“I did an application and it came through with a very good interest rate for me plus I like the idea of one account at the same bank. Then I could manage my accounts and the savings I could get. Also I could put extra money in the bond and pay it off sooner etc. I liked that concept.” - S.N. KwaZulu-Natal

"The fact that you can actually keep your money in the home loan account and basically reduce your interest as well at the same time. Yes, that interested me...” - V.U. KwaZulu-Natal

“The appeal, I think, it’s two fold - one is the flexibility and the second one is the fact that it was a new specialised bond provider. I also like being at the beginning of new things and I think it’s got long legs and it’s got good backing and I don’t like doing anything the same as everyone else in the first place.” - I.G. Western Cape

“I was transferring my bond from [Bank name]. I was battling with [Bank name]. Too many fees and deductions. Integer was simple and easy. I don’t have a lot of questions because I can see what I am doing. It’s not complicated. I was always going to [Bank name] to fight. I always had a complaint. Every week a problem.” - E.M. Gauteng

“You know, [Bank name] which is where I moved from, they’re just a big bank. You don’t get the service. You don’t get the turnaround times. They don’t return calls, so I just thought why don’t I try them out and Integer was just good. Their turnaround times were good. They gave me feedback. They did the whole process and they gave me better rates than [Bank name]. Obviously my biggest concern was “are they going to have the security? Are they going to have the backing?” but they seem to be growing nicely so I’m pretty happy with them." - S.B. Gauteng

“They also gave me suggestions on what I could refinance and [Bank name] never gave me that sort of advice. I am in the financial services industry but you sometimes never think about your own finances as much as you do about others. And the one girl said to me “why don’t you up it and pay your car” and I thought what a good idea because I’m saving R2000 a month on what I would be paying on my car. And she suggested that and she was a call centre agent, and I thought, clearly they’re quite skilled up there and they know what they’re talking about, so I appreciated that and that kind of swung it for me." - S.B. Gauteng

“I decided to switch from [Bank name], I wanted an extension on my home loan and I wasn’t happy with [Bank name]’s service and I got a better rate at Integer than what I was getting at [Bank name]. Much better rate. [Bank name] haven’t done anything, they haven’t phoned or anything. I didn’t like their attitude, they could have contacted me, and when I needed help with my finances they couldn’t help me, so that’s why I turned to Integer." - S.H. KwaZulu-Natal

“You save on costs and everything, you’re paying from your Transact Account to your home loan, that whole thing. Everything they sold the product on, made it attractive to me. With [Bank name] I could only pay specific amounts, to my home loan. But now I can say put R50 000 into my home loan account and say 3 weeks later I need to use some of it, at [Bank name] I would get no interest benefit but with integer it’s my understanding you get per day interest benefit. So it makes sense, so I can have my whole salary paid into my home loan, and then the money’s there as I need it." - A.O. Gauteng

“At no point did anyone contact me from [Bank name] to keep me. Once I had gone, that was it. No one called to say you could save with us etc. What I wanted to do was to put everything into one, take all your debts and put them into one. Getting married in a few months time and it just makes it easier to do it like that. [Bank name] indicated that the only way you can do something like that was to go private banking and I don’t earn enough to get private banking. And I investigated [Bank name] and [Bank name] and nothing they offered was providing the benefit that Integer could give me.” - C.P. KwaZulu-Natal

“Integer is quite innovative. They are shaking up the market I think. A lot more people are aware of it than I thought. They are on to something good. I don’t see it as a traditional bank." - T.M. Gauteng

"It all revolves around the money and what I can save in interest. I can invest the saving elsewhere. My view is that the big banks don’t care anyway. We are so big; you are just a little man. I’ve never been impressed by the big banks. I get the impression that Integer is not like that. It’s much more personal. Whenever you go to the big banks with a complaint it’s like 'we don’t care'. Integer is different. Much more personal.” - G.G. Gauteng

“They (Integer) had a better interest rate and service is much more personalised. I mean everyone hates banks. They hate standing in queues. They hate customer service and it just becomes very impersonal. So it’s nice that they are just a phone call away. Everything is a bit different. The whole marketing of it’s different, and the whole welcome pack was also very nice and personalised.” - L.E. Western Cape

“Very different from what I used to get at my bank." - A.M. KwaZulu-Natal

“Well it’s a different product in a way. It allows you a lot more flexibility and you can actually manage your debt in a much more transparent way and they have a credit card link to the bond rate which I thought was a good idea.” - K.J. KwaZulu-Natal

“New company, and they have an exciting product. They are not like a traditional bank, they have a specialised product and if you are in the market for that then they would be the place to look at. Well there are similar institutions but their product is not as customer-friendly as Integer's.“ - K.J. KwaZulu-Natal

