Which BANK's ???
Jun 14th 2004, 7:12 am
#31
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2004
Location: Hamilton, Ontario ex Loughton, Essex
Posts: 412
Originally posted by Ed_and_Karen
Nope - HSBC. First Direct faxed something to HSBC in Canada and jobs a good 'en. HSBC are everywhere in Edmonton too so no problem with access.
Ed.
Nope - HSBC. First Direct faxed something to HSBC in Canada and jobs a good 'en. HSBC are everywhere in Edmonton too so no problem with access.
Ed.
Jun 23rd 2004, 4:54 am
#32
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 192
Originally posted by lee2
Mick - I opened a PC Financial account about four years ago. I've never looked back. Absolutely no charges and we live opposite a Loblaws so the points pile up (you also get them every time you pay your bills by phone or Internet which I was doing anyway). I use my points to go to the movies with! They casually offered me a mortgage over the phone within the first week.
Their phone service and their website is excellent, which is obviously crucial for it to work.
If you really do want to speak to someone, you can always go to a PC pavillion at Loblaws. They're open on Sundays and evenings too. When I lost my cashpoint card they replaced it within minutes, on a Sunday.
No charges may not sound so radical to those in the UK (in fact Internet only banks there like Smile actually offer interest in current accounts) but here you get nickle and dimed for every little thing. Even the flat monthly charges are a rip-off. I'm saving myself about $200 a year.
Someone asked why can't CIBC simply offer this to their normal customers? To put it simply - branches. Loblaws give the Pavillion spaces free in their reciprical agreement with CIBC. The employees work for a separate CIBC subsiduary called Amicus. There's only ever one or two at each Pavillion. They don't handle any cash and there's less than10 pavillions across say - Toronto.
Compare that with the expense of running full-on branches, everywhere.
I think the only time I miss branches is when I want foreign currency or travellers cheques. But I just do to Thomas Cook now.
I could do the infomercial
Mick - I opened a PC Financial account about four years ago. I've never looked back. Absolutely no charges and we live opposite a Loblaws so the points pile up (you also get them every time you pay your bills by phone or Internet which I was doing anyway). I use my points to go to the movies with! They casually offered me a mortgage over the phone within the first week.
Their phone service and their website is excellent, which is obviously crucial for it to work.
If you really do want to speak to someone, you can always go to a PC pavillion at Loblaws. They're open on Sundays and evenings too. When I lost my cashpoint card they replaced it within minutes, on a Sunday.
No charges may not sound so radical to those in the UK (in fact Internet only banks there like Smile actually offer interest in current accounts) but here you get nickle and dimed for every little thing. Even the flat monthly charges are a rip-off. I'm saving myself about $200 a year.
Someone asked why can't CIBC simply offer this to their normal customers? To put it simply - branches. Loblaws give the Pavillion spaces free in their reciprical agreement with CIBC. The employees work for a separate CIBC subsiduary called Amicus. There's only ever one or two at each Pavillion. They don't handle any cash and there's less than10 pavillions across say - Toronto.
Compare that with the expense of running full-on branches, everywhere.
I think the only time I miss branches is when I want foreign currency or travellers cheques. But I just do to Thomas Cook now.
I could do the infomercial
How can I do this with PC Financial or ING Direct? With PC, for example, can I walk into a CIBC branch and do the transactions over the counter?
Thanks.
