Integration weekend: Sep 22-24, we've been warned! | Page 23 | Hubert Financial | Discussion forum

friskyib said
Access made the mess...they need to be as informative as possible.
And if Oaken can do, then they should too.  

Oaken has a lot good stuff BUT BUT BUT, you can not link to Oaken. All transfers to Oaken have to be done from Oaken. So, Oaken have the one way only ETF functionality that many of us don't like with the new Hubert, it's just in the reverse direction.

friskyib said

Right!!!! I agree. Right now my HUB is VanCity and I prefer that not to have to be.

Would be nice if Oaken told us what our account # and transit # is too.
And I don't think PT tells us either.
But the more linking the better...and if on ALL accounts all the better.

I have few accounts left and want as much flexibility as possible.

Since I first was here under a different name I had accounts with:
Outlook - gone
Implicity - gone just before the merged with Outlook
Coast Capital - gone
BNS iTrade - gone
Accelerate - gone...not by by choice
Hubert - half way out the door and sucking up with higher rates means diddly

So what I have left is Hubert, PT and Oaken. And of the 3 the best CS is Hubert and Oaken is so big they don't care if they have good service or not and Peoples is a bit better. I think PT and OAK have had hiring issues during Covid and past covid. Their CSR quality is very inconsistent. I have to write names done on who to NOT talk to as some are a waste of time and just give lip service.  

I've never dealt with Oaken customer service as I do everything I need as DIY.

I used Hubert pretty well the same way except for closing quarterly GIC'S so I could flip them to a better rate or to extend the current rate. And when I did call Hubert I never heard music because I was never on hold more than 5-10 seconds. Since the Sep 22 conversion, I've had to call 3 times. I am now familiar with MB music and the shortest wait time was 17 minutes. Once connected, service is as good now as it was before.

I have spoken with 3 CSR's since Sep 22 and the 2 Access CSR's were clearly not fan's of the Hubert quarterly GIC'S.

friskyib said
At some time, you may have to call Oaken.

Maybe, but the need hasn't yet presented itself.

friskyib said
Not good what you say about Access CSRs 🙁 and the quarterlies. They are part of why I would stay, as I like them.

I have never had an issue with Hubert or Access CSR's. My only issue has been the wait-time to speak to one. But once connected, they have all been outstanding.

What I did say is that (some) Access CSR's now doing Hubert support
work think quarterly GIC's are gimmicky, abused by customers and make work for CSR's as opposed to a product differentiation that has attracted a lot of business to Hubert. 

friskyib said Never thought of cashing in redoing at a higher rate*. Do you keep the interest made or roll it back into GIC? With old version of Hubert did you have to call to cash in, then re do it online? I guess today, from what I hear, both processes would have to be on phone. That might pi$$ off the non likers.

It used to require a call to close the GIC. After 5-10 seconds of automated messenging, the CSR would come on, ask some 2-3 questions to verify my identity, confirm my request, verify that the quarterly interest has indeed been credited and proceed to close it and move the funds to the Hubert HISA of my choice. In most cases, the CSR wouldn't even ask why I was closing it. Total elapsed time, 2 minutes max.

I would then proceed to open a new one or transfer the funds elsewhere, all DIY.

All of this on non-registered GIC's all of them Joint GIC's all without requiring the involvement of the the joint owner, my spouse.

The entire process now is all by phone. I've done it twice and it's taken 20-25 minutes: hold time + old GIC closing and new GIC opening. But all very friendly and professional.

everhopeful said
One of my quarterlies just had an interest payment last weekend, and it is currently paying 0.3% below current rates. I took out the calculator and surmised that I will be losing about $60 until maturity by not cashing and reinvesting in a new GIC. I decided to skip all the hassle of calling in for that amount. I would have definitely done so with Hubert self-serve system... one reason that Access will not see any more deposits from me.  

But it can also be worth the hassle if interest rates were to lower during the remainder of your current term thereby extending higher rates for 3, 6 or 9 months. That’s how I look at it.

Huberts savings account has held steady at 3.6% since July.

NorthernRaven said

Was it possible to trigger an early redemption of a quarterly 1-year back on the old Hubert website? I don't think I ever early-redeemed any back years ago. I did do it for one just before the changeover, by phone, but I can't remember if I could have done it on the website?  

No. Closing a quarterly GIC before the actual 12 month term always required a phone call.

You then had the option of the CSR moving the $ to your HISA or the CSR moving the $ to a new GIC.

Total phone time 5 minutes.

If the CSR moved the $ to your HISA, you then had the option to leave the $ there or DIY a new GIC or DIY push the $ to another FI.

Now, you still need a CSR to close the GIC. But you now also need that CSR to open a new GIC or push the $ to another FI if you don't have the links set at another FI to pull the $ from Hubert.

Total phone time now more like 20-30 minutes because of the extended wait times.

Briguy said
I phoned Hubert today (Thursday) , around 11 am EST, and there was zero wait time. Customer service was efficient and pleasant as always.  

Wow! The're always pleasant and efficient but 0 waiting is like before Sep 22. Awesome...

I think the Hubert staff have joined the same call center pool as Access, as it seems to be random who you get on the other end. Dialing the Hubert number just flags us as a Hubert client calling on their screen. I would try avoiding peak calling times in Manitoba, as most of the call volume will be branch based clients of their own and that they have acquired.

Though I believe that they have merged the call center pools, it doesn't mean that they have merged facilities. Just a software update and some VoIP settings tweaked, and Hubert staff in Selkirk can answer Access calls, and Access staff in the 'peg can take Hubert calls (and vice versa). Or maybe some of them are doing it from home, the flexibility of VoIP was crucial to maintaining operations early in the pandemic. So our calls to Access or Hubert #'s will get routed to someone who is not on a call, regardless of physical location.

The corporate idea will be to centralize and reduce costs

... which really sounds so much like the big 5 and the bigger it gets, the worse it becomes.

everhopeful said
… I would try avoiding peak calling times in Manitoba, as most of the call volume will be branch based clients of their own and that they have acquired.  

Just wondering what timespan would you consider to be “peak calling time”?