Amplify Federal Credit Union

Gary Reimers helped us through our home refi with exceptional service. Fees several thousand less than quoted to us by UFCU, and although we applied to both CUs within a day, Amplify locked our rate at 1/​8% lower.
Amplify also did a great job when I needed to replace my old broken-​down car in a hurry – pre-​approved me for a generous loan, with an almost absurdly low APR, on a Saturday, within about 30 minutes.
The Brockton branch is often busy but it is what it is… I do most of my banking online so I’m okay with that. The tellers take the time to serve each customer, which is why they’re there.
My biggest beef with Amplify is that they no longer stock their candy jars with Tootsie Rolls. Boo hiss, bring back the tootsies!

I’ve been a member of this credit union for about ten years. I’ve always appreciated the service, compared to the big chain banks I’d used before, but recently my wife and I bought a house in the hot and awfully-​expensive Austin market. Amplify made the process of applying for and getting a loan as easy as it could be, saved us thousands of dollars compared to fees we would have had to pay elsewhere, and I felt along that they were interested in us as people as well as customers. Gary, our loan officer, was truly excited when our offer was accepted. My wife is transferring her account here, and we’re thinking when we buy a car or cars, we’ll use Amplify for that as well.

I completely and utterly disappointed to be leaving this review and having to look for a new bank for my business. However, if you’re considering this bank for a business account, I highly recommend looking elsewhere. I’ll have to give you the back story to justify my one star and the decision to change banks.
Back story: I opened my personal account in 2012 and my business account in January of 2013. My company sells/​installs custom audio video systems that get into the six figures. In the beginning we had a bit of trouble with AFCU putting holds on checks because of size and that they are often from personal accounts. At that time, almost three years ago, we considered changing banks but decided not to after Zachary Jones stepped in and made things right. He was great to work with and really understood & helped our business. Well over a year ago he was promoted/​transferred to a different position. Since that time difficulties have arisen on a semi-​regular basis with deposits, charges and overall customer service (mainly with phone reps).
Here the catalyst to initiate this drastically inconvenient bank move: I went in this past Saturday, getting there at 1:55, just before they close at 2pm. I informed the teller that we would probably need a managers approval because of the fact that my deposit comprised of two personal checks totally over $ 27k. I feel like I was personable and nice… thought she was too. She looks at my account and says that it shouldn’t be a problem. She goes back to talk to the manager and comes back saying she needs to hold +\- $ 22k and would release $ 5k. I inform her that that won’t work because I have several grand more than that in my account than you’re approving AND the $ 22k check is from a client that wrote a check for almost the exact same amour over a week ago that the teller did confirm had cleared. So, here is where I made up my mind to never step into the Brockton location comes in. The manager comes out of the back after I ask to speak with her. Right away I feel attitude from her, the tone of her voice when she tells me to meet her in the back and the daggers I felt in her stare. It only got worse, she pops off telling me how I’m not going to tell her and her teller how to do there job with this fiery Latina attitude and squinted eyes. I stopped right that second and was like «I don’t have to put up with this and just won’t do business with this bank if this is what I have to deal with». She went on to say something that blows my mind which was that her teller had come back upset about how I talked to her and went on to how demanding I was. Either she was lying or the teller was lying. They have cameras, go back and check that crap out before you make accusations. I’ve never felt more offended in a bank. I was beet red with anger by this point, I keep telling her quietly that I just want to leave. I don’t care what you hold or don’t hold, just please finish my transaction. Then she had another teller handle me… How demeaning to be treated like this in a bank I do so much business with.
Final word: My single biggest complaint is that they are constantly change/​move staff around and I have yet to have a good relationship that lasts very long. It sucks being a business that has a model like ours and we constantly are having to re-​introduce ourself to new management/​tellers. I’m certain that I’ve ran over $ 2 million in deposits over the past 3 years with my growing business and I don’t think this woman had any right to make me feel like a piece of crap by treating like a piece of crap. Tomorrow, I’ll begin the long and tedious process of trying to find a bank to continue to grow with.

If I could give this bank zero stars I would! The employees here do not know how to do their job. They never know what’s going on and when you try to explain something they react by being rude and not letting you speak. The only reason I have this credit union is because of a car loan which I cannot wait to pay off because this is the worst experience I’ve ever had! Do not take out a loan here.

Very friendly and knowledgeable staff and very easy to work with. My only nit picking is that they have about 10 employees standing in the front and only 2 are working as tellers. So the whole time you’re in line you’re like??? (as the tellers not working try not to make eye contact.) Then if you’d like to speak with someone to open a new account you sit and wait for half an hour while the one person setting up new accounts tries to handle everyone. As petty as this is, their debit cards, online banking and mobile app need a little updating. On the upside, their online chat feature is EXTREMELY helpful for idiots like me. All in all, I’m please by their customer service and banking options.

