Another frustrating, and wasted effort trying to deal with my FCU over online/electronic payments. I tried to set up an online payment to pay my Attorneys. They gave me all their banks details and double checked they could receive online payments. I went online entered my Attorneys details, it asked for the account number but not the ABA Routing number.

I asked online via chat and then in person while at a branch doing a wire transfer today, both reps from the bank confirmed that when I made a payment, the payment would generate a check; the check could be mailed either to the bank, or to the attorneys office depending on what address I used.

I got back on chat, to keep a record, and ask the agent, Shannon about Bill Payer. She insisted it was a dept of the bank rather than a 3rd party service, gave me a number to contact them along with a 5466 extension. I repeatedly asked for the name of the person who owned the relationship with Bill Payer, she insisted it was a dept and I call them. I called, the extension I was given wasn’t valid. I called the FCU, spoke to Cindy. Asked the same question, she said that extension was internal use only; said it was a 3rd party provider and gave me a 1-888 number to call.

I called, it turns out at least after a long validation that it is indeed a dept. of the bank, or at least that’s what the woman who answered said. She was unable to actually help with a list, frankly either because of my accent, or for some other reason, she kept saying OK sir when I asked questions. Finally I specifically asked if she was an FCU employee, she said she was. When I asked what service the FCU used for their Bill Payer service, she didn’t seem to understand the question, and said I see, OK Sir. I asked again, saying is it checkfree or similar because the FCU wasn’t listed on their website.

So, a wasted effort. It seems the only way I can pay a bill from one bank on Congress Ave in Austin, to another bank on Congress Ave in Austin, is either to write the check myself, or go online, put all the payee details into the FCU bill payer service, which then prints a check overnight; sends it the next day, that the post office gets that night; it gets delivered the next day(if you are lucky); the receiving bank then scans in the check and OCR’s it; and sends via the ACH for 7-day clearing… it’s like the 1990’s didn’t happen…

I really want to be wrong about this and have written to the FCU Vice President – Information Technology and Software Development. I’m afraid otherwise I need to go back to one of the big banks, which be a real shame.