Are your banks closing?

Uptosnuff

Uptosnuff

Member
Location
Great Plains, USA
Ever since the pandemic started, my bank - US Bank- has been systematically closing all their branches. I live in a bedroom community of a large city and I started noticing some of the branches of US Bank were closing in the large city. Then, just last week they closed the one branch that is in my small town and the town next to ours. That was the only branch in town. They only left the atm open.

I really needed to use the services of a human teller, but couldn't find an open branch with tellers. We finally went to another place we bank at and deposited there.

Is this what's coming? No customer service and no human contact? Is anyone else having this experience with your banks?
 

I haven't noticed anything here but then again my bank is out of town. I don't go in it. I haven't found a bank here I wanted to use yet.
 

@MarkinPhx Yes, my bank had the drive - thru lanes open too. Until they closed them. I can understand the main bank lobby being closed because of CoVid, but I don't understand why they are closing all the drive throughs too. US Bank is a big bank. And this is making me nervous.

I tried calling US Bank to find out what is going on. And got told it is our governor's fault!! (It isn't. If that were the case, all banks in the state would be closed)
 
Very same here in Ohio. A bank that I'm associated with is closing bank branches, ATM's and selling their properties. Yet they keep their main bank with no drive in capabilities open. I know of four very nice bank buildings, probably only a few years old, that have been closed, ATM's pulled and a large commercial real estate agency has posted them for sale.
I ask recently, why they were closing some of the branches that I used..I was told that they can not compete with the on-line banks when it comes to interest rates and services.
 
Uptosnuff said:
Ever since the pandemic started, my bank - US Bank- has been systematically closing all their branches.
Click to expand...

US Bank is closing over 400 of its branches within the next few months. It appears that they aren't making much money as a result of this pandemic....they probably had too much invested in the markets when the bottom fell out in March. They have a branch in a nearby town, and it is scheduled to close down around Dec. 20th.
 
This has been happening here for a long time, since long before covid. Banks were closing branches because not enough people were coming in to them to justify their existence, primarily because of the advent of online banking and bill paying. I haven't actually been inside a bank in years. I do all my banking, including making deposits, online.
 
My bank does everything it can to discourage lobby traffic.

They have also closed the drive-in windows at many branches in an effort to drive traffic to the ATM lanes.

If you need to do anything other than a simple deposit or withdrawal you need to schedule an appointment to speak to someone.

I've taken the hint and put most of my bills on automatic payment, do most of my banking online, deposit checks with my iPhone, moved my cash to a brokerage house, etc...

Before the pandemic, I used to carry and use cash for most transactions but now I rely on my credit card for most things.

"Come mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
And don't criticize
What you can't understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is rapidly agin'
Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin'..." - Bob Dylan
 
When did I actually walk into a bank? I still use the little booklets for recording my banking transactions and the last time I checked for them was about 2 years ago. I haven't heard mine is closing. I do all my banking online or drive through if I need cash.
 
I use a credit union but rarely go to it. I do everything online. For my son's account, I use another credit union and I do get cash for him from the drive up ATM at that credit union. As far as I know they are not closing and right now I can go inside if I want.
 
My local branch closed last April. Now I have to go 10 miles if I want to deposit or withdraw cash. No ATM either. They did a courtesy call two weeks ago letting me know their lobby is open. But it's inconvenient and too much trouble to move everything to another bank in the next town.
 
IrisSenior said:
When did I actually walk into a bank? I still use the little booklets for recording my banking transactions and the last time I checked for them was about 2 years ago. I haven't heard mine is closing. I do all my banking online or drive through if I need cash.
Click to expand...
I was in my Bank just one week ago.. I had to change a large sum of old paper £20 notes into new polymer £20 notes before the bank isn't accepting the old money any more
 
Yes, it's making sense. They want their customers to do everything online. I must be a relic because I really don't like online everything.
So, basically, they want their customers to do all the work so they don't have to employ humans. I really hate this "model" of business.

Most people seem to be onboard with this philosophy though. I guess I'm going to have to change banks. We still use the tellers services all the time. Cash and check deposits with our rental houses.
 
