Give TD Bank 5 Stars For Service

Let me start by saying that courtesy is of the utmost importance to me. I guess it stems from my parents teaching me the importance of the"Golden Rule" while I was growing up. 

As a result, I am a big stickler for good customer service. A genuine smile, and a sincere "please and thank you" can go a long way in winning my repeat business. Unfortunately though, all too often, I am very disappointed at the lack of good customer service out there.

That is why I want to spread the word about the outstanding experience I had while visiting our local branch of ., recently! 

For years I have done all of my banking elsewhere, but lately I have been thinking that it might be wise to see what other banks have to offer. Because I drive by TD Bank almost every day when I am out and about, that seemed like a good place to start.

So, yesterday after having coffee with a friend at , I decided to walk over to check out the bank out. The sky looked a little threatening, but I figured I would only be a few minutes and make it back to my car before it began to rain.

The inside of the bank has an ultra modern decor — cool and sleek, bright and inviting. As soon as I entered the lobby, I was immediately greeted by Assistant Store Manager Helge Liedtke, who smiled and offered a warm handshake. After inviting me to have a seat at his desk, he asked how he could help me and proceeded to explain all that TD Bank has to offer. 

Helge (which is pronounced "Helga"), exuded a genuine interest in getting to know what my personal banking needs are and didn't pressure or rush me. His "boy next door" charm and pleasant, low-key approach went a long way in making feel like he was trustworthy. Although, Helge's native language is German, he speaks impeccable English with only the slightest accent. During our conversation I learned that he is married and the father of two daughters. His willingness to share a little bit about who he is worked wonders toward convincing me this is where I want to do my banking.  

The biggest thing that I noticed is how TD Bank seems to have a newer, fresher, more "hip" approach to things. Each bank branch has something called the Penny Arcade. This is a coin sorting machine (similar to Coin Star), but FREE for bank customers. Yippee! I applaud TD Bank for thinking of this! No more struggling to role coins! How fun it will be for my son to go in and dump his collection of change into the arcade every once in a while! Oh, and I found out that if my little guy makes a list of books that he has read, TD Bank will put $10 in his new savings account. 

Well, I ended up spending more time than I expected in the bank, and in the meantime, the clouds opened up and it began to pour outside. Helge glanced out the window and said "Don't worry! I will get an umbrella and walk you to your car." My first response was "No, really, that isn't necessary! Besides, I didn't park in your lot. My car is waaaay over in the coffee shop lot." Helge said "Oh, that's fine! I don't mind walking over there." So, Helge grabbed a green over-sized TD Bank logo umbrella and, like a true gentleman, escorted me through the torrential rain to my car.

Wow! Talk about customer service! 

In case you are wondering ... apparently this is standard operating procedure on rainy days at TD Bank. It wasn't just Helge being a nice guy (although, he IS a nice guy). While I was sitting in the bank, I witnessed a teller go out to a car and hold the umbrella over another customer until they got into the bank.

The bottom line is: It is all about connecting with the customer and treating people well, both of which TD Bank and Helge Liedtke seemed to have already figured out.