BancFirst knows great customer service

September 28th, 2009

customer-service Customer service is priority 1. Or, should I say, when the customer feels like he or she is priority 1, that is great customer service. More banks need to be like BancFirst.

I am choosy when it comes to banks. In fact, I left a bank with terrible customer service to move my accounts to BancFirst several years ago and have been quite pleased since. Over the years, I have consistently recommended BancFirst to anyone who would listen. A few years ago, my check card number was compromised and someone purchased a domain and web hosting with it. BancFirst worked with me to reverse the charges and put the money back into my account very quickly. I was in need of a small loan to cover an unexpected tax liability and BancFirst worked with me on a small second mortgage to cover that. Those at the main branch have been most helpful with all of my needs.

I had a situation last Sunday morning when I was awakened at about 2am and told that I needed to make an emergency trip out of town. I knew I would need toll money, so I stopped at the closest branch with an ATM on my way out of town. Unfortunately, it was down. Their next closest ATM was at a store that was closed, so I had no choice but to use another bank’s ATM. Of course, that bank charges a $2 fee for the privilege of getting their money, but I knew, based upon the one similar previous experience I had, that I could call BancFirst and they would reimburse the fee since their ATM was down.

So, first thing Monday, I called the bank to resolve this. I talked with the customer service representative who answered the phone and was able to get BancFirst’s foreign ATM fee removed, but he couldn’t refund the $2 the other bank charged. Since I was unable to get any satisfaction over the phone, I visited the main branch. I know, it’s only 2 bucks, but, to me, it was the principal of the thing. I’m not going to go broke over $2, but, then, neither is the bank. To me, it was a customer service issue.

While I was waiting on someone to help me (I didn’t want to talk to the rep or his supervisor since I had already been that route), branch president John Barton appeared to assist me. I explained the situation to him and he readily agreed to refund the $2. I don’t know if the bank has a fund they refund from (I was told they did, once), or if he pulled 2 singles out of his own pocket and put it in my account. Either way, he knows the value of a happy customer.

I know I wouldn’t have closed my accounts for a 2 dollar fee, but I would have been less happy (probably only for a bit, though, as I don’t hold grudges very long). But, for only 8 quarters, Mr. Barton bought my continued loyalty and he can rest assured I will continue to recommend BancFirst over any other. BancFirst will also be my first stop for all of my financial needs and, when I finally DO win the lottery, they will have my money.

I’m not saying businesses should give in to every little demand, but they should weigh the cost of customer service and customer retention with the cost of earning a new customer and make decisions based upon that. They should also empower their employees to make some decisions themselves and train them in customer service. I don’t have millions of dollars in the bank, so me closing my accounts probably would not make much difference to a bank the size of BancFirst and Mr. Barton knows this, or will when he accesses my accounts. However, he did not act based upon my pitiful net worth, but, he acted, I believe, based upon my worth as a customer. He made me feel like I was priority 1.