My family (parents) has had accounts with this bank for at least 50 years. I had an account there in my late teens and my first safe deposit box there. My elderly Mother (a widow since 2001) did all her banking there, later in life with me accompanying her. Myself, I have been with Maryland National Bank (which became Bank of America) for 35 years. Bank of America has exceptional service, I can not say enough about how wonderful Bank of America has been to me. When accompanying my elderly Mother, I noticed the clientele at the Rosedale Federal Overlea Branch is mostly elderly. After Mother passed, I dealt with Rosedale Federal, as beneficiary to get her several accounts transferred into my name. I ran into a number of issues when dealing with the staff. The staff's attitude and the way I was treated was at times disrespectful, and demeaning, gleefully telling me "no" and being difficult, as if that was the manner one had to be to be efficient I set up an estate and trust account with Rosedale Federal, and found I could not transfer from the trust account at Rosedale Federal, to my other Rosedale Federal accounts, like I could with Bank of America. I was told I had to come into the bank, and do the transaction, or write checks because it was a trust account. Perhaps it is because Rosedale Federal is a Savings and Loan, versus a bank this is true, but it is a pain, so I use my Bank of America trust account. I wrote an email to the department that handles trust accounts about the drawback to no avail. (This interaction at the now non-existent Kenwood Branch is referred to later.) Frequently I had problems with how my accounts were set up online, and online access. There is a phone number to call which I used, but it was difficult to get access quickly, and there was a delay in getting problems resolved. It seems there are only one or two people at Rosedale Federal who are staffed for online access. Most recently, I went to the Overlea Branch and was trying to access funds in a savings account in my deceased Mother's name. There was some confusion with the teller who was friendly, about the withdrawal, which is reasonable The Overlea branch manager came over, and said sternly that the withdrawal was forbidden. She was very smart alecky in her tone during discussion with me. I told her I did not like her attitude. The Overlea manager chastised me, and said I was known for causing problems, citing my aforementioned previous interactions with the bank's Kenwood Branch, as the example. This type of gossiping/scolding of customers is appalling. Rosedale Federal's employees treat customers as problems, and do not understand the customer is aIways right. I was steamed, and told the manager I was writing a letter to the President of Rosedate Federal, and closing all of my accounts - taking my business elsewhere. I then calmed down as the manager was closing my deceased Mother's account, and opening a new one in my, the beneficiary's name. My initial goal when I came into the bank was to just withdraw money from the account, and was calmed down enough to accept just a withdrawal, versus closing my Mother's account out, as I said when steamed. The Overlea manager, who was still treating me coldly throughout the process, simply closed my Mother's account, and then produced a bank check for the entire amount in my Mother's name. She could have been cheerful, and try to smooth things over, but she never attempted to do that. When I pointed out that the check she handed me was made out to my deceased Mother, she had the teller redo the check in my name, not a big deal. In essence, the Overlea manager let a customer close an account with a lot of money, and just leave to deposit in another financial institution. She not once tried to keep my account open, or smooth things over, which she could have, if she was pleasant and professional. It would have been an excellent opportunity for her to suggest I might benefit from another bank product like a CD, as Bank of America has done for me. After the verbal altercation with this manager, I just felt that closing out the account was fine, and deposited the large sum of money in Bank of America. The Overlea Branch Manager treated her whole interaction with me, as personal, and didn't give a hoot about retaining her bank's customer, retaining her customer's deposits/business, ensuring the her customer's experience was a good one, therefore doing a lousy job for Rosedale Federal. The difference between this bank and Bank of America is glaring. Bank of America has always created a good customer experience for me. Rosedale Federal has horrible customer service, treating customers stupidly. I would not recommend Rosedale Federal. read more