Uptosnuff said:
Yes, it's making sense. They want their customers to do everything online. I must be a relic because I really don't like online everything.
So, basically, they want their customers to do all the work so they don't have to employ humans. I really hate this "model" of business.

Most people seem to be onboard with this philosophy though. I guess I'm going to have to change banks. We still use the tellers services all the time. Cash and check deposits with our rental houses.
Click to expand...
I agree . I use online banking, but not to the same extent some others use it. I would never , for example.. have my banking details on my phone. .. as members of my family and just about everyone I know has....there lies the road to ruin IMO

Anyway with regard to the branches, they've used the pandemic this year to not only close some branches, but also to cut the trading hours right back.

My branch which is based in a large town, is only open now from 10am till 3pm..4 days a week..( no weekends)... whereas before March they were open 9am till 5pm , 5 days ..and half day Saturday
 
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Aunt Bea said:
My bank does everything it can to discourage lobby traffic.

They have also closed the drive-in windows at many branches in an effort to drive traffic to the ATM lanes.

If you need to do anything other than a simple deposit or withdrawal you need to schedule an appointment to speak to someone.

I've taken the hint and put most of my bills on automatic payment, do most of my banking online, deposit checks with my iPhone, moved my cash to a brokerage house, etc...

Before the pandemic, I used to carry and use cash for most transactions but now I rely on my credit card for most things.

"Come mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
And don't criticize
What you can't understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is rapidly agin'
Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin'..." - Bob Dylan
Click to expand...
they don't offer you a debit card at your bank?
 
Yes, we had a very convenient branch of Bank of America right here in our clubhouse. A few years ago, they closed it. Another bank (a credit union) moved in, but I didn't feel like changing over for that reason, although some people did. It is not exactly horribly inconvenient, as I don't use cash for anything any more. But every once in a while, I do need the services of a real, live person, and it makes life pretty inconvenient to have to find which branch might still be open.

I imagine that now, with Covid, lots of branches of banks, and all sorts of other companies, are closing. Like it or not, we are turning into an online world.
 
Butterfly said:
This has been happening here for a long time, since long before covid. Banks were closing branches because not enough people were coming in to them to justify their existence, primarily because of the advent of online banking and bill paying. I haven't actually been inside a bank in years. I do all my banking, including making deposits, online.
Click to expand...
Same here, Butterfly, although I still use the ATM's on occasion and do like to have a place available to discuss financial matters. I rarely make trips to the bank , nowadays, even pre-Covid and have a Veteran's account that allows use of ATM's at any location across the country.
 
The closest branch of my bank closed , but the next closest is only 3-4 miles farther away.

Maybe they are "downsizing" ? In this age of lower & lower dividends paid, due to lower & lower loan interest , and down payment required, it is perhaps a way to cut costs, "increase" profit ?

Captain Obvious here ........ The internet has just changed everything. I think some of those things were/are slow to appear ?
 
I live in Central Canada (ya, the good ole' prairies) & I have not heard of any banks closing, yet! I know for a fact that many smaller communities in the UK have lost their post offices which is a shame because the old age pensioners used the post office for a little socializing. For many it was their only human contact in an increasing lonely world. Perhaps this is the price we all have to pay for worshiping that great god, technology. Every year we are becoming more & more isolated & becoming more & more lonely; especially seniors who are no longer in the work place. More cell phones, more cable stations, more ATMs, more drive-through coffee, more self-check outs at big stores, drive-through take out restaurants, more home delivery of groceries, more computers. Now, with Corvid-19 our government & powers that be are telling us to stay home & "enjoy" more virtual holidays on your computer screen. Oh, yes, keep away from other people who are or might be spreading this disease. Now, there is hope that Corvid-19 will eventually go away & normal life will return. However, technology will not go away ever. I'm not surprised that depression, loneliness & suicides are on the increase. Guess, there is a price to pay for everything. As they say, you can't "have your cake & eat it too". Happy texting in your lonely room!
 

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