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Posts: 56

Governor

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Q: Are Chinese banks ever going to offer satisfactory consumer service?

That's like  the biggest anathema of my everyday life. Going to a bank in China is always worse than crucifixion to me. I live in Tianjin, so in general it should all be fine, but If I could only ever find at least a single English-speaking consumer assistant willing to help me!   Ok. I know, I live in China and I shouldn't complain about it, but it would take me half of a day to prepare my "speech" and another half a day to get understood in some more complicated matters. I am a customer after all and I don't demand them to communicate with me in Zulu. Or maybe it happens only to me...

7 years 23 weeks ago in  Business & Jobs - China

 
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Even without the language barrier a trip to the bank is usually a massive pain in the ..neck.

 

The last time I went I had my girlfriend with me helping. She was more frustrated than me, I think because I went there expecting it to suck, she was probably thinking it would be straight forward, as it should have been.

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7 years 23 weeks ago
 
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Posts: 5321

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Even without the language barrier a trip to the bank is usually a massive pain in the ..neck.

 

The last time I went I had my girlfriend with me helping. She was more frustrated than me, I think because I went there expecting it to suck, she was probably thinking it would be straight forward, as it should have been.

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7 years 23 weeks ago
 
Posts: 1198

Shifu

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You just need to seriously lower your expectations before undertaking such an exercise.

 

If you get almost half of what you wanted it will feel like success.

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7 years 23 weeks ago
 
Posts: 19789

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See China Merchants Bank for Gold account with Mc/Visa logo ATM card. 50 Rmb monthly fee, if balance on the account is lower than 50k Rmb.

 

You can use CMB ATM anywhere in the world, where Mc/Visa logo is displayed.

If you're shopping with card outside of China, spending in foreign currency will be deducted from Rmb account holdings by 'spot exchange rate', i.e. the lowest daily EX rate, no extra fee applied. 

You can also convert Rmb to other currency by 'spot rate' (US$100k limit per year).

 

Everywhere in China I visited CMB, there's at least one Chinese English speaker, even in Zhengzhou, Henan.

 

See thread 'laowai friendly bank' opened several years ago, after I discovered CMB.

Can't do online purchases with card from foreign/non-Chinese websites. Best Bank in the World, IMO.

Jackofalltrade:

I am cheap by nature, but If as you say I can get at least something even remotely resembling customer service here, I definitely need to read more about it. 

7 years 23 weeks ago
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icnif77:

While, if you mean 'cheap' 'cause 50 Rmb fee/m for balance lower than 50k, I don't even know, if they still deduct 50 Rmb. Gold account carries so many benes, that 50 Rmb isn't big deal to me 'not-very-cheap-person' with HK$190 Rmb Nokia brick. LOL 

You can open Gold account with 1000 Rmb and passport (RP) & FEC, i.e. two docs. are required.

Gold account customers have special part of the Bank opened for business with sofas, candies and tea. Rarely ever queue and if it is, waiting is very comfortable.

Tellers don't kiss customers .... but, they will escort you through the door or call cab for you, if you ask them for.

7 years 23 weeks ago
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7 years 23 weeks ago
 
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No, not if it requires them to do more work.

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7 years 23 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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No. Why? They are SOEs.

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7 years 23 weeks ago
 
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Chinese have no idea how difficult the banking system people make it for foreigners in China.

 

So when they go to help you, they find out just how difficult it is and it even makes them highly annoyed. 

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7 years 23 weeks ago
 
Posts: 152

Governor

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Hi all, long time no see. Hi icniff, I see you were and still are active all these years. I had one single positive experience with Postal Bank in Yiwu, near BingWang. Service completed in 2 minutes. Compared to previous visits to ABC bank 60-90 minutes, that was speed of light.

icnif77:

Did they find that plane, yet?

 

Somebody on ZeroHedge is using the same avatar as you.

 

Postal Bank, I dunno. Even sending letter to EU is sometimes pain. 

 

You need Bank, where they understand English, so you can remain private, i.e. no translator with you, and CMB in China is the best for that. I would even suggest for asking directions in English in the city out of CMB. 

They're International bank, so English (in China) is very important for the image.

HK's CMB deals only with 'big shots', no 'checking & credit' thingy. Just if you want to move loads of monies by appointment, of course.

