M&T Bank, Ithaca, NY

If you are an international student at Cornell or studying in Ithaca, please do not bother opening an account with M&T. Go to Chase Bank. I had to travel abroad, and in spite of assurances by M&T, I have faced numerous issues in making international payments. Their customer service is non-existent, have to spend over 90 minutes on hold just so that I can get through to the fraud department because all my transactions abroad get flagged. At this rate their customer care hold music is the lead background score of all my nightmares. I rue the day I opened an account here, don't be me, take your money elsewhere.

M&T was my first bank I’ve been using them since I was around 16. Customer service has always been great they’ve helped me understand money and how to manage it with the app and helpful emails. Customizable cards. Even in Germany I’m able to use this bank to my benefit through the app and phone calls alone. The app is actually my favorite thing I can link my other banks and check them through it, as well as make transfers and pay my credit with a couple taps on my screen. I’m 21 now and I’ve only had one other bank but compared to M&T it’s trash so I’d say M&T is an amazing starter bank and bank in general.

Ok Mike Britt here ya go. So the my local branch is grrreat! But when dealing with the larger bank like the situation below….well. lots of room for improvement. But Mikes branch? It’s the tops. I’m told mostly because of his deft management style. Now for my experience with the non-local branch: Out of town (Boston). Even after informing them I work out of town. They shut down my card for fraud. And they are sorry but there’s nothing they can do. It left me in the parking lot of a grocery store far from home with no cash, no way to get groceries. M&T can certainly do better. Solution: promote Mike Britt to CEO? Truly there are some people you find in life that cut through red tape and bureaucracy and make chores like banking easy and pleasant. He’s just one of those extraordinary professionals you only rarely encounter.

I just went on/line to find the phone number for our branch but saw the previous review and had to agree, Mike Britt is excellent and our local Ithaca branches are wonderful (speaking from the perspective as a small business owner and personal account holder)! Heading over now to help my daughter open an account before she heads off to college in the fall.

Biggest disappointment. I have received a letter requesting additional info. I went to this branch to resolve the issue. They resolved, they said. Today, my card is blocked right before my trip. I won't be able to use it at least for next 3 weeks.