Sound Credit Union

I will never, ever use this credit union again. Lied to, account closed, and money taken. Read on to find out.
I opened a savings only account at the Kelsey Creek branch in Bellevue in October, 2013. My goal was to get savings bonds, and I needed a specific signature. The branch manager, Josh, ultimately helped me. I had to open a savings account for $ 25, no card was given to me, as it was strictly to get the signature I needed.
When I opened it, I CLEARLY asked Josh and a teller if I had to use it, because I have a primary account somewhere else. I had no plans to use it. BOTH Josh and the teller said no, it can just sit there, it doesn’t need any activity, nothing will happen. I clarified my point a couple of times and both reassured me the account would remain active without use.
Fast forward to today, November 2015. I received a money order and wanted to cash it, so I went to the branch in Tukwila, which is closer to where I live now.
The teller, Dominique, said the account was inactive and to speak with the branch manager GINA about it.
I went over to GINA, a very skinny lady, no smile, stone faced, monotone. She said my account went stale after not being used, and because of the fees, my $ 25 was taken. WHAT? I was told this is a FREE account. She said it was never used. I told her the whole point of it was to get savings bonds and I specifically asked JOSH, the Bellevue branch manager, if the account would stay active. He assured me yes.
GINA said no, that was bad advice. No GINA, that is not bad advice, that is called a LIE, look up the difference.
She said with any credit union, if the account is not used for 1 year, it goes inactive. I called bullshit on that. I have 3 accounts with another credit union, and one of them has not been used in over 5 years, yet it is still active. I see it every time I look at my main account. It has not been touched since at least 2010.
GINA said my money was absorbed by the fees (by this SUPPOSEDLY FREE account), and it has been terminated, all because I didn’t use it. What? I have to use it to keep it? What if I bought a car and didn’t use it? Would they just take it?
At no point did GINA ever smile, offer ANY apology, absolutely nothing. During our 5 minute conversation, she expressed ZERO emotion, remained monotone, and glared at me.
I finally left and told her, quite bluntly, this was a cheap $ 25 lesson, and I sure as hell will NEVER use you again. Thank god I have another credit union who has given me much better treatment. She didn’t say a word and continued glaring.
GINA, Tukwila branch manager, your customer service skills are HORRIBLE. Try showing a little sympathy and emotion.
It cost me $ 25 (not a lot) to have this credit union screw me.
This is why I will NEVER use them again. I was lied to, my account closed, and the little money I had it in taken.

Sound Credit Union was great to start with. My husband and I used them for our car loan and visa. My only complaint would have been about one employee that is condescending when she talks and lacks any kind of personality. Whatever though, usually there’s always one like that in the bunch.
Fast forward 2 years later… we decide to trade in my car and upgrade. We had an extended warranty and GAP insurance on the loan. So we wouldn’t have finance more than we wanted I had both policies cancelled. The warranty company processed the refund 3 days after the request. The previous dealership was in charge of refunding the GAP policy… that’s an entirely different f@$k up and a whole different review. While we waited for the credits to loan we found the car that I wanted– this was on May 9^th (the refund processed April 22). The dealer calls to get the pay off and the loan still hadn’t been credited. No biggie, we can wait and hope the car doesn’t sell. It did and we found another one-​it sold day after we looked at it. I found the third one on May 22.(the car I wanted is hard to come by and there’s usually only one on the lot and they go quick) We worked the financing and they were
calling on the pay off-​no credit to the loan. Someone buys that car for cash-​this dealer has no problem stealing sales from anyone. They sell us the same model for the price of the one we were originally getting to make it right and I was extremely happy about that. May 24^th, no credit so we paid the 1987.00 and finished the deal.
My husband calls the warranty company to find out what’s going on only to find out that the check was cashed in May 6^th… Sound said they don’t show it on our account. After the warranty company gave Sound the check information they found out that they did cash it on May 6^th, but they APPLIED IT TO SOMEONE ELSE’S LOAN!!! Basically they misplaced almost 2k and because they messed up, we had to take that money out of our own pocket when we shouldn’t have had to. It’s a scary thought they misplaced that much money. They were so difficult to deal with when it came down to them researching the check.
Needless to say, we got our car loan through Verity and are beyond pleased. We are also getting our Visa through them and transferring the balance. 2.22 APR versus close to 10?! Not a hard decision. As soon as the balance is transferred we are closing the account and running away as fast as we can!

