Bank charges

Astaroth

No, a call centre person would be equally likely to be in trouble. The "problem" is that almost always people come onto forums like this and complain about the service they have received from the agent rather than highlighting it to the company itself.

In our call centres we have audit teams that have to listen to 3 calls per agent per month and feedback to both the agent and their team leader firstly their level of compliance to the FSA requirements and secondly their compliance to our service level requirements. Meeting standards in both is required to get their sales bonus, failure to meet the standards in 2 consecutive months or 3 times in a 6 month period requires the person to go onto an action plan including additional training etc and again means they cant either earn bonus or go up a tier in agent grade.

I think our monitoring is good however we only have capacity for audit to monitor 3 calls per agent... the other option is to employ more audit people which obviously pushes up our operating costs and therefore the income we need to generate to not have an adverse effect on out loss ratio which our shareholders are very interested in.

If we ever receive a complaint about an agent then that call will be listened to by audit and their comments feed back to the agent and team leader (and manager depending on just how bad it was)

IvanOpinion

On the call centre front my experience ahs been that the agent can often mirror the attitude that they are receiving. On the rare occasion that I have thought the agent was being less than professional I have told them to back off, take a deep breath and don't take out their anger on me because the last customer they talked to was an total and utter ignorant git .. they have always apologised and surprisingly become very very helpful at ensuring my issues get sorted out. That was tip number 396 from the gospel according to Ivan related to dealing with call centre staff.

We reap what we sow ... politeness breeds politeness and a quick chastise will resolve everything else. Some people think they have been treated badly for no other reason than they did not get their own way ... sometimes they complain .. which, as Astaroth says, means the tape will probably be listened to and, from my experience, in the vast majority of cases, it is obvious the customer lost control and the agent went by the book. Having spent quite a while in call centres I sometimes wonder how the agents keep their cool given the amount of abuse they often have to put up with.

Ivan

CAT-THE-FIFTH

I always try to be polite to these people but all I get is indifference and rudeness.
Since I have never had this issue with Barclays and the majority of companies that I had to contact over the phone this is obviously a Natwest issue.
Even some people I knew have commented on this too.

I think I am fool to have stayed with such a useless bank.

IvanOpinion

CAT-THE-FIFTH wrote:

I always try to be polite to these people but all I get is indifference and rudeness.
Since I have never had this issue with Barclays and the majority of companies that I had to contact over the phone this is obviously a Natwest issue.
Even some people I knew have commented on this too.

Try what I told you .. tell them to back off (although be careful with the use of phrases suchs as 'those people' .. they have feelings as well )

I think I am fool to have stayed with such a useless bank.

Check this vent board .. I don't think that any bank is any better or any worse than any other .. its just a case of finding the products and services that suit your needs (ideally that you do not need to contact them).

Ivan

RichyRich

I have had nothing but impeccable service from NatWest call centres. The ActionLine centre (think it's in Bradford because the number is 01274) staff are always incredibly polite and eager to please.

Now the branch network is what you'd call useless :mad:

Swings and roundabouts I guess. If you're right with them they'll 9 out of 10 times be right with you, as with any situation. Of course, as the Elephant sanctuary person on the Simpsons said, "some elephants, like people, are just jerks"