I’m always interested in the most economical banking products, so I contacted Bank of America’s 800-781-5393 customer service number to ask if they offered free checking accounts since most banks charge a fee. However, Bank of America is a major U.S. bank, so it’s reasonable that consumers might call one of its customer service numbers to ask about checking and savings accounts, investments, and loans. With its prominent online presence and ATMs, it’s easy to access the bank’s services even when you don’t live near a branch.
When I dialed the number, an automated response system greeted me by letting me know from the outset that the company may record or monitor my call for quality purposes. Right after that message, a customer service associate answered and thanked me for being a valuable client of Bank of America. He said he was “very happy” to help me and told me his name.
Next, he repeated the information about monitoring or recording the call and asked for my first and last name. I didn't see a reason to offer personal data since I only called for information, but I gave him my name. He thanked me for providing it and asked me for an account number or my Social Security number. I explained that I didn't have an account with the bank, but was seeking information about accounts. He asked how he could help me.
I asked him if the bank offers a free account. He started to say something, and there was a brief silent period. He told me to hold on for 1 second and was quiet again. During this time, he must have been looking up some information. He returned to the conversation and explained several ways to get free checking, all of which required having a certain account balance.
Next, I asked about savings accounts, since I've never paid a fee for one. Still, some banks threaten to close accounts when customers don't maintain a specific balance. He mentioned a fee for savings accounts; however, he then said a customer can get a free account by maintaining a certain balance. I thanked him as the information he offered answered my questions.
Overall, this call experience was excellent. Straight after the automated voice response system acknowledged my call, it went straight to a human. That was a refreshing change from what I usually get when I call a customer service number. Almost always, the system recites a list of numerical options to press, which often leads to more menus, or it continues to ask for information that I cannot provide. The customer service associate was courteous, listened to my questions and answered them all, giving me the necessary information to select a banking product to meet my needs.