7 years 23 weeks ago
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viango:

I was receiving money via WE in Postal Bank, perfect English, since many foreigners in that part of city because of Futian market. I just filled in MTCN and sender name, they filled in rest of the form for me based on my passport and foreigner registry paper from police. I would say it actually depends from city and even position in that same city. I am sure if I would move away few kilometers from city center to other Postal Bank service would be same as China average.

7 years 23 weeks ago
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viango:

re:avatar this is my avatar since I signed up on ecc back in 2013. I don't know who or what is Zerohedge

7 years 23 weeks ago
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icnif77:

It's US Stock market traders website:

 

http://www.zerohedge.com

 

Same poster there is using same pic as yours.

7 years 23 weeks ago
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7 years 23 weeks ago
 
Posts: 5732

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when you go into a china construction bank and the lady at the desk is still using windows xp from the last century in one of the 10 largest banks in the world, all hope is lost. just keep cash and close your accounts,

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7 years 23 weeks ago
 
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The ridiculousness of what happened when I presented my new passport, with new passport number.. OMFG! More than 40 mins, 4 scans, 4 photos, lots of signatures... because one part of the system isn't directly connected with the other... that is, at one point for about a week, I had my normal account running on the new passport number, and the online USB dongle running under the old number... I was told there were actually 2 accounts, and they needed to be merged!

 

 

I suspect that all this incompetence when it comes to banking is actually deliberate, as it makes it easy for corrupt officials to both hide, and then deny, their ill-gotten gains! IN a more transparent system, that wouldn't happen (and they'd have to use other means to syphon off all that money)

icnif77:

No, that's China system. All banks in China operate by the same system.

 

I had similar experience in Kaifeng at BOC. I opened account with passport and then changed the book.

Few months later, I wanted to set-up online payment and I came to BOC with new passport. It took them 90' to tell me, I must bring old book.

Now, Embassy clipped the corner of the old passport, when they issued new one....1. 'Why do you have 2 passports?' 2. 'Why is it clipped?'  I thought, they'll call cops on me.

I walked out of BOC without 'online future' on the account. 'Just forget it!' was easier.

After that, I'd rather travel to ZZ and post cash to CMB. Was using only ATM at BOC, never entered bank after that.

7 years 23 weeks ago
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Stiggs:

Yeah I had the drama with the new passport too. God what a ludicrous day that was. I left thinking the place was staffed and run by complete imbeciles.

 

But the real frustration begins when you go back next time to replace a lost card, need to present your passport as I.D, find that the bank teller has entered your names in the wrong order on the computer and get told that you aren't actually you despite your passport number being the same and all three names being there, albeit in a different combination.

Then, when you explain that it's obvious someone just entered the names in the wrong order you get the blank face of stupidity and are told that's impossible, why would the bank teller do that?

 

 

7 years 23 weeks ago
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Shining_brow:

@Icnif - yes, I know that's the banking system here.... I'm just suggesting it's left like that so it allows corruption to continue! After all, it would be SO easy to upgrade to something that actually works.

7 years 23 weeks ago
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icnif77:

China works different than we think. They aren't familiar with regular things every peasant in west knows, i.e. 'changing of the passport'.

To be successful with your idea, you must convince 'boss' in Beijing and she/he'll tell all banks in China.

However, CMB is kind of International bank, so they know how do we do the same things in west.

They are all beautiful girls and what not in Banks, but they don't have much idea about banking business. They have Gov.'s job and that's all what it counts.

7 years 23 weeks ago
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7 years 23 weeks ago
 
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Oh, and add to the above - I was able to use my ex-girlfirend's bank card, just by showing her ID card.... no, certainly not stolen at all, or picked up off the street....!!!!

 

(and yet, I was once asked to show my passport just to make a deposit into my account!)

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7 years 23 weeks ago
 
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Answer of the DayMORE >>
A:  "... through ..."?  Only "through" comes to mind is "S
A: "... through ..."?  Only "through" comes to mind is "Shenzhen agent can connect you with an employer, who's authorized to hire waigouren ... and can sponsor Z visa." It's not like every 10th person you meet in Shenzhen's hood can sponsor work visa ...  The only way to change from student to labourer visa is just a regular way by: 1. Finding an employer, who'll apply for an Invitation letter; 2. Exit China and apply for Z visa in your home country's Chinese embassy; 3. Enter China in 30-days after Z visa was stamped into your travelling instrument ...As I am aware, you won't be able to switch to Working permit by remaining in China....,so make ready for a return to your home .... -- icnif77