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 DEDHAM, MA wrote Another Bank: Makes my day to go there to put money in. They even make it pleasant..........
• Subscriber from SUDBURY, MA wrote Another Bank: Online services are very good.......
• 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 CAMBRIDGE, MA wrote Another Bank: I have been dealing with Citizens Bank for a number of years, have never had..........
• Subscriber from ARLINGTON, MA wrote Another Bank: There are always long lines and usually someone standing around "greeting" people rather than taking..........
• Subscriber from WINCHESTER, MA wrote Another Bank: A gem!.......
• Subscriber from LEXINGTON, MA wrote Another Bank: I cannot speak about the whole B of A. I am only talking about the..........
• Subscriber from WATERTOWN, MA wrote Another Bank: Very friendly service where eveyone knows your name........
• 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 WATERTOWN, MA wrote Another Bank: Customer service people will provide the best service possible, no matter how long it takes........
• Subscriber from BROOKLINE, MA wrote Another Bank: They are a good bank, with an inexpensive fee structure and good service. My personal..........
• Subscriber from FRANKLIN, MA wrote Another Bank: The Best...Highly recommend.......
• Subscriber from BOSTON, MA wrote Another Bank: Misleading Web marketing; showing out of date interest yield on savings accounts. Rate was accurate..........
• Subscriber from PEMBROKE, MA wrote Another Bank: Really nice staff. If you like doing business with local businesses, this is a great..........
• 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 WOLLASTON, MA wrote Another Bank: I feel lucky to be a customer........
• Subscriber from BURLINGTON, MA wrote Another Bank: I have had more problems with this Credit Union and as soon as I get..........
• Subscriber from PEPPERELL, MA wrote Another Bank: clear statements.......
• Subscriber from PLYMOUTH, MA wrote Another Bank: Good convenient service.......
• Subscriber from NEEDHAM HGTS, MA wrote Another Bank: Would like to see more convenient branches and more partnerships with ATM services........
• Subscriber from WOBURN, MA wrote Another Bank: We use the Woburn branch. Their service staff is excellent. We had a bunch of..........
• Subscriber from BOSTON, MA wrote Another Bank: Money market interest rate varies often, but no way to know what it is until..........
• Subscriber from BELMONT, MA wrote Another Bank: Great people, lousy online layout........
• Subscriber from WALTHAM, MA wrote Another Bank: Compared to most banks I find very small lines when I need to go in..........
• Subscriber from READING, MA wrote Another Bank: I've been a member for almost 20 years and I can't recall ever having dealt..........
• Subscriber from QUINCY, MA wrote Another Bank: The fact that they have branches in the Stop and Shop supermarkets makes me stay..........
• 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 RANDOLPH, MA wrote Another Bank: Have banked here for many years - never a problem........
• Subscriber from CHELMSFORD, MA wrote Another Bank: Excellent on-line account activities (downloading of statements, EFTs, bill-pay services)........
• Subscriber from WOLLASTON, MA wrote Another Bank: Long wait for customer service and unable to rectify estate problem........
• Subscriber from FRAMINGHAM, MA wrote Another Bank: Good, convenient bank. Would recommend it to anyone........
• Subscriber from NEWTON CENTER, MA wrote Another Bank: Their online banking and bill paying are excellent. The website keeps improving, making operations easier...........
• Subscriber from WAYLAND, MA wrote Another Bank: I switched to Middlesex after 18 years at that other very large bank, and have..........
• Subscriber from CHELMSFORD, MA wrote Another Bank: Not enough ATMs/Branches in/around Chelmsford.......
• Subscriber from SOMERVILLE, MA wrote Another Bank: Porter Square branch - Need notary on occasion, even needed a "Medallion Seal" once -..........
• Subscriber from NEEDHAM, MA wrote Another Bank: Classic bank. They are not trying to go the extra mile........
• Subscriber from BOXFORD, MA wrote Another Bank: I put up with Band of America because it has lots of ATMs nearby. I..........
• Subscriber from NATICK, MA wrote Another Bank: Great customer service and follow-up........
• Subscriber from SOMERVILLE, MA wrote Another Bank: Davis Square branch. Condo Association account here. (I am trustee). Our condo account keeps very..........
• Subscriber from BELMONT, MA wrote Another Bank: Messed up my online accounts until I was forced to move to Citizens. Cost fees..........
• Subscriber from WEYMOUTH, MA wrote Another Bank: Pleasantness of Hingham office is exceptional!.......
• Subscriber from STOUGHTON, MA wrote Another Bank: Rating pertains to Citizen's Branch at Cobb Corner Stoughton MA........
• Subscriber from LINCOLN, MA wrote Another Bank: Excellent service--in EXTREME contrast to the terrible service I have received from Sovereign Bank........
• 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 NORWOOD, MA wrote Another Bank: The branch in Dedham on Route 1 (Providence Highway) offers superior service with knowledgeable and..........
• Subscriber from STOUGHTON, MA wrote Another Bank: They are a small "bank", so they can personalize their service, but they do not..........
• Subscriber from ANDOVER, MA wrote Another Bank: An unpublished rule is that without notice, if you haven't used your ATM for a..........
• Subscriber from EVERETT, MA wrote Another Bank: Century Bank has free Checking and some very nice ATM policies (such as 4 free..........
• Subscriber from BEDFORD, MA wrote Another Bank: Returned all overdrawn fees when I showed them I was a long term customer and..........
• Subscriber from AUBURNDALE, MA wrote Another Bank: Now called Village Bank........