Real review of "1st Northern California Credit Union" in Antioch, CA!
All reviews are published without making any changes.
Lindsey Caszatt sent us her review September 10, 2016.
Visited address:
1870 A St, Antioch, CA 94509, USA
"I have been a member of 1st Northern California Credit Union for more than a decade. During the whole years, I am also a customer of Wells Fargo, so I will base my review on my experiences with both of them. Well, I should say that 1st Northern is A LOT better than Wells in almost every aspect. First, they obviously offer significantly better rates, which is the common perk you'll get from smaller banks and credit unions. Yet, even among other credit unions in Antioch, 1st Northern California offers slightly better rates both for your savings and loans.
They also offer great rewards from using their cards, which is a rarity among smaller banks. Because I regularly used their cards, and I only used my Wells Fargo card when I travel overseas, I definitely felt the benefit of the rewards system. Their loan products are great, and they processed all of the loan applications faster than the major banks. Well, another perk of using a smaller bank: they cater your needs faster and more personalized.
However, I personally think that the key highlight of their products is their investment offers. Not only they offer a wide range of investment products, they also offer personalized services, so you will get more explanations about the program, as well as helpful advice. You might get similar services from major banks if you are a millionaire, but here, you can get it no matter how small your investment plan is, which is definitely a great thing. Especially in my old age, where my concern is mainly how to make my money work for me, this is a very great advantage compared to other banks.
One minor downside, well, minor for me, is that they don't have many branches and ATM machines, which is expected. However, if you are in a hurry and need to get some cash, it might be a hassle. Yet, even with the fact that they don't have that many branches, I like the fact that they were rarely busy, and I never have to spend a lot of time for a queue. I felt that at least for the branch I frequented at 1870 A Street, they managed the employees well, so that they were always efficient during busy hours. So far all these years, they also always closed on time, which is another good thing.
Customer service-wise, I felt that they are among the best in the area, or even among all the other banks I've tried before. They were always friendly yet professional, and as I've mentioned, always efficient and quick with their services, so that you won't need to spend a lot of time. My best experience regarding their customer service was when I applied for an auto loan. Not only they offered better rate compared to Wells and Bank of America, which I also applied, they processed it significantly faster. I will definitely recommend 1st Northern California Credit Union to anyone."
They also offer great rewards from using their cards, which is a rarity among smaller banks. Because I regularly used their cards, and I only used my Wells Fargo card when I travel overseas, I definitely felt the benefit of the rewards system. Their loan products are great, and they processed all of the loan applications faster than the major banks. Well, another perk of using a smaller bank: they cater your needs faster and more personalized.
However, I personally think that the key highlight of their products is their investment offers. Not only they offer a wide range of investment products, they also offer personalized services, so you will get more explanations about the program, as well as helpful advice. You might get similar services from major banks if you are a millionaire, but here, you can get it no matter how small your investment plan is, which is definitely a great thing. Especially in my old age, where my concern is mainly how to make my money work for me, this is a very great advantage compared to other banks.
One minor downside, well, minor for me, is that they don't have many branches and ATM machines, which is expected. However, if you are in a hurry and need to get some cash, it might be a hassle. Yet, even with the fact that they don't have that many branches, I like the fact that they were rarely busy, and I never have to spend a lot of time for a queue. I felt that at least for the branch I frequented at 1870 A Street, they managed the employees well, so that they were always efficient during busy hours. So far all these years, they also always closed on time, which is another good thing.
Customer service-wise, I felt that they are among the best in the area, or even among all the other banks I've tried before. They were always friendly yet professional, and as I've mentioned, always efficient and quick with their services, so that you won't need to spend a lot of time. My best experience regarding their customer service was when I applied for an auto loan. Not only they offered better rate compared to Wells and Bank of America, which I also applied, they processed it significantly faster. I will definitely recommend 1st Northern California Credit Union to anyone."
