HSBC

They don’t deserved to be called as bank. Reception try to push you out the door by showing her know it all knowledge. Even you point out her mistake, she still refuse to let you to a banker. She just tell you stay where you are and she will going inside and ask. WTF… Canceling my hsbc account right now.

Coming to this bank is always an exercise in frustration. I am now using my visits to train myself in principles of mindfulness, detachment, and deep breathing.
There is always something here to practice deep breathing about, from making me sign again because my signature «doesn’t look the same» to performing basic tasks at the speed of molasses. The layout of the branch is absurd. The rest of HSBC’s services are similarly terrible, including the non-​functioning relationship manager and the app and site which are so secure that I can never log on.

Jemma B. said it all, really. Our HSBC experience mirrored hers almost to the letter. We experienced employees who simply did not know how to handle our seemingly standard requests, but were friendly and, at times, apologetic. We were ‘tag-​teamed’ on both visits by a woman who seemed to be some sort of expeditor and a teller. This type of interaction meant having to repeat one’s request at least twice. I don’t know how this type of scenario is meant to be efficient, which I think might have been the goal, but it wasn’t.
The poor slob in line in front of us was in for an address change. His request, like those of many an HSBC customer in the Bay Area, was one relating to a move from abroad. We showed up in line behind him fifteen minutes prior to his having had the task completed. Goodness knows how long he’d already been standing there.
In my experience, both NYC and UK HSBC banks run a lot more smoothly. –not sure why the CA affiliate would function any differently, but it does. Those relocating to the Bay Area with an already existing HSBC acct. would do well to close it and bank elsewhere.

Only if I can give them zero star instead of one. They are simply terrible. They’re absolutely the worst bank you can ever meet. The front desk lady is mean, impolite, anti-​gay and racist. They ask you questions like they’re an immigration officer, And, they are new to gay thing obviously. When I told them I want to open a joint account as a gay couple, the front desk lady simply gave me the ohmygod face which I can never forget. Beside, she doesn’t know nothing, nun professional at all.

DO NOT BANK WITH HSBC!
I had my mortgage, checking & brokerage accounts and credit card with HSBC at one point. They provided the WORST customer service. The Palo Alto branch account manager never responded to my calls or emails. The only way to talk to her was to keep calling back hoping one time she would pick up the phone.
This bank has countless, doesn’t-make-sense policies. For example, I called to get a copy of my 1098 Form. The rude representative said she couldn’t mail one to me without my account number. But she just looked up my account information using my SSN! A simplest transaction must be done in writing via fax (no emails or phone).
This bank is ridiculous! Exercise no common sense. Poorest customer service. I will never give business to them again.

The worst bank I’ve dealt with in 2 decades. I spent $ 100K for a «premier account». My premier relationship manager doesn’t pick up the phone and doesn’t respond to emails. At the Palo Alto Branch you can’t park because the employees park in the visitor spots. I was told to find parking on the road !!!
They tout ease of withdrawing money around the world. What a joke. If you go to Asia they will treat you like crap unless you are fair skinned.
Their online site is a pathetic joke. I wish I had never opened this account.
Oh and I think the positive reviews are from their own employees.

Terrible.
I had an HSBC account in the UK so thought the experience here would be the same. How very wrong I was.
When you walk in it’s like a ghost town and when you do finally find someone to help you they pass you from one clueless employee to the next.
Nothing is simple there — even something as quick as depositing a cheque can take up to half an hour. Couple that with the fact that I have to repeat everything three or four times because the lady who is serving me somehow can’t understand my clear London accent?!
If you really feel like you absolutely MUST bank here, ask for Alvin. He seems to be the only person who has any idea what’s going on.

Do NOT bank here, the worst customer service I have ever experienced. The staff don’t even know how their online banking works. Zero stars

What a truly awful bank and customer experience!
It is almost impossible to access your money or to make any kind of payment either via the bank itself or online.
Nobody in this branch has any idea how their own systems work, how to set up payments or transfers, or how to treat a customer. Each visit to the bank takes at least 30 minutes of dealing with incompetent staff who then send you online to process simple tasks that they should be able to easily do in the branch. And their online system is not only difficult to use, but none of the services work.
Do not bank with HSBC!

Odd lay-​out, odd employees. Closest location to me *sigh*. Thankfully HSBC is simply an emergency cash account for me and not a main bank holding.
So, when you first walk in you’re in a waiting room of sorts with no employee there behind the podium. OK, should I sign in or just sit down? Wait, there is no sign in sheet should I walk down this flat hallway across these glass offices? Ummm… hello? Anyone here?
Finally an account specialist comes out and oh, you just need a teller? It’s all the way down at the end of the hallway. Silly me, why didn’t I see a teller window ALL THE WAY IN THE BACK? How could I not see the invisible signs that read «This way, idiot?».
Ah, the teller window… why hello cranky teller who looks at me like I just woke him up or interrupted his favorite cat youtube video. Zero professionalism and actually the person he spoke with over the phone did all the work.
Ugh, thankfully First Republic will soon have another South Bay location.