Avoid First Direct - They are gonna charge all customers £10!

truth_2

Well done the full story! Glad to see someone sticking up for us. I'd been wanting to post here for ages but now that you have I'm sure others will follow suit. I too am disappointed at those who have started this, they obviously do not give a damn about the effect this has on staff. By misrepresenting our new initative they are seriously putting the jobs of staff at risk.

Alot of people do not seem to realise that HSBC profit has little to do with fd as we account for a very small proportion of that. I noticed that HSBC are giving staff shares however this does not extend to the staff at first direct.

EagerLearner

Truth - how are staff jobs at risk by this news being out in the open? If FD implement this monthly charge and customers walk away as a result of a non-impressive charge, then FD will be to blame, surely?

I agree re HSBC - are they using FD as a test bed, or are FD implementing this of their own accord?

truth_2

They are putting jobs at risk by not allowing fd to announce and explain the decision.

With re to testbed I think it's abit of both. However, it is very niave to think that this proposition is not one that most banks are also considering at this time.

bluenose1

I have always been delighted with the level of customer service at First Direct. I have never spoken to staff from such a large organistion who are consistently so helpful and friendly.
It is obviously a good organisation to work for and the staff on the Forum all seem very loyal to Bank.
However they are obviously bringing in these charges to improve their overall profits so there will be more losers than winners.
I have my salary paid in, but have mortgage and savings elsewhere as I could get more competitive rates. Sounds like I will be a loser.

I wonder if they are hoping as customers are so pleased with the level of Customer service that customers are less likely to jump ship. Unfortunately it looks like First Direct staff have been too good and the Bank not content to provide a marvellous service wants to make additional profits.

I don't like being manipulated by big business and if I am going to be worse off will have no hesitation in moving banks.
It is a shame as I don't want to give my custom to a bank who uses a Call Centre in India.

Typical

even_steven

Paul_Herring wrote:

Most people will just sit there and take it. Most people change their spouses more often than they change their banks.

(Most of the people who use these boards however will move.)

Hopefully the potential widespread implementation of bank charges would result in more people checking out boards like this, and ultimately becoming part of the latter camp.

Spendless

bluenose1 wrote:

I have always been delighted with the level of customer service at First Direct. I have never spoken to staff from such a large organistion who are consistently so helpful and friendly.
It is obviously a good organisation to work for and the staff on the Forum all seem very loyal to Bank.
However they are obviously bringing in these charges to improve their overall profits so there will be more losers than winners.
I have my salary paid in, but have mortgage and savings elsewhere as I could get more competitive rates. Sounds like I will be a loser.

I wonder if they are hoping as customers are so pleased with the level of Customer service that customers are less likely to jump ship. Unfortunately it looks like First Direct staff have been too good and the Bank not content to provide a marvellous service wants to make additional profits.

I don't like being manipulated by big business and if I am going to be worse off will have no hesitation in moving banks.
It is a shame as I don't want to give my custom to a bank who uses a Call Centre in India.

Typical

This is how I feel having been with FD for 10 years. I have stopped with them despite knowing I could get a better rate elsewhere purely for their customer service. I won't do this to be worse off or even to break even and I have current and savings accounts with them, plus a mortgage.
Also I think it is likely that many people will be closing their accounts and wonder how good the customer service (on which they have prided themselves on and based many of their tv ads on) will be when you are taking one negative call after the other. (believe me I used to work in a WM repair call centre ) and the customers are telling the call centre staff what they think.

But FD obviously think they have a great idea, just like Hoover once thought it's be a great idea to offer free flight, coca cola decided to flog expensive tap water and Gerald Ratner once thought he was making a great after-dinner speech

pinkfluffybabe

Ironically, I got on of those letters today telling me to tell everyone how great First Direct was

EagerLearner

Hi all,

Here is the e-mail response I got to my last e-mail - we all know it's going to happen anyway, but nice to get a more personal first paragraph at least, even if the rest is probably a template:

Re: Fees

Thank you for your message dated 02-Aug-2006.

I am sorry that you feel our initial response is impersonal but it is a matter of policy that we do not comment on market rumours or speculation.

I can understand your wish to have more information, but as stated in our previous message we are a bank known for innovation and continually work on developing new ideas, many of which will never happen. Please be assured, as with everything we do, we will keep our customers at the heart of our business and will always take care to ensure they are the first to know.

Naturally, I hope I have given you the confidence to remain with
first direct.

Should this not be the case, and you remain dissatisfied with my response, you may write to Robert Kernaghan, Customer Relations Manager. If we do not hear from you within the next eight weeks, we will consider the matter closed.

Further information about how we deal with complaints can be found on our website https://www.firstdirect.com/howtocomplain. Complaints we cannot resolve may ultimately be referred to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Regards "

So we'll be waiting for September then, but it may be that August/September are good months for Halifax and A&L, particularly with the new account A&L seem to be launching in September.

CopperPlate_2

Hmmm similar response to the above:

"We appreciate your frustration in not being given a direct answer to your question and will therefore explain our policy further.

Our previous response explained that firstdirect are at the forefront in developing new ways to offer banking facilities. However, any future plans we have to change our products and services remain confidential until we decide that we want to implement them. This is in case we do not make the change and to protect us in a very competitive environment.

Please contact us if you require anything further."

Hopefully they are inundated with complaints and/or requests for more information on this, and they ditch anything they might have been thinking of.

grex9101

nbbradshaw wrote:

I'm still jumping to A&L simply because FD has paid a poultry amount of interest on my current account

Crikey, how many bits of chicken do you get on your balance?

:rotfl: