Barclays - Reserve/Had Enough

ShelfStacker_3

Redemption wrote: »

Yes I do as it is the only way I can be certain that the information is going ONLY to a senior person in Barclays. You could be anybody from the most junior cashier to board level, if indeed you work for Barclays at all.

If he was a junior cashier, a complaint number (as he's asked for) would be irrelevant and useless to him, surely?

Extant

Redemption wrote: »

Yes I do as it is the only way I can be certain that the information is going ONLY to a senior person in Barclays. You could be anybody from the most junior cashier to board level, if indeed you work for Barclays at all.

Or, perhaps I should print out parts of this thread and send it to the Customer Relations Manager (not Officer this one!) in the Executive Support Team at Churchill Place who originally responded on Varley's behalf.

Be honest, the reason you won't identify yourself is that you don't want your bosses finding out that you have publicly called a customer a liar for printing an accurate account of a serious complaint.

No, I'm not going to identify myself because I don't trust you with said details. My work details are essentially no different to my personal details - I'm not going to share either set of details on the internet.

Also, whether I call you a liar here is immaterial: I am not acting in an official capacity for Barclays. So, please, by all means, post whatever you like to 1CP. I'll personally hop on the elevator and go make sure they got it.

That aside, ShelfStacker is right. If I was a cashier - which I used to be - a complaint reference would be useless to me. The same goes for everybody in the retail branch network, who are not able to access full complaint information.

So, you're the one asking me to post full details relating to my name and office, but you won't even PM me a complaint reference or even the name of the person you dealt with? Tell you what, if you won't even share that, indulge me on something else: tell me, how many characters are there in our complaint references? And what's the structure? Numbers and letters? Do tell.

Of course you won't, because you don't have anything. That is pretty much the summary of this discussion.

Redemption

BarclaysManager wrote: »

Tell you what, if you won't even share that, indulge me on something else: tell me, how many characters are there in our complaint references? And what's the structure? Numbers and letters? Do tell.

Of course you won't, because you don't have anything. That is pretty much the summary of this discussion.

I really don't know why I'm wasting my time with you but yes, I will do that....

8 characters in total

First five are numbers then a letter, number, letter

but of course, as they appear on letters from, amongst others, "Senior Customer Relations Officers", which you repeatedly claim you don't have, you will no doubt deny this as well!!!!!

One other little snippet. Letters from these people at 1CP or the office, when you had it, near the Tower of London all used the reply address PO Box 508 Peterborough (at least in 2007). They scanned the mail there and sent it on electronically. This did not apply to the Ex Sup Team. Payments came from Settlements in Richmond.

Your call.....

pasti

The only people who the reference numbers are of any use to are the Customer Relations teams that deal with the complaints. They are the only people who have access to the system. Branch networks have no access. I'm also afraid that I side with BM on all issues.
I personally deal with the complaint calls regarding the Personal Reserve and feel that what Barclays has done this for the good of the customer.
I apologise that we cannot refund the fees unless bank error, however Barclays has made the way that the Reserve works 100% transparent and not only were customer sent a letter between 4th June and 4th July, updates and leaflets were also sent with July and August statements.
In the statements there was a Q&A leaflet which explained exactly how the Personal Reserve, Returned transaction fees and Guarenteed fees work. If you would like a copy of these then Retail Bank Customer Relations (0845 609 0806) have plenty that can be posted out for you to read.
The personal reserve is also marketed as an emergency limit with a flat fee for its use over a short period of time. Based on this the bank is well within its right not to refund the fee for use of the service.
The FOS have also taken this view regarding the useage fees and they will not take the complaint on.
Those who feel that this is not good customer service need to think that the way to provide good customer service it to provide a consistant message right accross the board no matter how harsh as then customers will have a greater understanding as to where they stand.
E.G. If one person refunds Peter as a GOGW as he went £2.50 in the reserve, but then say Paul speak to another advisor for exactly the same and has it declined what message are we giving to the customer there????

Redemption

pasti wrote: »

I personally deal with the complaint calls

I must admit I find it very hard to know why anybody would want to do this as a full time job. OK, the more old fashioned idea of a Manager (bank or otherwise) would have to spend some of his time dealing with complaints, that went with the job. A big advantage of this was that he saw, first hand, what complaints were comming in as a result of the actions of the staff he personally supervised. I accept that a significant number of complaints will have no foundation and, in some cases will be a pure try on. However, there will be others that are very valid indeed.