This is specifically a review of the Tukwila branch and not of Sound Credit Union entirely.
Customer service interaction:
These employees do try to appease the customers that come into this branch even if they are doing shared branch deposits (such as BECU, Salal) to another financial institution within their credit union. The customer service isn’t as stellar as the BECU on Benson in Renton but they don’t make you feel like an idiot such as the Chase Bank in Lake Forest Park.
Wait time in line:
It’s always been long.
Here’s some ahead of you math:
2 people in front of you = waiting 5 minutes
3 people in front of you = waiting over 10 minutes
4 people in front of you = You either are in cardiac arrest or discovered self-​enlightenment, maybe even the Lord.
Wait time for other services:
You can be waiting for well up to and over 15 minutes even with nobody ahead of you! And please note, I’m not making this assessment after one visit, I have been to this branch numerous times but I do deposits at WSECU on Eastlake Ave. instead.
Parking:
It’s free and easier to deal with than the Stewart Branch in Seattle.
This specific branch would obtain a higher rating if:
1. If they can find ways to streamline personal teller transactions.
2. The ATM outside accepted deposits.
3. I didn’t feel sorry for the (potential) clients waiting to open an account or apply for a loan. The tellers behind the ballistics glass are usually the ones who staff who tend to those customers.
Overall, don’t go here if you’re very pressed for time as the clients here go in with what I feel are blinders but somehow the teller protocol process makes the TSA line at JFK around Christmas look like the Concorde vs. a turtle.

I’m increasing my rating as they are seemingly working out the bugs in the system. It has not been down much at all lately. It’s nice to see a business improve. I’ll keep my account here for now (even though their cards still don’t work in the Seattle parking machines).

Usually i got great service from when they used to be Watermark CU. After the merger there has been a few things that I have been frustrated with. The most recent one is holds on checks that get deposited. I have a business account and when i get a check from a reputable business i expect that it gets deposited in the most quickest way possible to have the funds accessible. However, that was not the case. Due to some new procedures they automatically put it in the slowest and longest possible wait until it gets verified. This is after i specifically said that i need these funds ASAP.
You folks need to change you polices or update them to make sure that you are giving what your MEMBERS are requesting.

So frustrated. What a horrible bank. Stay away. BECU is the only bank you should do business with.
3 strikes and you are out.
Strike #1 — After 2 hours of waiting to open an account, I left because the lady could not figure out how to do the paperwork.
Strike #2 — I get my ATM card in the mail and could not activate it because they entered my social and birth date wrong into the system. I wonder if there math is as good?
Strike #3 — I cannot make an e-​deposit because that featured is locked for 6 months? What bank makes it hard for you to deposit money? Isn’t that what banks do?
Stay away. Horrible customer service, stupid policies. No wonder they were failing and got bought out by Sound Credit Union.
What was I thinking? I deserve this for straying away from BECU. I will be closing my account today and making a trip to BECU to open another account.

I love this credit union. Friendly, but not overly so like at big banks, really nice perks and being in the swirl network make it easy to be a member.
Don’t know why I wasted so many years with banks and their ridiculous fees.

These guys have always been more than helpful when I go in. My account is at a CU in Oregon but this branch is very helpful whenever I need a teller. If my current interest rates weren’t so much better than what I can find in Washington I probably would have switched to Watermark by now.
It seems their customers are pretty happy with them as well. Each time I go in the customers seem to refer to the tellers by name and sometimes vice-​versa. The tellers have always been nothing but nice and efficient. Certainly have a fan here.