Wanted: bank with practical solutions

DS-2

Does anyone know if there is a bank who would be able to provide a useful solution if any of the following problems arose, especially on a Satuday night (when you're miles away from home) and "the customer" can't get cash out of the ATM because:

i) the cash card is damaged and the PIN cannot be read from the magnetic strip; or
ii) the bank has changed your PIN (without telling you!); or
iii) you've forgotten your PIN (I mention this because banks ask numerous "security questions" - why should the forgetting a PIN be so problematic on its own? - though I've never actually forgotten a PIN).

As a customer calling the bank to "report" the problem, whilst I'm stood at the ATM, I would expect the bank to be able to provide the following solutions (I mention this because my bank apparently does not have these capabilities!)

a) give you a temporary PIN over the phone.
b) text a temporary PIN to your registered mobile phone number.
c) email a temporary PIN to your registered email account.
d) allow you to generate a temporary PIN on your online banking account.
e) identify the ATM you are stood at and facilitate the withdrawal of an amount upto your daily allowance or balance (whichever is lower).
f) identify and direct you to tour banks' nearest ATMs so as to facilitate the withdrawal of an amount upto your daily allowance or balance (whichever is lower).

Just to be clear, I'm asking whether there is any bank (which includes building societies) that has a practical solution in the immediate situation of being stood at an ATM unable to get cash out of it because of a problem with the cash card or PIN. I'm not asking what "safeguards" I could take eg. have a second card, use Western Union, find a shop that will give you cash-back by you signing for it, go home and wait for a replacement card and PIN to arrive...

Though I suspect no such bank exists, I look forward to being suprised.

RayWolfe

I saw a van in front of me the other day with the company name: Banking Solutions Ltd.
Don't know if they could help. ;-)

willo65

With Natwest/RBS if you call and report your card lost you have the option of an emergency cash withdrawal from an RBS/Natwest ATM at a cost of £5 they will give you a code to key in the ATM and the cash will debit your account. Apart from this I don't know of any other method.

DS-2

willo65 wrote: »

With Natwest/RBS if you call and report your card lost you have the option of an emergency cash withdrawal from an RBS/Natwest ATM at a cost of £5 they will give you a code to key in the ATM and the cash will debit your account. Apart from this I don't know of any other method.

Thanks willo65. That's a useful reply that shows an insight to Customer Service that other people sadly lack

bert&ernie

The first two problems mentioned in the OP are very rare occurrences, leaving the cardholder forgetting the PIN as the main issue to be dealt with here.

There isn't a great deal of incentive for the bank to come up with innovative solutions to this. Some banks offer online PIN reminders, and I believe some can do this over the phone by putting you though to an IVR so that the call centre agent doesn't overhear your PIN. However, both these solutions can be technically challenging and relatively expensive to integrate with legacy banking/card systems, so not all banks/issuers choose to implement it.

The idea of a temporary PIN is great in theory, but I suspect this would cause problems because of the offline PIN stored in the card's chip. For chip cards, the offline PIN (used in POS purchases) is always supposed to match the online PIN (used for ATM withdrawals).

It would seem that RBS have a neat little solution for emergency cash via there own intrabank ATM network. However, I'm not sure that this kind of solution would be supported by the interbank ATM schemes.

DS-2

Thanks bert&ernie, for the additonal info. Off the back of willo65's comment, I did some further research and ringing round. I've now started the process of switching my current account to the NatWest.

never-in-doubt

DS-2 wrote: »

Thanks bert&ernie, for the additonal info. Off the back of willo65's comment, I did some further research and ringing round. I've now started the process of switching my current account to the NatWest.

Wow, thats a big move to make all for one facility..... have you actually considered Natwest for its other facilities? Maybe a prudent approach to banking is sometimes better than to move for one facility......

I personally wouldn't suggest moving to such a bank, but then we all have different opinions of the banks......

* Possibility to have a NatPest account as a back-up account for the facility you desire alone.

bert&ernie

DS-2 wrote: »

Thanks bert&ernie, for the additonal info. Off the back of willo65's comment, I did some further research and ringing round. I've now started the process of switching my current account to the NatWest.

