Warning: Potential new Barclays customer?

Fire_Fox

Just wanted to warn potential new customers to Barclays about the sales pitch you will endure. Just been to open a basic savings account which took an hour and a half (!!) including having the assistant manager come out and explain to me why I was 'required' to tell the advisor about my relationship status, net income, personal method of budgeting and lifestyle habits before I could open an account! This was in addition to the standard computerised application form which I was obviously happy to complete.

I am pretty sure I was being forced into the financial healthcheck they keep advertising, but without being asked/ told/ allowed to opt out. :mad: Eventually they wrote "customer does not wish to disclose" in virtually every section but I really had to stand my ground. Even after I'd said I wouldn't answer she wrote 'married' in the r'ship section - so I said no, then she wrote single so I said no again! I made her write £1 for my monthly income which she duly multiplied by twelve. :rotfl:

Absolutely shocking service to both myself and existing customers - people waiting ninety minutes just to be seen - there is no way on earth I am ever getting another product with Barclays. I have e-mailed to comment and will update if I get a decent response.

isplumm

Funnily my wife opened a ISA with them last week - the information they required - like who she works for - nuts - I wasn't there, so she gave the info across ... why do they need that kind of info - trying to build up customer profile, so can send more junk mail!!!

Mark

ShelfStacker_3

Maybe it only took an hour and a half because you refused to provide fairly basic information about yourself which was reasonably requested from you, and which are asked when you open virtually any financial product. There was no sales pitch, you were just stubborn, for no defensible reason.

Pound

So did they give you an account or did they turn you down based on the fact that they know nothing about you and you're only planning on paying in £12 a year.

isplumm

Hi,

Please tell me why Barclays need to know about your income / marital status, etc etc for a saving account??? It is NOTHING to do with them ... just a way of selling your more products .... it is NOT a current account.

I can understand them needing to see id - passport - something with address on to stop money laudering - but why do they need the rest??? :mad:

Mark

Kavanne

in my experience all current accounts i have opened have asked for the above details. halifax easycash and current, rbs, A&L and nationwide at least

isplumm

Kavanne wrote: »

in my experience all current accounts i have opened have asked for the above details. halifax easycash and current, rbs, A&L and nationwide at least

If this was a current a/c I would agree ... but it is a savings a/c

Mark

ShelfStacker_3

isplumm wrote: »

Hi,

Please tell me why Barclays need to know about your income / marital status, etc etc for a saving account??? It is NOTHING to do with them ... just a way of selling your more products .... it is NOT a current account.

Know Your Customer requirements.

At any rate, what is so objectionable about them knowing those things? Find me a Barclays product which can be sold to someone solely on the basis of their marital status and I'll believe it was a sales pitch - as it is, the OP just sounds petulant.

isplumm

Hi,

As far as I am concerned they are using the information to profile you, so they can they try & sell you further products .... maybe not there & then, but certainately later on - you tell me why they need that information ...

Mark

willo65

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Why do people find the need to be difficult?? If you don't like the questions then GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. If every bank asks the same questions then DON'T USE THEM. It's not rocket science.

staffie1

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Just wanted to warn potential new customers to Barclays about the sales pitch you will endure. Just been to open a basic savings account which took an hour and a half (!!) including having the assistant manager come out and explain to me why I was 'required' to tell the advisor about my relationship status, net income, personal method of budgeting and lifestyle habits before I could open an account! This was in addition to the standard computerised application form which I was obviously happy to complete.

I am pretty sure I was being forced into the financial healthcheck they keep advertising, but without being asked/ told/ allowed to opt out. :mad: Eventually they wrote "customer does not wish to disclose" in virtually every section but I really had to stand my ground. Even after I'd said I wouldn't answer she wrote 'married' in the r'ship section - so I said no, then she wrote single so I said no again! I made her write £1 for my monthly income which she duly multiplied by twelve. :rotfl:

Absolutely shocking service to both myself and existing customers - people waiting ninety minutes just to be seen - there is no way on earth I am ever getting another product with Barclays. I have e-mailed to comment and will update if I get a decent response.

For God's sake, were they holding a gun to your head at the time? I bet you were answering all the questions politely, and then you come on here and rant about it. Why the hell didn't you just get up and leave if you think their questioning was so unnecessary and shocking...?