Quinte First Credit Union

The Credit Union has switched providers several times. We have been customers for 30+ years. Since switching to Alterna, there have been nothing but problems! They sent us our cards, with several printed out documents and instructions. Unfortunately, eye sight being poor, I couldn’t read all the pages of information they expected us to read. We always had over draft protection, now understand, the only account that needed this, was the one in which our pensions, etc.were deposited in. They came in at different times, but there were larger sums of money in our off shoot accounts. We payed 1 fee per month for this protection. Then comes Alterna. Obviously we missed the fine print, which stated we would be charged $5.00 a day for over draft. So in the period we were waiting to receive our cheques, was 7-10 days. $35.00 to 50.00. Despite numerous calls to this place, and being given phone appointments for a certain day and time, they never called us. We visited the place, and we were told “We are too busy”! I think we should have received an email stating this, as hanging around the house 3x only for them to be busy, was a big inconvenience. I had made a call, wanting an in bank appointment to explain the documents sent to me, but they were to busy. Despite telling them, I was having trouble reading them and understanding them. Big fees were my punishment for a disability.
We also, have separate accounts to keep a budget going, ever since we joined the original credit union. We were able to transfer money to different accounts to cover our expenses! That was included in our membership fee. Now we are charged for every online transaction if they exceed 2. This is our way of budgeting. My husband was told, you didn’t read the fine print. As for me, I couldn’t see the fine print.
Finally in the future we have an in person meeting, to see if we can pay them extra money to get this feature. They claim they have online banking and suggest you use that. That is for a fee. Now, I will have to go in, and have them do the transfer, unless there is more of a fee!

They literally no longer answer their phone or return customer calls. Changing banks. Pointless to stay here.

Terrible service.looks like the pattern continues. Have left 3 messages at Branch level, no response. A head office person set up a phone appointment to discuss GIC renewal and never called.one week ago now. Basic service is not even achievable so far on a simple business transaction that I can't do myself on the system.

Been calling all day to find out about rising bank fees and why my daughter a student was charge 50 dollars but no one will return calls been with this bank for 15 years.what a bad experience

Alterna has been a nightmare of an experience. First, their online chat wouldn't work. Then spent an hour in the building trying to get something simple put back the way it was but now can't be done because it's no longer supported (and even to get them to understand what I was talking about was a chore). Then receiving unspecified service charges that required me to contact support to identify them (at least the online chat seems to work now). Quinte First was by far a better service and experience as was Quintessential before that. At the first opportunity to go somewhere else, I'll be ending my fifteen year tenure with this institution.

Don’t waste your time here.

You’ll never actually get through on the phone, there’s literally a line out the door right now because their customers don’t have their work checks/government checks in their account that should of been deposited 16 hours ago, seems like online is always under maintenance (pointless maintenance as you have to wait 16 hours and still no deposits being made)

It’s been non stop problems since Alterna took over, take your business elsewhere!

I have always had great customer service and customer care. I have only one problem with the online service and that was my own stupidity lol.

Almost impossible to get someone to answer a phone there or return a message. Service used to be amazing but has gone down hill significantly.