Based on my experience (which I know BM refuses to believe - but that is his problem) shoving this sideways to a full time CR department made matters far worse. I gained the impression that my serious complaint was not being looked at by somebody in authority but, instead, given to a full time department charged with wriggling out of the problem. Maybe that is not true but that was the impression I gained.

To be fair, further up the ladder, I encountered two CR people who I felt were much better and were willing to spend considerable time examining a complex issue in detail. OK these were the two who, bit by bit, accepted my complaints and agreed settlements. The one in between however seemed to derive job satisfaction from being as difficult and untruthful as possible. That person no longer works for Barclays so maybe was just doing as little as possible in the last few weeks.

It is said that it takes a big person to admit that they are wrong and apologise. This also applies to institutions. In my case this had to be dragged out of Barclays and it has left a bitter taste.

patinho*06

BarclaysManager wrote: »

......No, I'm not going to identify myself because I don't trust you with said details. My work details are essentially no different to my personal details - I'm not going to share either set of details on the internet......

BarclaysManager, surely if you are what you say you are, you have better things to do than being a Barclays spokesperson in MSE forums. However, I do thank you for being here and for writing all these things which made up my mind. I have been unhappy with my barclays accounts and in particular with the new reserve. I have two distinct accounts, and all I was looking for was simplicity. I don't need anything else than just a place to keep some of my money. If I don't have enough money than I shouldn't be paying for things - and that was what happened until this new reserve system was implemented. I went -5 because you let me, and I paid 22 pounds for it. It is true I did not read the letter, but I don't want to read your letters unless they strictly affect me (which 99.9% don't - used to be 100% until this one). I have enough things to worry about, little time, and I don't like changes to my t&c. I accept that interest and other rates are variable, as long as my terms & conditions remain the same. So therefore, any changes in service like this one are not welcome unless I ask for them. And I don't care if other people are irresponsible with their accounts, I am not and I have never been - a simple data mining rule on my banking history would tell you that, but instead you decided to opt me in. Is it that hard to have a simple bank account, no extra credit, no fees?! The message you and your bank put accross is that I can't trust you. I have closed one of my barclays accounts and am in the process of closing the other one. Had enough. Thank you though, your comments were taken into consideration.

lclc

ldavies wrote: »

I have to agree with BarclaysManager and Shelfstacker

Customers sign up to an agreement and the customer is in control of their fees

I never signed up for the reserve fee. I was abroad and reserve facility was automatically activated. Not contesting the notification does not represent a consent. Now Barclays is charging me 172 pounds for a 6 pound overdraft.

Barclays changed the terms and conditions in July, because as anyone in finance, they knew what was coming to them and needed to squeeze some extra cash from somewhere. I will look to either join or initiate a class action suit. So should everybody else who has been affected by this.
Judging from the current public opinion of banks, if this suit becomes politicized it might have a good chance of winning.
And I can't believe that someone from Barclays itself is insulting its customers as "whining" in this thread.

lclc

I never signed up for the reserve fee. I was abroad and reserve facility was automatically activated. Not contesting the notification does not represent a consent. Now Barclays is charging me 172 pounds for a 6 pound overdraft.

Barclays changed the terms and conditions in July, because as anyone in finance, they knew what was coming to them and needed to squeeze some extra cash from somewhere. I will look to either join or initiate a class action suit. So should everybody else who has been affected by this.
Judging from the current public opinion of banks, if this suit becomes politicized it might have a good chance of winning.
And I can't believe that someone from Barclays itself is insulting its customers as "whining" in this thread.

getmore4less

lclc wrote: »

I never signed up for the reserve fee. I was abroad and reserve facility was automatically activated. Not contesting the notification does not represent a consent. Now Barclays is charging me 172 pounds for a 6 pound overdraft.

Barclays changed the terms and conditions in July, because as anyone in finance, they knew what was coming to them and needed to squeeze some extra cash from somewhere. I will look to either join or initiate a class action suit. So should everybody else who has been affected by this.
Judging from the current public opinion of banks, if this suit becomes politicized it might have a good chance of winning.
And I can't believe that someone from Barclays itself is insulting its customers as "whining" in this thread.

Many of your agreements in the UK will have 30 days ish notice of changes how many others did you leave unattended?

If you decide to go away and not keep an eye on the notifications to the registered address and take action thats your choice.

Inactive

getmore4less wrote: »

Many of your agreements in the UK will have 30 days ish notice of changes how many others did you leave unattended?

If you decide to go away and not keep an eye on the notifications to the registered address and take action thats your choice.

Of course had Barclays have not been so sneaky by making it an " opt out " system instead of an " opt in " by customer choice system, none of this would have arisen in the first place.