AngryRooster
Master
Went to my bank today (First Merchant in Winchester) to make a withdraw. I saw a very small (maybe 2"x3") NO FIREARMS PERMITTED sticker on the door. It must be fairly new because it wasn't there a month or so ago. I did have my pistol with me (concealed) and went ahead and made my withdraw. After I was finished I asked if the manager would be in tomorrow because I wanted to speak with him about the new sign. The teller was nice and said he was gone right then (4:30) but would be in the next day. I told him I would be back tomorrow to discuss the new sign and if I would be closing our account or not.
After I left I thought I would call the main corporate customer service number (800-205-3464) and ask to see if this was an individual bank policy or a new corporate policy. The lady that answered the phone said it was a corporate policy. I asked her why. She said that the bank doesn't want guns in there due to safety concerns. I told her that my wife and I are both law abiding people and did not like being denied our right to protect ourselves while we were doing our business there. The CS rep said that the bank was not my property and I had no rights to that. I asked her if the bank was going to provide me with an armed guard to walk me to and from my car every time I had business there. She said yes they can (there is not and has never been a security guard at this bank that I can recall in the past 30 years of going inside there). She said if I wanted the manager would do it. I asked her if he was armed. She snickered and said no, why would he be.
At this point the mouthpiece of her phone was covered while she mumbled something to someone else. All I could make out was the word "guns". When she came back I told her that my wife and I both make reasonable large deposits and withdraws on a regular basis for our farm and did not like the new policy and wanted to find out who to discuss this with higher up at the bank. Again mouthpiece covered and mumbles. When she came back both were laughing and I was told that I could discuss it with the branch manager if I was that sacred. I asked her what good that would do if it was a corporate policy, he had no control over it. I wanted someone at corporate to talk to. She refused to give me a name and kept asking in a condescending way "is that all sir?"
My father is 70 and has been banking at this location (former Randolph County Bank) for as long as I can remember. I've been a customer since I was still in high school (43 now). My wife and I own a 200+ acre farm and jobs on the side. It's not a small amount of money that we deal with at this branch. To be treated like this really pi$$es me off.
I will be speaking to the branch manager tomorrow and I will get a name of someone at corporate to speak to as well. Updates will follow.
By the way, if anyone else out there has an account with FIRST MERCHANT BANK here is the contact info if you want to express your opinion.
Customer Service: 800-205-3464
Winchester: 765-584-2501
Union City: 765-964-3702
Corporate Main Office Muncie; 765-747-1500
Customer Service email: customerservice@firstmerchants.com
Rant off, for now.
After I left I thought I would call the main corporate customer service number (800-205-3464) and ask to see if this was an individual bank policy or a new corporate policy. The lady that answered the phone said it was a corporate policy. I asked her why. She said that the bank doesn't want guns in there due to safety concerns. I told her that my wife and I are both law abiding people and did not like being denied our right to protect ourselves while we were doing our business there. The CS rep said that the bank was not my property and I had no rights to that. I asked her if the bank was going to provide me with an armed guard to walk me to and from my car every time I had business there. She said yes they can (there is not and has never been a security guard at this bank that I can recall in the past 30 years of going inside there). She said if I wanted the manager would do it. I asked her if he was armed. She snickered and said no, why would he be.
At this point the mouthpiece of her phone was covered while she mumbled something to someone else. All I could make out was the word "guns". When she came back I told her that my wife and I both make reasonable large deposits and withdraws on a regular basis for our farm and did not like the new policy and wanted to find out who to discuss this with higher up at the bank. Again mouthpiece covered and mumbles. When she came back both were laughing and I was told that I could discuss it with the branch manager if I was that sacred. I asked her what good that would do if it was a corporate policy, he had no control over it. I wanted someone at corporate to talk to. She refused to give me a name and kept asking in a condescending way "is that all sir?"
My father is 70 and has been banking at this location (former Randolph County Bank) for as long as I can remember. I've been a customer since I was still in high school (43 now). My wife and I own a 200+ acre farm and jobs on the side. It's not a small amount of money that we deal with at this branch. To be treated like this really pi$$es me off.
I will be speaking to the branch manager tomorrow and I will get a name of someone at corporate to speak to as well. Updates will follow.
By the way, if anyone else out there has an account with FIRST MERCHANT BANK here is the contact info if you want to express your opinion.
Customer Service: 800-205-3464
Winchester: 765-584-2501
Union City: 765-964-3702
Corporate Main Office Muncie; 765-747-1500
Customer Service email: customerservice@firstmerchants.com
Rant off, for now.
