HSBC Bank

very nice account managers

Wanted to do a wire transfer. I had all the details needed. The funds were to go into the main HSBC branch in Hong Kong. I had the address and all the special codes they needed. They kept insisting I need the full bank address. The only thing I didn't have was a postal code which I don't think Hong Kong use anyways. I insisted this was all they needed and if it wasn't complete they could look it up for me. They said I would have to search for it online on my own. Now I know this is bullshit because I use to work for this bank and looked up many HSBC bank address for clients sending wire transfers. These clerks simply would and did not want to do it for me. They shuffled me off to do it online. I asked if they could help me do this online and she told me to do it on my own. In fact, the customer next to me was being shown how to go on line to pay for her father's bills because she could not access it at home. I went home to set this up. Mark, who was very patient, attempted to help me via telephone banking and after an hour it did not work so I drove to my branch in North Vancouver. A very nice clerk named Jack said I also needed the personal address of the recipient and to come back next morning so it would go out ASAP. Jack said the first branch should have been able to do this for me and should have told me this additional information. Had the first branch misunderstood me and misinformed me to an unnecessary wasted 2 hours? It was not so much MY wasted 2 hours that ticked me off. It was that this money was to go to my friend for his new leukaemia medication which he needed ASAP after an emergency stay in the hospital in Hong Kong. He could not get the pills until he got the money to pay for it. So while these bank clerks in the Hastings and Penticton branch niggled over something they could and should have helped me with, my friend is grasping for life. I didn't tell them this because, frankly, I would have cried. Nor should it matter. I cried later at home out of frustration. This is not my branch but since I now live closer here it was easier. I will avoid dealing with the staff here but not until I've made my complaint heard at head office.

Big bank. BIG PAIN IN THE BUTT!

Slow service.