topic Re: Solicited in Line at the Bank? in Credit Cards

Solicited in Line at the Bank?

Anonymous — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 19:18:52 GMT

Just to share my experience with being solicited by bank tellers...

I was in line at BoA making a deposit and the teller said I was pre-appoved for a 2500 line with 0% balance transfer and 0% cash advance for a year...and I was like, "um...not right now" and he named off all the benefits of the card and we being kind of forceful...I kept declining, finally he said, "Okay, but is it okay if we offer you this in the future?"

So I said that was fine, thinking they would just send me something in the mail. So he calls me about about 4:30 p.m. before the bank branch closed and left me a voicemail telling me the call him as it was important. I called him and he told me I should apply now or the offer may expire, so I caved in.

This is such a tacky practice, don't you think? Soliciting me in line at the bank...and then leaving me a voicemail on my cellphone to get me to apply for a credit card? Sooo tacky.

Re: Solicited in Line at the Bank?

Anonymous — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 19:34:12 GMT

BoA has done that to my mom. And she wound up inadvertently getting 2 different CC and she didn't realize she even applied for them. In fact, she only learned that they helped her apply for TWO CC instead of the ONE she thought after she signed up for SW and reviewed her report.

She has since closed both cards.

Anyway, I do find that rather predatory. Worse than going after college kids on campuses I think.

Re: Solicited in Line at the Bank?

Anonymous — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 19:34:26 GMT

hmm. so it's official. BOA has undertaken a new CC marketing strategy.

Re: Solicited in Line at the Bank?

Anonymous — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 19:37:17 GMT

Well, they know you're in a rush as you're running an errand. It's easier to say no to someone over the phone, but in person they can turn on the charm and smile. Sometimes you can't help but say yes. Predatory. That's a good word to describe it.

Re: Solicited in Line at the Bank?

Anonymous — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 19:37:32 GMT

Huh. They're always trying to get me to get one of their CDs, but never a CC.

Wonder what the difference is...

Re: Solicited in Line at the Bank?

Anonymous — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 19:47:43 GMT

watchnerd wrote:
Huh. They're always trying to get me to get one of their CDs, but never a CC.

Wonder what the difference is...

CDs are so crappy anyway...rates are incredibly low. You're better off investing in a mutual fund or index funds.

Re: Solicited in Line at the Bank?

Anonymous — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 19:48:28 GMT

The last time I was in the bank (BofA) they did the same to me. It resulted in an upgraded card (to worldpoint rewards), CLI (from 7,500 to 15,000), and no inquiry. SWEET!

Re: Solicited in Line at the Bank?

Anonymous — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 19:53:39 GMT

Only 11 more months until my secured BofA gets graduated and they can start soliciting me! Woohoo!

I understand why it may seem tacky, but I think it'd be flattering to being tagged in their computer systems as good enough for _______ offer, and good enough for them to actually verbally offer it to you in person instead of sending you mail that might be chunked out with the other preapp mailings.

Re: Solicited in Line at the Bank?

MidnightVoice — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 19:55:47 GMT

TheCynicalOne wrote:

I was in line at BoA

people still actually go into banks?

Message Edited by MidnightVoice on 04-13-2008 02:55 PM

Re: Solicited in Line at the Bank?

Anonymous — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 19:56:43 GMT

MidnightVoice wrote:

TheCynicalOne wrote:

I was in line at BoA

people still actually go into banks?

Message Edited by MidnightVoice on 04-13-2008 02:55 PM

only when i'm packing!

Re: Solicited in Line at the Bank?

Anonymous — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 20:35:08 GMT

imducky wrote:

MidnightVoice wrote:

TheCynicalOne wrote:

I was in line at BoA

people still actually go into banks?

Message Edited by MidnightVoice on 04-13-2008 02:55 PM
only when i'm packing!

And I thought DH was bad!!

Re: Solicited in Line at the Bank?

MidnightVoice — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 20:44:03 GMT

imducky wrote:

only when i'm packing!

As in going on a trip?

Re: Solicited in Line at the Bank?

Anonymous — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 20:46:51 GMT

MidnightVoice wrote:

imducky wrote:

only when i'm packing!

As in going on a trip?

as in going on the lamb, so ya trip appply's.

Re: Solicited in Line at the Bank?

Anonymous — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 20:48:48 GMT

imducky wrote:

MidnightVoice wrote:

imducky wrote:

only when i'm packing!

As in going on a trip?

as in going on the lamb, so ya trip appply's.

rofl

Re: Solicited in Line at the Bank?

MidnightVoice — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 20:51:59 GMT

imducky wrote:

as in going on the lamb, so ya trip appply's.

lam or lamb?

If the latter, I have all these shepherd jokes I could tell you............

Re: Solicited in Line at the Bank?

Anonymous — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 20:59:09 GMT

MidnightVoice wrote:

imducky wrote:

as in going on the lamb, so ya trip appply's.

lam or lamb?

If the latter, I have all these shepherd jokes I could tell you............

lol.... well how do you think early man discovered the warming properties of wool?

Re: Solicited in Line at the Bank?

MidnightVoice — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 21:09:49 GMT

imducky wrote:

MidnightVoice wrote:

imducky wrote:

as in going on the lamb, so ya trip appply's.

lam or lamb?

If the latter, I have all these shepherd jokes I could tell you............

lol.... well how do you think early man discovered the warming properties of wool?

What do you get if you cross a duck and a sheep? Inquiring minds want to know

Re: Solicited in Line at the Bank?

Anonymous — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 21:12:11 GMT

MidnightVoice wrote:

What do you get if you cross a duck and a sheep? Inquiring minds want to know

i can't think of a clean enough reply, you win (by default though).

Re: Solicited in Line at the Bank?

Anonymous — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 21:16:45 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:

@Anonymous wrote:
Huh. They're always trying to get me to get one of their CDs, but never a CC.

Wonder what the difference is...

CDs are so crappy anyway...rates are incredibly low. You're better off investing in a mutual fund or index funds.

Apples & oranges: investing in index funds isn't a good idea for short term savings. But regardless, I tell BofA that *their* CDs don't pay enough interest relative to other places, and no thank you.

Re: Solicited in Line at the Bank?

Anonymous — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 21:27:23 GMT

Hi TheCynicalOne,

As a long-time account holder with BofA myself (well over 10 years)

I can understand how you feel.

Obviously the acquisition of "a rather large mortgage company based

in California" isn't going as well as planned. So they've amped up their

marketing efforts to help pay for the sale. Who better to target than

existing customers who have opted into preapproved offers??

They don't want to kill anymore trees and send preapps in the mail because

most of them won't be read. So they pitch you in the drive-thru or at the teller

window in order to save time. Of course, once you say "No" that should be

the end of it, but sadly it's just an excuse to follow a memorized script.

I believe the industry term for this is "organic growth". Don't be surprised if

you see or hear of other banks doing the same.

Even as big as BofA is, times are tough for them as well. They don't understand

english...they understand green. So if they get too pushy, you can always vote

with your dollars. Believe me, they'll change their tune pretty quickly.

This latest marketing tactic, as well as everything that's happened in the wake

of the subprime mess, is one of the biggest reasons people are flocking...and I

do mean FLOCKING...to credit unions. People are tired of all the nonsense, and

they want to work with people face-to-face at their own pace without having

offers shoved down their throats. CU members own the joint, and owners don't

get treated that way.

So if too pushy (or too tacky) comes to shove, just vote with your dollars. They'll

get the message then.

CanDo

"The right attitude is everything"