Have the banks become so big that service does matter anymore?

fiendishlyclever

I recently decided to take advantage of 2 current accounts that moneysaving experts are familiar with.

Alliance and Leicester Premier current - £100 switching bonus + £50 topcashback

All went well until Alliance and Leicester tell me your bank hasn't provided details of direct debits. Strange I thought so I called them up. The Nationwide could tell me when they provided these details and even the reference number they used. In fact they even offered to fax these details to the Alliance and Leicester's switching team. Having provided all these details to Alliance and Leicester 2 weeks ago they've done b*gger all. I'm fed up of phoning - and I'm not really interested in using a bank that treats its customers this way.

Halifax - reward account - £5 p/m

Open account. Fine. Set up standing orders on all accounts to bounce £1k through every month. Fine. Account blocked. Fraud team involved - I phone told bar is lifted and it was just that my application matched the profile of fraudulent use. Get letter asking me to send things off in attached prepaid envelope - none enclosed. Phone up - told to take these into a branch. Oh but your account is blocked, we'll transfer you to fraud. Put me through to fraud - it's an answerphone telling me the department is closed until Monday. Now can't get to branch until next weekend.


What is it with the big banks? Are they inept by design? I realise that both these banks are having to cope with a large influx of customers, but many of these may end up walking back out of the doors as I will do.

It's a sad reflection on modern banking when this level of service is 'normal' and the price we pay for banking with a large retail bank.

noh

You seem to be rather unlucky.
I and many others have opened 3 Reward accounts and the A+L Premier account in the past months with no problems whatsoever. I have even received the £100 from A+L as expected.

realaledrinker

You are confusing "service" with "gaining something for nothing".

vaporate

Gaining something for nothing? Like opening an account? lol

Seriously, I wish bank relationships changed to the old days where customers knew their bank manager and so on.

Tr@cker

How long does the switching take ? Im just in the process of switching from Halifax to A&L and A&L say they will do everything for me.

But surely that doesn't mean they can close my account with the Halifax without my written permission does it ?

Im a bit worried im going to China fo 2 weeks on the 15th November i hope my debit card works over there for the duration.

The switching dept. not available at weekends and general customer services cant tell me anything.

fiendishlyclever

Tr@cker wrote: »

How long does the switching take ? Im just in the process of switching from Halifax to A&L and A&L say they will do everything for me.

But surely that doesn't mean they can close my account with the Halifax without my written permission does it ?

Im a bit worried im going to China fo 2 weeks on the 15th November i hope my debit card works over there for the duration.

The switching dept. not available at weekends and general customer services cant tell me anything.

I finally got a form to sign through the post this week - seems they want to do it by fax but need my signature. I haven't decided if it's worth the effort for a measly £100 - even though Nationwide have annoyed me with dropping support for Money etc, at least the service levels have always been very good.

I never used my debit card in China - there aren't that many ATM machines around unless you are in a main shopping area (I was all over the tourism hot-spots and didn't see many at all - no where near the amount in the UK). China is a cash-based economy After my first visit I just got currency at the best rate I could and then got buy back (so I could take in loads more than I thought I might need).

(Oh and the Halifax removed the fraud block on my account after another phone call)

jambosans

Tr@cker wrote: »

How long does the switching take ? Im just in the process of switching from Halifax to A&L and A&L say they will do everything for me.

Depends. A&L state:-

The entire process should take between four to six weeks.

It relies on how quickly Halifax provide the information to A&L; how quickly A&L update their records and send the information to those you pay; and how quickly said you pay update their records.

Tr@cker wrote: »

But surely that doesn't mean they can close my account with the Halifax without my written permission does it ?

No they can't close your account, they are a third party, you would need to sign for closure with the Halifax. A&L's website explains what they can do in regards to closure:-

If you choose to close your old bank account once the transfer is complete, we will:

Send you a letter to sign and forward to your old bank (if you asked us to).

Hope this helps, enjoy your trip to China.