Bank of the Ozarks

I went into my local branch (The Colony, TX) to open a business checking account. The people were friendly and knowledgeable enough, but that’s where my good vibe stopped. My business checks never arrived… had to go into the branch to ascertain that the order I placed when I was physically in the branch, working with the branch manager, had apparently been «lost», and did not exist in the computer system. Next, I couldn’t get my «on-​line» account opened until they sent through some authorization code that wasn’t done in response to my initial in-​person visit, only after I was forced to call their customer service line, 3 weeks later. (I’m patient, to a fault, sometimes). Past that, the terminology used on the web-​site is confusing. When logging in, you are required to click a check-​box for «personal/​small business» or «business» account. No notation that if you have a tax ID number, you are considered a «business» account, despite the fact that I’m about as small a business as they get (sole proprietor). Just confusing, required ANOTHER phone call.

Being a good Jacksonville boy, I had (and nominally still do) an account at First Jacksonville (now First Arkansas B&T). Then I went to college out-​of-​state and got an account at Bank One in Wisconsin.
After graduating, I closed that and came back home. I decided to live in Little Rock, but First Jacksonville didn’t have a branch. I did my research and settled on Bank of the Ozarks.
Without giving away too much, the business I am in requires a few features. But mostly, I was interested in a bank with plenty of local branches and a decent checking account without a bunch of stupid fees.
I went with the $ 5/​mo «Bonus Checking» account because it offered free checks, free check-​writing, free cashier’s checks (I frequently use these), free check card, and $ 10,000 dismemberment insurance if I ever lose an arm in a gator attack. Normally, I would not have gone with a plan that requires fees, but I save that money in free cashier’s checks. The plan doesn’t have interest, but that’s what niche out-​of-​state banks with 6%+ rates are for!
I have never had a problem with the bank. They are always friendly and some of the tellers even know me by name. If this «down-​homey» feel is important to you, then you will like Ozarks. It’s not a big deal to me, but I generally feel like I get better service from a local/​regional chain.
I sometimes receive wire-​transfers and they do charge a $ 5 incoming fee on them. I do tons of ACH transfers and have never once had a problem.
Their online banking is pretty good. It’s not the slickest interface, but it has everything you need. I’m not impressed with a fancy-​assed dog-​and-​pony show. I’m a very demanding user with a critical eye for functionality, so if I’m happy with a basic interface you can be pretty sure it has everything I want and am not settling for something less than perfect.
The one knock on them (for me) is they don’t have a branch in Jacksonville. But that is First Jacksonville’s fault as they were building a branch there when FJ sued them to stop construction. Ozarks eventually pulled out. Sucks.
I’ve been around long enough to see plenty of «Arkansas Banks» get swallowed up by big boys. (Worthen comes to mind.) I certainly hope this doesn’t happen to Ozarks.