If I had the chance to give 0000 I will
I will never come here thanks to Elizabeth she is racist
I was there I am Hispanic and they were two white people
We’re treated right away than me I waited over n hour and the two white people did not Waite not even a 1 min
I will never come back

I was contacted by the manager at this branch to follow up on my feedback. I appreciated that Amplify takes feedback seriously, however since none of my problems can be fixed, my review is staying at one star.
I wanted to share point by point how they addressed my concerns:
1) Outdated user interface
The manager shared that they are working on updating this. I’ll believe it when I see it.
2) Short customer service hours/​unhelpful reps
Wasn’t addressed, but not something that can be changed in terms of the hours.
3) Must use coin machine for coin deposits
The manager said there is a way for tellers to accept coin deposits at the counter. She said they would be going over the procedures. She also told me I should ask for a manager if I had an issue with coin deposits in the future. While I appreciate her willingness to change this, I don’t feel you should have to ask for a manager to make a simple deposit.
4) Long wait times in person
The manager conveyed that Amplify focuses on doing things right, not necessarily doing things fast. Since my review, my partner also went into Amplify on a weekday afternoon when there was no one else waiting. He waited 10 minutes to see someone. When he talked to the rep about what he wanted to do, the rep only successfully met his request by 50%. One request was reversing an ACH fee. The rep said he did it, but it wasn’t done. Then my partner had to wait until Monday to get it figured out.
While I’d like to believe Amplify is focused on providing good service, my experience and my partner’s experience show that their staff is, at times, just clueless and unable to do simple tasks well.
5) Mobile check deposits after 90 days
The manager conveyed this is done to prevent fraud.
6) ATMs do not accept cash
She said this is something they’re looking to change in the future.
I want to say that I do appreciate Amplify taking the time to personally address my issues. However, literally none of them can be fixed.

There was a long line and a manager thought it would be appropriate to drop her client off infront of the line, asking the attendant to take care of her just then instead of putting in her line. Naturally it took a long time. The manager promptly walked to the exit, presumably to take a break. This location always takes longer, but this was a ridiculous display of poor customer service.

Juston in the loan department is amazing to work with! He’s kept me a loyal customer many times over!

It will be no surprise after today that I am writing this review. I have been with Amplify like some of you since it was IBM Fed Cr Union and have a 6 digit account number, everytime I go to Brockton they ask me multiple times for additional number, seems lots of the loyal account holder have left this bank, which I am doing.
Until the last few months I had three working accounts, and no problems until 2 months ago, never lied about my Moms passing in 2011, I have her estate account there, she had a vehicle that was returned to the credit union sold with a negative outcome, I was told dont worry about it.
Fast foward to 2015, I too get this rude call from Kristopher Smith, most retired IBM’ers have they health and life insurances automatically withdraw, well Mr Smith froze the accounts and requesting payment in full for that short fall of the vehicle
Yes, my head spun, when I tried to explain, it didnt matter, so then I advised him, had I known 4 years ago, they could have froze that money in the estate account, to which he indicated, I should have remembered, they sent me 1 letter, they were also sent 1 letter from the probate attorney and it was published per probate laws.
So then account we have been using this account for my Dad, there was a ready credit attached, so that is now Mr Smith fight until paid, decided to use the scare tactic, we will just refer this to an attorney and take you to court. OK, it is a unsecured debit, whether it be my Mom or Dad, both ready and automobile, as he kept referring to my Mom, I kept responding, whom is deceased, the more angry he got.
So, in the end, dont be swayed that a VP K Garrison responded to your Unilocal review, I emailed the board members that would be associated with retail banking after my first contact with Kristopher Smith and nothing changed, I was referred to John Mackie, I can see where they get their script.
It is unfortunate that they have high employee turn over, there were a few very nice, called me by name at the new Round Rock location.
Use caution, tread lightly, and keep names. followed up phone calls with emails.

I’ve been a member of Amplify for about 3.5 years and have always frequented the downtown location as it’s closer to home and work for me, however, I found myself up north running errands and came to this branch about a week ago.
Having had nothing but great experiences downtown — over several years and with several team members — I was very disappointed by my experience here. Sheila was condescending, judgmental and generally unpleasant towards me as I tried to gather information about loan options. She commented on my credit score and what I had done wrong and demonstrated appallingly bad customer services skills. TIP: don’t make your client feel like shit about themselves! She wasted my time — oh and this was after pulling up another client’s information first and telling me about my CitiBank card that was closed. I was like ‘uh, I’ve never had a CitiBank card.’ Overall just unpleasant.
I will resume going to the downtown branch where my experiences have been supportive, friendly and informative.

