When it comes to banking, I’ve been quite pleased with PNC. They have been mostly attentive to my needs, and offer a wide variety of services. Currently, I have checking, savings,CD’s, and a Mutual Fund investment with them. I have been their customer for over a year, and they have plenty of locations conveniently located near my house and employer. PNC is from the wonderful town of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania , which is commonly known for tight fisted sports owners, beers, and frigid cold winters. They have over 800 hundred locations in the United States, primarily in the Mid-Atlantic region. However, they have branched out,(pardon the pun)to wonderful locales in Florida and Kentucky.
The main reason I am happy with PNC, is their large amount of locations. There are five branches within a 15 minute drive, and their hours are wonderful. They are open later than a lot of other banks, and they have extended hours on Saturdays. They are even open on Sunday, which is always nice luxury when everyone else seems to be closed. Their Sunday hours are only 11 a.m-3p.m., but that is good enough for a weekend banker! There are a variety of bank types in the chains, and most of them have a drive thru and walk up ATM machine. They also have ATMS spread throughout the region in retail locations, which is nice in avoiding ever increasing bank surcharge fees. However, with my account, I am able to use other ATMS for no charge. Its hard to beat.
I have been thrilled with the level of customer service I have received. Their branch employees have been polite and helpful. There are rarely any long lines, with the exception of Fridays of course, and the banks are kept sparkling clean. The deposit tickets/forms are easy to read and use, and the printed receipts are clearly marked. At some other banks, I’ve had to strain my eyes to read the printouts. All of the employees have been knowledgeable about my banking transactions, and I’ve been impressed by a few customer service representatives understanding of banking laws. If you go on certain days, or make an appointment, a Financial Specialist is available. When I first heard of this option, I thought that they would only know the basics of different investments. I was wrong, and admitted to the specialist that I was very happy with the level of service received. They set up my investment account, and were able to clearly distinguish advantages and disadvantages of each selection that they offered.
The level of services offered by PNC is remarkable, and even the choices for checking would amaze even the experienced bank customer. There are accounts for college students, basic banking types, and the advanced investor. There are not a lot of fees associated with most checking accounts, and I’m thrilled with my no ATM surcharge checking account. My savings account has done well with their generous interest amount, and I’ve been pleased with the initial returns on my CD’s and Investment Accounts. If you are interested in education, car, or home loans, this bank can offer a lot of different choices that will best fit your individual needs. I also like how you can sign up your check card for Visa Extras, which allows you to earn points for each purchase that you make. During the sign up, I received 10,000 points free, which entitled me to a $25 TGI Friday’s gift card.
In addition to these extras, you can get all kinds of promotions at PNC. There are free hats, shirts, and even a free baseball coin for various offers. For a while last year, they were offering free gas cards in the amount of $25. This is a nice bonus to any offer that you receive for banking with them, and I’ve even received free financial advice via U.S. Mail from them. They are very conscientious about security for their customers as well, and they have pamphlets about how to protect your accounts at home and on line.
Their on line banking is decent, but nothing award winning. It is easy to check your accounts through their on line service, but sometimes it takes awhile for purchases to register. Their website is a bit on the slow side, so expect some fairly long load times if on dial up services. Sometimes you have to click through a few too many menus, to find the information that you are looking for as well. Luckily, it is easy to read the numbers on line, and each transaction is well marked for easy identification. All you have to do to check the history, is to click on the accounts that are highlighted on their webpage.(www.pncbank.com)
I’m quite happy with PNC, and think they are a bank that is worth staying with. While you might be able to get a higher CD rate at a credit union, PNC is quite competitive in the marketplace. Their level of service and quality products makes banking there worthwhile, and I will continue to be a loyal customer. They are continuing to add branches throughout the country as well, so it should not be hard to find one nearby.