Well, I must say I'm surprised that you would value this facility enough to switch banks for it.

I doubt that RBS's business case for this solution actually included a benefit of attracting new business. AFAIK, they don't widely market this facility, so I assume it was based on providing an improved customer experience paid for through the £5 charge.

Thinking about it myself, I suppose there is piece of mind in knowing you can get access to cash outside of banking hours in the event of your card being lost, stolen or damaged. Don't think I would switch providers just for that though. I would take NiDs advice and make sure that you are happy with the rest of their offering.

DS-2

never-in-doubt wrote: »

Wow, thats a big move to make all for one facility..... have you actually considered Natwest for its other facilities?

LOL

My needs are simple: I like being able to access my money when I need it most and I like to be in control of my PIN :T

Additionally, NatWest have a large number of outlets on which to use their "emergency cash" facility, should I ever have the misfortune to need, but be without, my backup cards on a Saturday night (again).

In addition, I like the idea of UK based call centres.

Also, its been mentioned that they are changing over to visa debit cards, though to be fair I had a Maestro card for many years without any problems.

They also have Faster Payments Out, which my current service provider will only provide through their (painful) telephone banking system.

Finally, my local NatWest branch is within easy walking distance from my home.

There are other reasons for choosing NatWest, but as you quite rightly say, "we all have different opinions of the banks"

All the best.

never-in-doubt

DS-2 wrote: »

LOL

My needs are simple: I like being able to access my money when I need it most and I like to be in control of my PIN :T

All banks offer this service - maybe i'm just not 'digging it'? You are always in control of your card & PIN. The bank issue it, you are then in control. I'd assume by your OP that you cannot control it therefore want the facility mentioned purely to hold your hand through this trying period of trying to grasp using a bank card and a machine?

DS-2 wrote: »

Additionally, NatWest have a large number of outlets on which to use their "emergency cash" facility, should I ever have the misfortune to need, but be without, my backup cards on a Saturday night (again).

Simple solution, take your Natwest or whatever bank card with you! In this day and age if you go out on a Sat night without your wallet then banking should be the least of your worries

DS-2 wrote: »

In addition, I like the idea of UK based call centres.

Several UK banks offer this, including HSBC Plus for instance.

DS-2 wrote: »

Also, its been mentioned that they are changing over to visa debit cards, though to be fair I had a Maestro card for many years without any problems.

No UK bank will be issuing Maestro shortly - all are changing to Visa except YB/CB who are going to Mastercard Debit. Again, nothing new about Natwest offering this..... all banks do. (assuming you qualify for their servicecard and not a Solo - other banks would offer a Visa debit no matter what?)

DS-2 wrote: »

They also have Faster Payments Out, which my current service provider will only provide through their (painful) telephone banking system.

So do most UK banks. But Natwest is not the best, far far from it.....;)

DS-2 wrote: »

Finally, my local NatWest branch is within easy walking distance from my home.

Fair point.

DS-2 wrote: »

There are other reasons for choosing NatWest, but as you quite rightly say, "we all have different opinions of the banks"

All the best.

Ok, just have a mooch through this forum for Natwest complaints and the like - then you'll see where i'm coming from. I'm not here to whinge at you, i'm simply trying to advise you that Natwest is by far one of the banks to avoid. You seem blinkered to this fact so best of luck. Hope you enjoy a lasting relationship together.

I'd still be searching this forum though! You may be shocked by what you read :eek:

DS-2

Apologies for taking the short route through this

1.My bank issued a replacement card, that came with a promise that my current PIN would work with the card. I subsequently discovered whilst on holiday that my bank had changed the PIN but wouldn't tell me what to! Had they told me what they where going to do I would have been able to "make arrangements"

2. Taking all your cards with you on a night out is not a simple solution - if you lose one card you lose them all - that's our choice to make

3. I've used HSBC - that's all I'll say about that

4. Thanks for the info, it reassures me that NatWest was a good choice (and not to be swayed by the fact that there are other banks already offering visa debit)

5. I accept what you say, but my present current account provider is one of the larger ones and they don't

6. I did some reading about NatWest and the other contenders. Much of a muchness springs to mind. As long as they get the basics right, I'll be happy