOBURN, MA wrote Another Bank: We use the Woburn branch. Their service staff is excellent. We had a bunch of..........
• Subscriber from NATICK, MA wrote Another Bank: I've had several decades of friendly, efficient, and helpful service from this bank. You can..........
• Subscriber from CARLISLE, MA wrote Another Bank: It took us three or four tries to get me authorized to make any transactions..........
• Subscriber from WOBURN, MA wrote Another Bank: Good rates on their accounts. I have a mortgage with them as well, at a..........
• Subscriber from WAKEFIELD, MA wrote Another Bank: Everyone complains about banks,and fees. The people that complain the most are the people who..........
• Subscriber from PEMBROKE, MA wrote Another Bank: I'm very satisfied with Scituate Fed........
• Subscriber from FRAMINGHAM, MA wrote Another Bank: Citizens seems like a fine bank to deal with, always get things right........
• Subscriber from NORTH ANDOVER, MA wrote Another Bank: You can't top TSB for FEE-FREE service. The bank staff are wonderful and very helpful...........
• Subscriber from SUDBURY, MA wrote Another Bank: Online services are very good.......
• Subscriber from NATICK, MA wrote Another Bank: had difficulty getting new checks without a horrendous design.......
• Subscriber from LEXINGTON, MA wrote Another Bank: I cannot speak about the whole B of A. I am only talking about the..........
• Subscriber from BROOKLINE, MA wrote Another Bank: I use the branch at 429 Harvard in Brookline. The same manager has been there..........
• Subscriber from CANTON, MA wrote Another Bank: Good hometown bank.......
• Subscriber from BEDFORD, MA wrote Another Bank: Sovereign Bank seems to be more connected to the community than its competitors. I have..........
• Subscriber from CAMBRIDGE, MA wrote Another Bank: Monthly statements lack summary totals........
• Subscriber from RANDOLPH, MA wrote Another Bank: Have banked here for many years - never a problem........
• Subscriber from ANDOVER, MA wrote Another Bank: Had an overdraft issue which could have been handled.......
• Subscriber from DEDHAM, MA wrote Another Bank: Makes my day to go there to put money in. They even make it pleasant..........
• Subscriber from BEDFORD, MA wrote Another Bank: They hold my money but I don't think I am getting a super deal from..........
• Subscriber from FRAMINGHAM, MA wrote Another Bank: Good, convenient bank. Would recommend it to anyone........
• Subscriber from ARLINGTON, MA wrote Another Bank: The branch people know who you are and treat you like human beings rather than..........
• Subscriber from ANDOVER, MA wrote Another Bank: Mis-laid a carpayment I mailed one week before it was due. Sent me a nasty..........
• Subscriber from ACTON, MA wrote Another Bank: Middlesex wants to serve their customers, not just get their money........
• Subscriber from WOLLASTON, MA wrote Another Bank: The reason for online banks........
• Subscriber from EVERETT, MA wrote Another Bank: Century Bank has free Checking and some very nice ATM policies (such as 4 free..........
• Subscriber from STOUGHTON, MA wrote Another Bank: They are a small "bank", so they can personalize their service, but they do not..........
• Subscriber from NORTH EASTON, MA wrote Another Bank: When my type of account became ineligible for free checking no one notified me that..........
• Subscriber from WRENTHAM, MA wrote Another Bank: experience primarily with the Wrentham branch - they are a great team.......
• Subscriber from DOVER, MA wrote Another Bank: Truly a wonderful bank! They really care about your needs and aim to please!.......
• Subscriber from BILLERICA, MA wrote Another Bank: Our Bank of Boston account ended up here through mergers. Fees were high, staff indifferent,..........
• Subscriber from WOLLASTON, MA wrote Another Bank: Staff unfamiliar with IRA accounts and deceased owners........
• Subscriber from CHELMSFORD, MA wrote Another Bank: Excellent on-line account activities (downloading of statements, EFTs, bill-pay services)........