Maybe I'm just getting older and more cantankerous, but the Pine River Valley Bank merger with Community Banks of Colorado is setting off alarm bells for me.
My initial questions by phone were answered by somebody in Kansas City, Missouri. My questions in person at PRVB were answered with a head teller saying, "Everybody is resistant to change. This merger will improve our technical performance." So far, I was unable to activate my new bank card online. By phone, a PRVB person was able to activate the card. (Thanks, Jennifer!) Jennifer told me there was a glitch in the system.
On Monday, Oct. 12 at noon, I got online to activate my banking account so I could access/monitor from my computer. The highly professional printed mail I got in the mail said this was the time the whole change was supposed to be available. The system said I needed to change my password. No big deal, right? To change my password, I had to enter my old password, which worked last week. The system said it did not recognize my old password. So, I could not proceed.
I called on Tuesday morning to what used to be PRVB. The phone number was no longer available. I called the Community Banks number (provided in the printed mailers), punched the number to get to Customer Service, but was not connected to anyone or anything.
I finally Googled National Bank Holdings, the parent company of PRVB/Community Banks. I called and actually got to talk to a person, who said they would call me back. I'm waiting.
Maybe it's just me, but Community Banks of Colorado (Kansas City) is not off to a very good start. I want to support our local businesses, but this is absurd.
David W. Brown
Bayfield
