I love a challenge, I really do. As long as it makes sense and this does not make sense to me.
Did you know that in order to open a new bank account with ING Direct, you need to have a bank open with another bank first.
Something about having to verify signature and ID. I understand that, what I don`t understand is why I have to have an initial payment into my new ING account via a personal cheque, and why a pre-auth form is not sufficient.
Here is what happened.
I set up a new account online with ING.
They asked for a cheque with my account number printed on it and to write myself a cheque for atleast $1.00 and mail it in. – Fair enough
I made the trip to my local branch and asked for a cheque, since I do not have any. I have never had any.
Side note: How many of us use cheques, anymore?
Scotiabank gave me a pre-auth form and told me that should suffice. They do not have counter cheques and anymore (I had no reason to doubt her). I would have to order 50 for $22.95. (Which I found ridiculous, since this is the first time in about 8 years or so that I have needed one).
I called ING to make sure that the form would be good enough and they very nicely explained that it would not.
Here is where I am confused, wouldnt a company that spends millions of dollars every year advertising to get more customers want to make it easy for those customers to sign up?
The best option provided to me was to order the cheques from my bank, and call in to the call center at ING and escalate my call. There is a possibility that they might credit back the charges. Seriously!?
ING, I am slightly disappointed that your onboarding procedure is this complicated. The entire concept of having more clients and having clients come over to a virtual bank is so they can have a better banking experience. This is not helping. At all.
And I will get off my Soapbox now.