Abbey business accounts

Smallbusiness_3

Have a look at the post from Louise here. It is number 11 I think.

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/richard_tyler/blog/2008/12/09/abbey_business_banking__widespread_problems_or_not?from_comment=true&message=WW91ciBjb21tZW50IGhhcyBub3cgYmVlbiBtYWRlIHB1YmxpYyE=

She is to be congratulated for her honesty, and warmly thanked that someone there cares. She has the misfortune to be talking to customers ... unlike the project team who did this.

crazyscot

Quick tip for those still trying to get through on the phone: Call at the start of their working day, I got through (on the 0800 number) at 0815 this morning with a hold delay of perhaps two minutes.

wheelel

Smallbusiness wrote: »

Have a look at the post from Louise here. It is number 11 I think.

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/richard_tyler/blog/2008/12/09/abbey_business_banking__widespread_problems_or_not?from_comment=true&message=WW91ciBjb21tZW50IGhhcyBub3cgYmVlbiBtYWRlIHB1YmxpYyE=

How refreshing it is to hear something honest from a member of Abbey staff. She confirms everything I suspected about Abbey. The poor girl! As much as I hate Abbey I've always felt sorry for the staff there as they just seem to be continually let down by their shoddy management and even more shabby banking practices!

When I was dealing with the Abbey complaints department most of the staff there told me they were leaving soon. Hmmmm I wonder why??!

sipsmi

Jay974 wrote: »

The vast majority of users are having problems because they are too stupid to read instructions (and these people run their own business?!?).
....
The new system works on the card authority instead of the personal authority. This means that a number of customers had full access to their accounts online with the old system but because they didn't have a debit card, they wouldn't be able to transfer on the new online system. Each and every one of the customers affected was sent a letter advising them of the situation and advising them how to get a debit card. I know they were sent because I oversaw this project myself.

This is just breathtaking arrogance.

I run a successful business and followed the instructions to get upgraded and now have "ID not recognised" under the new system. No help on the phone.

As to the intimation of a check-box being missed which is a requirement to move to the new service - every other web site I have visited has a check before you move on which makes sure you complete fields appropriately before moving on. This is a very basic web design mistake!

Looks like I may have also made a mistake of not having a debit card :eek: No I did not receive any correspondence about this before the migration - I know this as my PA is fanatical about filing everything :T

The new logon form does not prompt for partial passphrase/PINs either (i.e. enter 1st, 3rd and last number....) like everyother bank so is still open to browser hijack and MiTM traffic capture - sheesh - if you are making changes - get a decent security model in force.

All in all a right farce

Si

ste-k_2

Jay974 wrote: »

OMFG! There is just no pleasing some people. I work for Abbey Business and have been involved in the migration project from day 1.

The vast majority of users are having problems because they are too stupid to read instructions (and these people run their own business?!?). Over the past 5 years, we have received thousands of complaints about the old e-banking platform and most of the suggestions provided by customers in these have been implemented in the new system.

The new system works on the card authority instead of the personal authority. This means that a number of customers had full access to their accounts online with the old system but because they didn't have a debit card, they wouldn't be able to transfer on the new online system. Each and every one of the customers affected was sent a letter advising them of the situation and advising them how to get a debit card. I know they were sent because I oversaw this project myself.

Because a BRES account is classed as a savings account in the new system, they cannot carry debit cards. Due to the very high volume of calls from customers, this was changed on Monday to allow customers to link a BRES and a BUSB to their debit card.

The latest online system is only a stop gap for around 4 months until an updated internet platform is completed. As someone said earlier, this will allow faster payments to be implemented. Please remember, you can't make an omelette...

It's not the fault of the "retards" on the phone that you're having problems, so please don't take it out on them. Given that the migration to a new system is one of the largest IT projects within the financial services sector in as long as I can remember, the problems that customers are facing (which are actually only affecting less than 1% of customers), it’s worth it in the long run.

OK we are too 'Stupid' to read instructions, I am male I never read instructions always 'wing it', but if the system was designed to take into account 'Stupid' people and incorrect responses then Abbey would not be in the mess it currently is, and we would have accounts that actually worked.

Stupid - is the decision to make the change just before Christmas

Stupid - is not testing properly the system and all possible scenarios ( Standard IT practice )

Stupid - is not implementing the back out plan and keeping customers functioning ( Also Standard IT practice ) when it clearly went tits up and changes had to be made on Monday evening.

Stupid - is not informing customers of the requirements of Cards as the basis of new security system. Even now you can still log in with personal details does not force you to use a card.

Stupid - is Lies from the call centres and no admission of how big the problem is.

Stupid - It's a stop gap until the next upgrade in 4 months.

I am so angry about this situation it takes a lot to get me to complain and post on-line but this has to be the biggest co*k-up going, and the post by jay974 just confirms that Abbey don't have a clue about customer service.

THX-1139

I am shocked to hear about all of these problems. I managed to migrate my accounts successfully to the new system on Monday morning and all was okay. Touch wood everything has been fine.

ste-k_2

Logged in this morning and my login page now has the useful info :-


You can only use the 'Move Money' transaction between accounts linked to the same card.
Account(s) linked to card 564184XXXXXXXXXX (View only)
So I will have to wait 7-10 days for the card to arrive to operate my account !

THX-1139

What about doing a BACS transfer between accounts? Would that work?

ste-k_2

Jay974 original post in this thread has been removed - a little too close to the truth about Abbeys attitude to small business customers perhaps ?

See the Beeb are running the story now :-

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7777397.stm

Just Abbey trying to brush away the problem only a small number of customers are having a problem.

Yeah so much so this small number of customers are swamping your call centres.

Come Abbey be a 'grown up now' admit you've messed up and are going to fix it today !

oscarhugo

sipsmi wrote: »

This is just breathtaking arrogance.

I followed the instructions to get upgraded and now have "ID not recognised" under the new system. No help on the phone.

Same here.