“It was very good, I was very happy with the customer desk at Integer, because they were very personalised. They understand your whole profile. You don’t have to explain your whole scenario every time. They don’t put you through to another person all the time. There’s only one person you speak to and they understand everything. And they give you courtesy calls as well which is great because they tell you what you are doing wrong. Maybe you have all your money in your bank account and you should have it in your home loan account..." - L.E. Western Cape

“Very glaring that when you call the phone centre it actually gets answered. Whereas you phone a big bank, [Bank name], [Bank name], whatever, and there is a 15-minute wait. And when you do get through you get an idiot on the phone who doesn’t know what your query is. With Integer you get through and you are answered promptly and the assistance you are given is worthwhile. There is no referring to a supervisor. When they say they will call you back they do. The success of a call centre is all about training so that the staff can deal with the queries. At Integer you can get hold of people with information that can assist you.” - G.G. Gauteng

"When I had not heard if I had been approved I phoned them and then they said they had not had all the documents and were waiting for them. I think it was a payslip. But I said I’d sent it to them twice, and by this time I was a bit irritated. That was the only technical glitch. They handled it very well. You might call me short tempered! There’s nothing I can criticise apart from the glitch with the fax. Everything has been fine. I have been a customer for 6 months. I moved for the better interest rate.” - - G.G. Gauteng

“The turnaround time was poor. I don’t know the exact time frame but I think it was because it was at the early stages there was a lack of flow of information to the relevant people. That was quite weak. So that was the one flaw. - I.G. Western Cape

“The website was easy to use. I battled a bit at first with the Transact Account but that could be because I am not use to it. I am so used to other bank websites. In the beginning, I did not find it user-friendly but now I am used to it. I have a very busy day and I like to do everything on line. - C.W. Western Cape

"The guy that I met was quite friendly. And he explained everything nicely whereas others rattle off and you don’t know what they are talking about." - J.F. Western Cape

“We have no experience of the call centre or the web site as we have had no occasion to need either. The one little aspect was the valuator. He took forever to come. Although he still gave good service once he had been there. There was one disagreement about the insurance. We disagreed over the amount to be insured but it was resolved.” - C.P. KwaZulu-Natal

“The main advantage for me is, I can pick up the phone and call somebody and there is actually someone there! There is always someone there to help you right away. You don’t get shoved from pillar to post. It’s totally different from other call centre experiences. If they say they are going to call you back, they do. I have only spoken once to someone who wasn’t able to help me but put me through to someone else. You are not kept waiting long especially compared to other places.” - C.W. Western Cape

“Yes, I’ve actually already recommended it to a couple of people. I don’t know if he’s decided to move across but he’s also very interested. And they’ve been on other banks like [Bank name]. But a lot of people have complained about the bank charges, at the normal banks, and with Integer its just R4.60, which makes a huge difference.” - L.E. Western Cape

“Highly recommend them, I have also given their number to some of my colleagues. And I have told them that they are very good and I would recommend them.” - S.H. KwaZulu-Natal

“They offer a much better service. I think the product they have is much more worthwhile than what the traditional banks offer. I would highly recommend it. The ease of use. The overall way the product is packaged. That for me clinched it.” - T.M. Gauteng

“I tell my colleagues, (Integer) is a way of easing your bond. You can leave it there and it kills the interest. And I tell them so much was being deducted from my account by the bank, and they couldn’t believe it. Because my colleague has about the same bond as me and he is paying R1000 extra than me. Mine is the first 2 years they call it “interest only” (Capital Deferment). After that the capital comes in. The interest rate is spiralling out of control so I am not crying like they are crying about the situation, which I am very, very grateful about so far. I do recommend them to my friends.” - E.M. Gauteng

“I would most definitely say it’s someone to deal with, professionalism, yes why not, service definitely. I would recommend to anyone that they should switch to Integer, most definitely yes.” - J.B. Gauteng

“I think now they have a great innovative product and that will get you in the market but will it sustain you in the market? That’s the question; I don’t think it will unless they continue to be a bond company that’s innovative. You’ve got to keep challenging the norm. They’ve got a great opportunity to create another option out there in the market place.” - I.G. Western Cape

“I mean if anybody asks me who to recommend I’ll definitely recommend Integer but I still haven’t seen they’re name anywhere. I’d say they’re the best people to actually look at your situation personally. They listen to what you have to say, and they come up with a valid answer. If they’re going to say no, then you know it’s no, but they are willing to hear your point. And they gave me a very good rate and I hadn’t even asked for it.” - C.A. KwaZulu-Natal