[quote=“Joesox”][quote=“Mr He”]Not really, I got my name on a debit card from Union Bank, however have yet to use it online or overseas. Once I have, I would love to share my experiences.[/quote]Do you really intend to take it for a spin shortly?
If so, I guess we won’t hold our breath.
[/quote]
Myt UBOT card does not work online. It works in Sweden though. I have been at a resort here for 3 days, and I have not used any cash once, it all goes by the visa debit card. Nice.
They still claim that it can’t be used abroad, however this lwifi connection was bought using it.
I use the China Trust on Dun Hwa North and Changchun as well as Zhongxiao and Yanji Jie. Both branches the staff seem pretty nice. I only had trouble once, but the manager helped straighten it out. I usually try to chat w the manager a bit and practice Mandarin.
A heads up: I opened an account at China trust new branch near my home.(out of curiousity)
No signature requested aside mine, got my ATM card within 45 minutes, the young lady understood English and very helpfull…
What else we need? yes, a bank which does not close at 3.30…
Another for CT
My bank of Taiwan account will not carry any longer the I make
Well, indeed, near your home. I would’ve been able to open up an account near the address of where my business is registered, which isn’t anywhere near where I live. Nor would having an account with my most local branch (which is about 25 minutes away from where I live) have been of any more use to me than at the branch I tried to set up my accounts with. The problem is that the overall banking system here seem to be quite antiquated. I’m sure China Trust are more than accommodating as long as you follow their rules…
I think your knowledge of financial services is antiquated. I think the Taiwanese system of banking with its low fees for customer transactions is world class. :bravo: Please tell me why exactly you think it is antiquated. Because it doesn’t give Joe Foreigner off the street a credit card right away? From an actuarial point of view, that’s probably a wise decision in any location in the world where there is a high migrant population. Provide them with proof that you have a job, look presentable, and show a “Whiggish” stake in society, and I’m sure they’ll treat you the same or better than a local.
I’d argue that Taiwanese banks are more successful than a majority of Nordic Banks. Bankers everywhere care about bottom lines, but Asian bankers especially. Take a look at the earnings report of Chinatrust vs. Nordea last year.
No, but when I have to go to my bank and tell that I’d like to add this account to my online banking so I can transfer money to it, then the system is antiquated. As what is the point of me having to tell my bank which accounts I’d like to transfer money to when I have online banking which is supposed to cut down on my trips to the bank? Have you ever tried to have money transferred into your account from abroad on a regular basis?
With my previous bank I had to either go there every month, or as the money came from the same place every month, in the end they let me sign an agreement (in triplicate mind you) that allowed them to put the money in my account.
Try having a non English name and you’ll see how easy it is to get shit here. Someone spells your name with one letter off and you’re not allowed the money, despite the fact that I’m most likely the only person in Taiwan with my name.
How about the fact that you can ONLY have an account in your local branch? That’s most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard in my entire life. And when there’s a problem, you have to go to that branch, as the other branches which you may be closer to at the time, can’t/won’t help. :loco:
I wasn’t talking about which banks made the most money, I was talking about how they deal with their customers. Nor was I asking for a credit card. So your arguments don’t really carry a lot of weight. But hey, you have the right to your opinion if you think all that is a great banking system…
[quote=“TheLostSwede”]No, but when I have to go to my bank and tell that I’d like to add this account to my online banking so I can transfer money to it, then the system is antiquated. As what is the point of me having to tell my bank which accounts I’d like to transfer money to when I have online banking which is supposed to cut down on my trips to the bank? Have you ever tried to have money transferred into your account from abroad on a regular basis?
With my previous bank I had to either go there every month, or as the money came from the same place every month, in the end they let me sign an agreement (in triplicate mind you) that allowed them to put the money in my account.
Try having a non English name and you’ll see how easy it is to get shit here. Someone spells your name with one letter off and you’re not allowed the money, despite the fact that I’m most likely the only person in Taiwan with my name.
How about the fact that you can ONLY have an account in your local branch? That’s most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard in my entire life. And when miscommunication between the bank and yourself when both of your native languages aren’t English is a bit much IMHO. Againthere’s a problem, you have to go to that branch, as the other branches which you may be closer to at the time, can’t/won’t help. :loco:
I wasn’t talking about which banks made the most money, I was talking about how they deal with their customers. Nor was I asking for a credit card. So your arguments don’t really carry a lot of weight. But hey, you have the right to your opinion if you think all that is a great banking system…[/quote]
Isn’t the sole purpose of a bank to make money? And the most successful bank is the bank that makes the most money?
You should have made your desire to get an online account clear to the office drone that was in charge of opening your account. Have you ever banked in other Asian countries?Compared to banking in Japan, banking in Taiwan or China is a breeze. Japanese banks are overstaffed and are a throwback to the 1950s. Amazing that such a modern and advanced country such as Japan has such a medieval banking system.
Somehow I don’t think bank tellers in Stockholm or Oslo or Copenhagen would be very good at dealing with Mandarin names either. And try entering wrong name information or branch code information in the West and see if the money goes through. You have to be accurate for security reasons.
I have similar stories to tell, I guess Chewycorns has limited experience with local banks.
I have had incoming transfers rejected by my bank here due to a typo, or the leaving out of a comma in the business name and what have you not. It took direct threats to move my business before they started cutting me a bit of slack. Mind you, I am one of the bigger forex accounts in that particular branch, receiving rather large incoming transfers on a very regular basis.
