FirstBank

I switched to this bank for business. I’ve switched with my personal accounts now a well.
As other banks get more rigid and less customer focused, 1^st bank seems like a pleasant throwback!
I appreciate their helpfulness at every turn and a willingness to not push a bunch of services every time I visit.

As Beverly stated below, I was also charged for neglecting to use the bill pay service. I actually called customer service when I first noticed it, and they took care of it no problem. Come to find out, even though it’s a joint checking account, my husband needed to call separately and cancel bill pay for himself as well. This was not disclosed to me when I made the original call, as they told me it was all taken care of and the fee would be gone. Consequently, we’ve racked up $ 150 in «failure to use billpay» fees.
Their main argument is that I should’ve noticed this on the monthly statements, so it’s my fault and they will not refund me the full amount. However, I stand by my conviction that I shouldn’t have had to spend any more time on this matter than the original phone call I made to cancel bill pay for the account.
I explained all of this to them, but they were just rude, saying over and over again that I should’ve caught it sooner, so it’s my fault. I honestly have a picture in my head of the customer service rep and her supervisor snickering while listening to me on speakerphone together. One of the worst customer service experiences I’ve ever had.

We are a commercial customer with a very healthy bank account and great accounts receivable, great references, good credit and long standing business in denver of over 30 years. We have been with First Bank for over 15 years. We went into First Bank yesterday at the West Colfax location. We are interested in buying the property next door to expand our business. The loan officer couldn’t care less. He was condescending, acted like we were interrupting his day with something not even worth worrying about. Refused to give me the name of a company to check for groundwater/​environmental issues (good thought, even though we don’t believe there are any). We are putting up 20% (in cash) of the asking price with the owner carrying most of the note. We would like a loan for just a fourth of the value of the property to pay off a SBA prior loan. Definitely not customer friendly for a loan for a small business. We won’t go back and bother this loan officer again.
We also no longer go to First Bank for any papers to be notarized. Even though the papers that we need notarized are for pay applications to put money into First Bank. Tellers roll their eyes when I come in weekly with 5 or more papers to be notarized. We will go to another bank to get a commercial loan and for any notarized paperwork.

ALMOST opened an account with them. First noticed on the online application that after you give them basic information, there is a disclosure stating you give them permission to contact you. Sooooooooo, I entered bogus info just to get to the next page, and lo and behold, a $ 10 yearly fee for the debit card after the 1^st year. NOWHERE is this stated in their «free checking» info. Deceptive in my opinion. I ended up going with BBVA Compass.

I have been with 1^st Bank for many years. I have always appreciated their courtesy and felt my funds were safe.
Recently, there was a small burp in customer service that was promptly rectified, and they restored my long term relationship with 1^st Bank. Mistakes do happen, but their attention to it was very much appreciated and serves as an example of exemplary customer service. This is a great bank and now I’m looking at opening a savings account with them!
signed, a very satisfied customer.

Customer service so bad, it’s like you’re in bizarro world.
I’ve been to this bank a few times — first, when their «free checking» involved me getting automatically signed up for a cash advance line I didn’t ask for (which comes with an annual fee), and because my debit card was also incurring an annual fee. I admit, it was stupid of me to believe FirstBank advertising — that their «free checking is really free». It’s not.
But my favorite situation came a few days ago, when getting some cash out of my *awesome*
bank account after making the switch away from FirstBank. If you need a large amount of cash from your checking acount, you ask for a «cash advance», so I made a request for $ 5,000.
The teller that helped me first asked if I was a customer, and I said I wasn’t sure — I had cancelled my direct deposit months ago after moving from FirstBank. I told her what I needed, and she took my ID and card away with no comment. OK, maybe she’s having a bad day.
Then she comes back, eyes rolling about the «large amount of cash that I apparently need». Well, sorry — if I could get my cash out of anywhere else but a bank, believe me, I’d be there. Then she looks at my ID and grins, «this isn’t your correct address on your license, is it?»
Well, she may have been new to Colorado, so perhaps she didn’t know that address changes are written on the back? I informed her of that fact, and another wordless storming away to the card machine.
The sole positive point of my experience her was the unbelieving look she had, as she received an approval for a $ 5k cash advance on a debit card.
Finally — as I asked her if I needed to be a customer to do another cash advance in the future, she said «you OBVIOUSLY don’t need to be a customer here». I asked her what was wrong, as apparently I had offended her at some point. «I’m SO SORRY you’ve had so many problems with FirstBank sir.», she replied. Well, I haven’t had «so many» problems — just awful, awful sarcastic customer service.
Luckily, branches like this will likely be closed or replaced with automated services soon. Until then, I invite the Unilocal reader to check out
— where checking is ACTUALLY FREE, the service is quick and friendly, and you’re not paying fees to fund the salary of grumpy tellers.

This bank continues to please and amaze me and I don’t even live in CO anymore. They make out of state banking SO easy… they pay you back your ATM fees, so it’s free. They now have mobile check deposit, so that’s a breeze. But the very best aspect of banking with FirstBank is the customer service. I have literally never had a bad experience. Whenever you call, you will always get a live person who is trained, professional and helpful. If every business followed this model there would be a lot more happiness in the world.

I must say that I switched to this bank after leaving Chase and Wells Fargo due to their unfortunate behavior regarding the average customer; there I was treated like a number. I had anticipated that I would not have that experience with 1^st Bank because they are a Colorado company.
Unfortunately, I was wrong.
I’m deeply disappointed by their «Free Checking» campaign — in my experience, their checking account is anything but free. I’ve been charged for neglecting to use the bill pay service and charged for my debit card (seriously? Didn’t that policy end around 1996?).
This is frustrating to a customer like me. I am a public school teacher, and those little charges of $ 5 and $ 10 amount to a lot. That is money I could be spending in my classroom, on my students, on children, and they are taking it away from me.
My experience with FirstBank has been disappointing and sad. I will not recommend their services to anyone and I will be switching to a teacher-​supportive credit union as soon as possible. I also want to express how unfair and misleading the «Free» checking campaign is. No part of their checking service is free.
UPDATE: FirstBank contacted me within an hour of my original Facebook post. Thank you for the quick contact and resolution of my issues. My opinion has definitely improved! I look forward to seeing more improvement.

awesome place to bank!

FirstBank (or 1STBank) doesn’t seem to have much Unilocal love. I see a few reviews scattered here and there for different branches, but nothing extensive so I thought I would throw in my .02. Actually, I really don’t have a need to visit the branches often due to direct deposit and online this-​and-​that for everything else… but when the need to visit in person arises — to deposit a paper check, or whatever the reason — the customer service IS ALWAYS top-​notch. I have visited various branches around the Denver area and suburbs and the experience is always the same: I feel like they know me every time I visit. It takes me way back to the early 1990’s, when I was a teller myself. Things were much simpler then and we mostly employed common sense when waiting on customers. FirstBank still practices this and I see this when I’ve visited any of the FirstBank branches and I thoroughly appreciate it. At the same time as offering old-​school customer service, it’s also pretty hip bank — they frequently have promos and contests for tickets and preferred seating at the 1ST Bank event center in Broomfield. Oh — and — they still have free checking. I heart this bank! :)

I really like this branch. They always seem to b over staffed so there is rarely a line. Everyone is really nice and they always have suckers on the counter. Parking is an issue but that’s it.