Customers fuming over ANZ service levels and branch closures

ANZ customers have hit out at the lack of service after a former employee blew the whistle on the “forceful” tactics used to drive them out of branches.

EXCLUSIVE

Irate ANZ customers have hit out at the lack of service offered by the bank after a former employee blew the whistle on the tactics it is using to drive customers out of branches.

Following publication of the whistleblower’s claims, many customers contacted news.com.au to express their frustration with ANZ’s service standards and branch closures.

One ANZ customer who contacted news.com.au, described how branch staff were “forceful” in their insistence that she used the ATM rather than being served by a teller.

“ANZ staff at Macarthur Square [in Sydney’s southwest] a few years ago directed me to deposit cash through an ATM rather than the branch teller. They were forceful and three times refused to process the transaction at the teller.”

“I can confirm the redirection was not a one-off,” she added. “The anger in-store was palpable.”

Branch closures and a lack of service at ANZ have customers up in arms.

Another disgruntled customer said: “ANZ closed the Newport Beach branch, followed by Avalon Beach, NSW. We live in Palm Beach and have to drive to Mona Vale where I saw … a lady at the head of the line [who] would try to get elderly people to do their transactions on the ATMs – which most did not want to do.”

“At Morayfield [north of Brisbane] the line of people often is outside … they only have one teller open but a staff member going down the line taking people to an ATM. Of course you have to say the reason for your visit within earshot of others in the line,” another angry ANZ customer said, adding that it would “be nice if that person working the line of people actually opened a teller window but sadly all but one are now blanked out”.

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Customers complain they are being forced out of branches and into using ATMs.

The customer also complained that ANZ is the only Big 4 bank that doesn’t support Australia Post’s Bank@Post service, after its agreement with Australia Post was terminated in 2018 following ANZ’s refusal to increase its funding for the service, leaving its customers with fewer options for face-to-face banking.

A former ANZ customer accused the bank of having “no regard for its customer base” after permanently closing a branch that was temporarily shut due to flooding.

The customer said that the Seymour branch, in regional Victoria, had to close temporarily in 2022 after floods affected the town, but the closure was then made permanent, despite the branch being “often frequented by customers”.

The source added that ANZ then moved a mobile banking trailer with two ATMs to the town but it was removed four weeks later, with the bank citing a lack of use.

“In that month I had to contact them at least three times to tell them that the ATMs (both of them) were out of service.”

“How can you use a machine that does not work? It was clearly a ploy to fudge the figures and justify the branch closure and ATM removals.”

ATMs that were frequently out of service were unsurprisingly not often used, one former customer alleges. Picture: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas.

In response to the customer complaints, an ANZ spokesperson told news.com.au: “We often have a concierge greeting customers at the front of our branches to assist them, whether it be for a transaction, home loan appointment or any other service.”

“We are in the process of moving to another site in Morayfield early next year that will allow for a better customer experience.”

“We take all customer complaints seriously and encourage anyone with concerns to please contact us at anz.com or 131314.”

These customer allegations follow claims by a former ANZ branch worker, who preferred to remain anonymous, revealing to news.com.au that the bank is forcing customers out of branches and then using their absence to justify branch closures.

He said staff were told to have a “digital-first mindset”, and to direct customers to use the in-branch ATM or telephone to do their banking, or to even do banking at the ATM for customers – because these transactions would not be counted in the branch’s service stats.

ANZ CEO Shayne Elliott. The company denies allegations it is forcing customers out of branches. Picture: Arsineh Houspian.

He “questioned the validity” of stats that ANZ CEO Shayne Elliott used to justify the closure of 287 branches across Australia since mid 2017.

An ANZ spokesperson denied the former branch staff member’s allegations.

“This account does not reflect how our branches or our people are encouraged to operate,” the spokesperson said.

“We have over-the-counter transactions available in the majority of our branches – and in all regional branches.”

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