The amount of paperwork before being able to actually access the funds are also way overblown as compared to any Scandinavian banks I have dealt with in the past.
Internet banking is rather creaky, so I end up trudging down there a couple of times per week.
Getting a debit card I could use overseas took a bit of talking, I have asked about credit cards, however they told me that as a foreigner I was basically not eliglible. Note that I am not someone in off the street, I have banked with them for half a decade.
Isn’t the sole purpose of a bank to make money? And the most successful bank is the bank that makes the most money? [/quote]
Not always seen from a customer perspective.
Well, we are not discussing Japan, are we? Stay on topic please.
If one detail is wrong, they would still deal with it - after threats and what have you not, I managed to get the bank I deal with to do the same… I used to live in Scandinavia with a Taiwanese woman, and she managed everything no worries. The difference here is that any minor typo will be ground for refusal, no matter what you do.
In general Scandinavian banks are good with anything written in an alphabet.
I now use Fubon (my third bank here) and I am generally happy with them, unless of course I need them to do something for me. A few weeks back I asked them to email me a statement from one of my credit cards, and the chap on their English phone line was very eager to please, and said I’d have it in ten minutes.
That was ten days ago. I know it is a VERY minor issue, but it is one of thousands I experience doing business here. This type of unprofessional behavior is endemic to the island, and I can’t decided whether it is because they aren’t paid enough to do a thorough job, or a majority of people here are really good at homework, but really bad at real work.
Japan is not a good example to compare to. They staff loads of old guys to help you fill out forms in the lobby…bizarre.
Anyway HK is the best regarding opening accounts and managing transactions, without a shadow of a doubt.
Taiwan’s banks are okay and fees are generally low but you got to be prepared to bring every document/chop/ID under the sun in case they ask for it.
BTW, Taiwan’s banks did get caught out very badly five years ago giving credit cards to everybody and their dog, they learnt their lesson quickly though when the government asked them to take a 50% reduction or so on most of the major credit card debtors! The central bank of Taiwan is very cautious and that helps them to maintain stability but reduce growth in financial services.
Yeah, I couldn’t get the internet banking part for my company account to work, as the “date of birth” is the date the company was set up :loco:
So anyhow, I go to the bank and ask them nicely and I get told I have to bring the company registration papers again Seriously? They took photocopies of everything and I have the bank book with me, yet I’m still required to bring it again just to get a new code? To be fair, they found a very helpful English speaking member of staff that helped me set it all but, but still, why the hassle for every single little thing? I thought using a bank was meant to make things easy, but I seem to have gotten that part wrong…
With the 5 different cards I have at different banks, none is able puttin my full name on it being 23 characters long.
Using my Chinese name for the sake of THEIR non internationalized systems is a no-go (I agree that this does looks Antique)
One card even only has my first name on it
I neither use any Chop, while my signature looks 5 on 7 times different.
Giving a dirty look helps in most cases. if not, I go offensive like cutting my Bank of Taiwan Debet card in small pieces in front of their Bank Manager (old story)
@Lost Swede, I asked the CT clerck if it would make any chance opening an acount in Xinyi on which she said no.
CT staff has received guidelines to grasp as many customers, easing their service level it seems
I used CT for my company account also, so I quickly learned to bring a bag full of documents and chops EVERY time I went to the bank to do anything. Don’t forget them chops now!
I once needed to sign my name in a CT branch in order to change from old style ATM card to the IC version. Naturally, the signature on file and the one I did when I was there don’t match exactly. So I had to sign over and over again - about 15 times - until they were satisfied.
With the 5 different cards I have at different banks, none is able puttin my full name on it being 23 characters long.
Using my Chinese name for the sake of THEIR non internationalized systems is a no-go (I agree that this does looks Antique)
One card even only has my first name on it
I neither use any Chop, while my signature looks 5 on 7 times different.
Giving a dirty look helps in most cases. if not, I go offensive like cutting my Bank of Taiwan Debet card in small pieces in front of their Bank Manager (old story)
@Lost Swede, I asked the CT clerck if it would make any chance opening an acount in Xinyi on which she said no.
CT staff has received guidelines to grasp as many customers, easing their service level it seems[/quote]
Wow, 23 letters, damn, I have 16 (of which one is not in the english alphabet and there’s also a hyphen) both of which causes a lot of problems. I got a chop now, but I’ve only ever used it once and that was when I was signing up for my business account.
I suffer from the same signature problem as you
Well, I had my GF with me to CT as per the initial post, alas, they just told us that… well, just read it…
In truth, you need a local assistant to take care of this stuff otherwise it’s a nightmare. All the local companies send their assistants in the afternoons to process these things, check accounts etc.
[/quote]
for CT
I make
I think your knowledge of financial services is antiquated. I think the Taiwanese system of banking with its low fees for customer transactions is world class. :bravo: Please tell me why exactly you think it is antiquated. Because it doesn’t give Joe Foreigner off the street a credit card right away? From an actuarial point of view, that’s probably a wise decision in any location in the world where there is a high migrant population. Provide them with proof that you have a job, look presentable, and show a “Whiggish” stake in society, and I’m sure they’ll treat you the same or better than a local.
Seriously? They took photocopies of everything and I have the bank book with me, yet I’m still required to bring it again just to get a new code? To be fair, they found a very helpful English speaking member of staff that helped me set it all but, but still, why the hassle for every single little thing? I thought using a bank was meant to make things easy, but I seem to have gotten that part wrong…