Personal banking is an interesting industry because people go where they feel comfortable leaving their money. We knew of great finance guy at Church and Wellesley and when he moved to the Carlton branch, we could not help but move as well because we felt the service has become generic and more fast food than when when he was there. Anyone who does banking want to have a relationship with the person who holds their money. Why go to a bank that makes you feel generic? A simple hello isn't enough anymore, there has to be more. Not necessarily just more chats because that could just be viewed as some cheap way to lure you into giving them more of your money but a genuine care for you and how you manage your finances. Even a cashier would be able to engage such a relationship in how s/he would welcome you to her booth rather than just screaming "NEXT CLIENT!" There are inexplicable expressions and gestures that convey connectedness with clients and unfortunately when the manager and two individuals left this Church and Wellesley branch, we felt compelled to leave as well.
At the TD Carlton and Yonge branch, the vibe is new and fresh. This is due to the fact that the place is actually brand new. The manager seemed nice (so far) and some of the people we already knew so there was an instant connection. Let's see how this lasts.
Our to the two TD's is Upgrade Something because we want consistency in service. We know that we need that feeling of being connected to our banker. But we also know that people move so the service has to be consistent enough that we feel the trust is there for any and all branches we go to. Right now we revert back to whom we know. Not necessarily good for a company now right?
