Which? - The 10 worst banks for customer service - and the 10 best

Mike1989

realaledrinker wrote: »

RankBank/Building Society
Worst
1 Abbey
2 Barclays
3 Halifax
4 Cheltenham & Gloucester
5 Northern Rock
6 Alliance & Leicester
7 Bank of Scotland
8 Lloyds
9 HSBC
10 NatWest

Best
1 Smile
2 First Direct
3 Co-operative Bank
4 Nationwide Building Society
5 Yorkshire Building Society
6 Intelligent Finance
7 Sainsbury's Bank
8 Britannia Building Society
9 Coventry Building Society
10 Royal Bank of Scotland

Personally it is no surprise that smaller banks are higher on the best customer service list than the larger banks. After all if a few get bad service from a large bank it isn't really going to amtter, but at smaller banks and building societies it does matter.

But personally Halifax are ranked 3rd worst, that for me makes me wonder as the total opposite statistic came out in another survey. Abbey did finish last but Halifax were among the top 5 behind co-op, nationwide and RBS I think. But never had a problem with Halifax and banked with them for the most part of my life since the save 4 it account.

Only just started with barclays but their service to date has been good. So it is very subjective as 15,000 is a minority to say the least. For a small building society or bank, that is probably a big deal.

GrammarGirl

I've had terrible customer service from HSBC (was accused of lying about a phone conversation and what was said by an employee, they had to listen to the recorded call in the end. Very unpleasant and I was extremely upset) but I've also had great customer service from them too.

I've just opened a Co-Op account and they've been fantastic, so helpful both in branch and over the phone.

The only bank I'd never, ever use is Halifax. Any other, I'd open an account (if it was right for me) with an open mind and the knowledge that everyone's experience is different. With Halifax, it's a matter of opinion that I won't get into here!

storminbalder

rb10 wrote: »

One reason for the best being the smaller banks and the worst being the largest is that more people will have current accounts with the likes of Natwest, Lloyds, HBOS, Barclays & HSBC than with Sainsbury's Bank and the building societies.

What utter rubbish.

If 50% (for example) of Abbey customers are unhappy with the service they recieve, then that has absolutely no relation to the respective size of any bank!

Why are you trying to defend the undefendable?

Ken68

Now that I am an retired, I look for service, a local branch and a teller that doesn't mind taking the time to explain.
But then, perhaps no money in that, just get them thru the door, grab your money, 'next please'.

mitchec1

Quite ironic that HSBC came 9th in the worst rated banks while First Direct came 2nd in the best banks. Maybe HSBC need to look at the bank it owns and take lessons.

rb10

storminbalder wrote: »

What utter rubbish.

If 50% (for example) of Abbey customers are unhappy with the service they recieve, then that has absolutely no relation to the respective size of any bank!

Why are you trying to defend the undefendable?

No, it's because current accounts generate more anger and displeasure amongst customers (largely due to the higher level of contact with the bank, so more chances for errors, and due to charges), so, as I went on to say, a higher ratio of current accounts against savings accounts will mean they have a higher proportion of customers that you would expect to be displeased, regardless of the customer service that the bank does or does not provide.

Lokolo

^^ agree with that tbh.

If everyone flooded into Sainsburys for current accounts (do they even do them?) and then went overdrawn and charges put on etc.etc. then surely people would whine and complain?

From what I've learn on this board its those that can't control finances, the majority of the time, are the ones that complain.

BASFORDLAD

Grammargirl: i know its bit OT but what were you accused of lying about ?, that would blow my top!

morg_monster

As a statistician.... I would like to see the sample size within each category for this survey.
Also they can take into account many things but one bias they can't take out is that it is solely the opinions of Which? members. I would say that is a pretty select part of the population.

RainbowBrite_3

After having a current account with Nationwide from 1988 up until the summer of last year, which was shut down after we went on a managed overdraft to get rid of it, not because of any other reason but it was explained to us that the way of getting rid of was to have it "managed", I cant say their customer service is very good. Its because of them we could only get basic bank accounts but thank god we now have a HSBC Plus.

We are with HSBC now and cant fault them.