I’ve been a customer at amplify for several years now, and they are always a pleasure to do business with! My favorite branch is the Brockton branch and it’s so easy for me to get to from my kids school and work! Thanks

Dealing with Amplify is like a very, very, very bad Twilight Zone trip. I have had an experience with Amplify that was almost worse than the one I’m reviewing today. However, a single rep who helped me on the phone gave me the willpower to give them one more shot in June, 2015. Thank you Rachel. However, this latest experience today with Chris was beyond ridiculous. Send me a private message if you’d like a link to a recording of my call with him.
First, I have had historic problems getting Amplify’s online technology to work in my favor. Very, very bad website, auto pay, etc. makes it almost impossible to work with them in a 2015 manner. This wouldn’t be a huge problem if I didn’t spend huge amounts of time offline, traveling, life, etc. and had the time to babysit my monthly payment. However, I don’t so it is a major inconvenience and can be problematic coupled with the fact that their auto-​pay systems don’t work and they don’t genuinely reach out to you until months later when they have the «late payment», lawyer up threat advantage.
Today, I called to catch up my payments AGAIN due to their technological failure to honor the auto-​pay their own rep helped me set up in June. After politely (listen to the call) asking Chris to escalate my call to somebody who cares, at a higher level, about the Amplify reputation, he took great offense (listen to the call), spent over a minute berating me for being late on my payments (listen to the call) and ultimately said to call their attorney and hung up on me. I was blown away. So were my co workers in the office who heard the call as it was on speaker phone, thus my recording… thank you Scott.
The fact is there are so many banks that have genuine care for their customers. This is ABSOLUTELY NOT a bank you want to even consider given so many better options.
I will be scarred by the «Amplify Experience» forever!

Hate to write this but I’m really not happy with these folks. Called today at 11:00 am to make a car payment. Was told that there will be a late fee attached because the payment won’t post until Monday. I’m calling at 11:00am. Did they offer to wave the fee or any other solution. No. They did however then mention they would add another $ 10 since I’m paying by phone.
Then I asked for payoff only car since I was pissed I’d would just pay it off and go somewhere else. Anywhere else. I can get bad treatment at Wells. No problem. Again, did she offer to do anything rather than losing my loan… Nope. Gave me my payoff.
C’ya Amplify.

I have recently moved to Austin and was not looking forward to having to find another bank. Shaun Coutee, at the Brockton location, has made this transition for my husband and I so easy! Even after a few weeks of setting up our new accounts, Shaun emailed the both of us to see how we are liking Austin and if we had any questions about our accounts! Every time I go into the branch I am welcomed and greeted right away. Everyone is so friendly and helpful. I have not yet had one problem with Amplify and I am so happy that we chose to bank here. I highly recommend using Amplify to everyone! This is a great place!

This is a terrible bank. It would take about 1,000 words for me to tell you about all the horrid experiences I’ve had with Amplify. Just don’t open an account here unless you are okay with having a check deposited into someone else’s account, or having your debit card randomly stop working. Just know that if your debit card is shut down you will never be contacted by Amplify via phone, text, or email. You will discover it isn’t working at the nail salon, or in line at the grocery store, or at a restaurant. The best is when it happens on a holiday weekend and you have to wait three days to reach a customer service representative. After five years, I’ve had enough. I will be opening an account with a different bank on Tuesday.

I could not be more disappointed and infuriated with my experiences with this credit union. They sent me to some third-​party website to provide proof of insurance for my car loan which I did 3 times. When that didn’t go through properly, instead of contacting me directly, they just tacked on a $ 300+/month fee as if I didn’t have insurance at all. Then it took them MONTHS to acknowledge that I’ve carried proper insurance all this time and start refunding the enormous fees they added. On top of which, all the people I spoke with during my attempts to get things cleared up were rude and condescending. I could not be more thoroughly disgusted with my experiences.

Don’t be fooled by Amplify’s Free ATMs and cheap loan rates. They are slimy and out to grab as many fees and money from you as they can. Here are the reasons:
1. They don’t take credit when they screw up (which is A LOT).
2. Every time you go into a branch they try to upsell you — HARD. You might as well go to a big bank, they aren’t even as intense as Amplify.
3. Instead of having fraud prevention, they just cancel your card. Mine was cancelled five times last year and I don’t even use it for online purchases! SUCH A PAIN.
4. They act friendly and helpful upfront at the branch, and then have some slime ball from their call center call you and tell you everything the real person told you is wrong and you are at fault.
5. Their online banking system doesn’t work EVER.
SERIOUSLY DONT BANK HERE. I have had great experiences with Telco and University CU and wish I had never gone to Amplify just because it was close to my house at the time.

I left BOA thinking I could get better business checking from a small bank. I was wrong. A hold was put on my first deposit for 9 business days. I was not informed of this when I opened my account. I took in another check today and was told the same thing. This is unacceptable, considering a grocery store can direct debit funds from your bank when you write a check. How hard is it to pick up the phone and call the bank of the person who wrote me the check?
As consumers we are done with people who can’t think outside what they have been told. We are tired of being given robotic responses and expecting us to just sit back and take it. If I ran my business this way, I would not have any customers.

As of today, Amplify, was the only CREDIT UNION from Austin who was able to give me an auto loan. Not only branches from Austin but other financial institutions who are WELL KNOWN didn’t accept my credit because of personal crisis. Today I walk out of my house proud to know i’m driving a reliable vehicle. Now i’m putting all my trust for opening a checking account with direct deposit; Don’t disappoint me now.