Whenever you have a problem or a question about banking, there are lots of resources and organizations from where you can get help. One of them (and the most preferred one) is your own bank. If you have a concern or query about your banking products or services, or if you have a problem with your finances, talking to your bank is the first step towards resolving the situation.

Usually banks try to provide you with the best banking services and they are the best source of information for any customer query. People mostly fail to use their very best and accurate resource. Banks are able to help you with your queries and work together with you to solve any problems that you might be facing. In one of the rare cases if your bank fails to help you, then you can get help from to one of the many organizations like:

• American Banker Association For Americans
• BBA -  For anyone in UK.
• Banking Association south Africa:http://www.banking.org.za – for our friends in South Africa.

Got a problem?

Although the best way to resolve a problem with the bank is the bank itself, at times, things can go wrong like being not satisfied with products and services of your bank. Banks have routine procedures in place for dealing with your complaints. These procedures are for dispute resolution and are typically free of charge. They have a specific time frame for a problem to be resolved. Banks are entrusted to provide written reasons for any decision that they may take regarding a dispute.

So what should you do if there is a problem?

Contact Your Bank

As mentioned, your bank is your first option. Whenever a bank receives a complaint, they should take necessary steps to rectify the problem. A bank’s “customer service representative” is the first person to assist you in such a case. If your problem is not solved immediately, the bank is entitled to give you info about the person who is handling your problem and the approximate timeline that resolution is expected.

Banks usually screen out most complaints very easily. Sometimes, though, it might be possible that the bank is not able to address your complaint properly, e.g. if a document imaging system is not in place at the bank and the bank has lost your documents. In that case, you typically need escalate your issue to the next level.

Register Your Problem

Once you have failed to solve the problem verbally, you can formally register your complaint with the bank. Most banks have a process for handling disputes. Typically, the bank will give you the name and contact info of the bank personnel who is investigating your problem. You can also go ahead and check if your bank has a “customer advocate” who can help you make a “free assessment” of the problem at hand. Usually, with their help, you can reach a quick conclusion (solution). In a rare case, if you still think you are not satisfied, you still have another option.

Complaint to the Special Banking Officers

As your next step, you should seek third party support. In many regions of the world, there are consumer advocate groups that take complaints from people like you. Obviously, this should be a last step after all other direct lines of communication with the bank have failed.