Tesco Internet Banking? More like Blanking!!

cottager

Tibbledom wrote: »

It’s a great account, with a fantastic interest rate, and faster payments (to the full 10K) and the Tesco clubcard points and the ability to set up different payees but with the security that the card reader provides.

Hmmph, you just had to mention the points didn't you.

Right logging off and hiding for a few days while I get savaged for this post. Would suggest Jem16 and Tom’s Mum do the same.

Savaged??
No, no, you chose your name well (almost) as all I can see is tribbles... which will mean absolutely nothing unless you used to watch Star Trek.

You can leave Jem16 out of it as he's being very nice and helpful to me on another thread (though he doesn't know I've been trying to cut down a response from about a page to a few paras which is why I haven't answered yet, but precis never was my thing).
Can't see Tom's Mum in the room, only Guy's Dad.

Tibbledom

Oh yes those furry things that appeared on a particularly surreal episode. Never considered the obvious similarity with my username before. :rotfl:

Tom’s Mom has also been a supporter of the Tesco account and saw she thanked a post earlier in the thread. Although she had difficulties getting the card reader. In fact it was because of something she posted I chased my card reader up (that was in the days that you had a realistic chance of getting through to the helpline) and lo and behold it arrived shortly afterwards. To be serious, I think the supporters like me were/are just trying to get the message across if you can get the blighter open it is actually a pretty handy account to have.

I did see there was a big article in the Sunday paper last week about the problems with the Tesco account. At least they seem to be recognising that their procedures are just silly.

Anyway good luck with getting the account open.

jem16

cottager wrote: »

No, no, you chose your name well (almost) as all I can see is tribbles... which will mean absolutely nothing unless you used to watch Star Trek.

Tribbles - I remember them well. Captain Kirk's face at the end was hilarious!

You can leave Jem16 out of it as he's being very nice and helpful to me on another thread (though he doesn't know I've been trying to cut down a response from about a page to a few paras which is why I haven't answered yet, but precis never was my thing).

That reply should be interesting then. By the way I'm not a "he".

I do like the Tesco account. I opened it in June last year and it only took around 3 weeks to set up. The card reader was not needed initially so I had no bother setting up my payee and using the account.

The card reader debacle was a bit ridiculous as they never bothered telling anyone you needed one - I only found out here. I had the luxury of already having my payee set up so it didn't matter how long they took to send one. The card arrived first and worked in my Nationwide reader anyway.

I love the Faster payments system that it uses and that was why I opened the account - that and the excellent rate of interest. I told my son to open one just before the 7th January (removal of bonus for new applicants) so we'll see how long it takes to get set up. I have advised him only to send a £1 cheque and not to deposit any more until he gets his card.

cottager

Tibbledom wrote: »

I would like to make it clear my username has no connection to the Tribbles.

:rotfl: :rotfl:

I did see there was a big article in the Sunday paper last week about the problems with the Tesco account. At least they seem to be recognising that their procedures are just silly.

Oh, which one? -- would be interested to read if online.
(Don't worry about finding the link, I can do that).

I think the system is RBS-based as they were in the same grouping till TPF split off. I have no experience of RBS online banking, only NatWest's, but as part of the RBS group I imagine it's the same. Certainly going through Tesco's online application the steps and questions were identical to one I'd done at NatWest for their eSavings, the final summary looked the same, as did the hard copy when it came through.

But what Tesco PF seem to have failed to do is rationalise or streamline the back-office procedures associated with opening their account (viz. 6 different steps when maybe 3 would do if someone sat and thought about it); or give a clear explanation of what savers need to do in the subsequent steps of the opening process or what they should expect to happen; or trained their staff to know their own procedures, give accurate answers and help when people phone, and run the section efficiently.

It's basic commonsense. Most are more forgiving of delays if at least what they're told is fact; if what they're told will happen happens (even if it takes longer than they'd like); if paperwork sent in doesn't go missing and has to be sent again; if things they're told will be sent actually are, and do arrive; and if they don't have to jump through so many hoops it's perceived as ridiculous.

I haven't started down the "chasing up on the telephone" trail yet and can only go on others' experiences, but I'd far rather be told what the score is even if it's unpalatable. If they're struggling, say so. If something won't be sent for another 2 weeks, don't tell me it will be today. And so on. Yes they'd still get flak, but I think it's often counter-productive not to be up-front about problems or failings... while at the same time striving to correct them of course.

I understand why they wouldn't want to admit this (who would?), but as one example -- how many fewer angry phone calls would they need to field in a day if they weren't telling us something would happen today or tomorrow, when clearly it won't? All they achieve is the same people ringing a few days later, even angrier. If they swallowed hard and managed our expectations better they'd free up the lines for one thing... and also have more time to get on with processing our applications!

Trying to sound efficient and failing is worse in my eyes than sounding inefficient and then bettering it.
(Of course sounding inefficient and then being even more inefficient is 10 times worse!)

cottager

jem16 wrote: »

That reply should be interesting then. By the way I'm not a "he".

Hi Jem: I fear not, but I do thank you and will get back on what you've said.
And my apologies for the "he"... forgot the golden rule of expressing it as 's/he'

As for the Tesco account, I'm anticipating it will all be very familiar when it's finally open and functioning, virtually the same (apart from the branding) as I've been using at NatWest for years. Everything about it sounds exactly the same, so I've no qualms about how good it will be... it's just getting there!

Tibbledom

cottager wrote: »

:rotfl: :rotfl:
Oh, which one? -- would be interested to read if online.

The Times from 8 days ago.

Didn't realise it was on-line or would have posted a link before. It is at

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/money/savings/article5575239.ece

cottager

Cheers for the link, good read.

Quote from the Times article:
A spokesman for Tesco apologised to customers who have experienced problems opening accounts and said that a review into the way savings are handled has been commissioned after "record numbers" tried to access the website. More savers opened a Tesco's account in November alone than in the whole of 2007.

That would have been the points promotion I guess.

rtoobtoo

thor wrote: »

Well I'm going to stick with them while the bonus puts them so far above all other accounts. My only problem with them is that setting up the account takes so long at every stage(of which there are many!). BUT having gone through all that I have done test deposits and withdrawals successfully so am happy for now. Plus I can transfer from my HSBC account to Tesco instantly. I had read about this but never expected to see my money appear in the tesco account almost as soon as I had dispatched it. It was quite a pleasent shock.

Tesco Bank is HSBC:(

alanq

No it isn't. Tesco Bank was formerly jointly owned by Tesco and RBS but has been wholly owned by Tesco since 2008. All that has happened over the past weekend is that Tesco has stopped using RBS as its clearing bank and switched to HSBC.

Don't blame HSBC for the current fiasco.

normanhiggs

Who do we blame. No-one at Tesco will answer the phone !!!!!!!