First Direct - am I the only one to think they're rubbish?

7sefton

From what I've read on here and elsewhere, perhaps my expectations of First Direct were *too* high, but...

First time I called, to ask about procedures for paying into a FD account at an HSBC branch. The lady was incredibly patronising and spoke to me like I'd never been into a bank branch before. She also left loads of awkward pauses in the conversation and didn't make me feel comfortable asking any more questions. She also hung up before I'd said 'thanks, bye.'

Second time I called, I wanted to know if I could claim the £100 bonus if I switched my current account to FD even though I already hold an e-ISA with them. The advisor said that holding a savings account already would still entitle me to the £100 switching bonus because it was 'having a bank account that mattered'. She then put me through to someone in the applications department to get the ball rolling. Before I went ahead with the application though I thought I would double check, and the second advisor told me the advice I had previously been given was totally incorrect. Regardless of the type of product held, if you already had a relationship with FD you did not get the £100 bonus.

And another thing - they make such a big deal about answering each call personally, but the first thing they ask for is a postcode so they can track you down on their computer. I know this is necessary, but the way they advertise you would think they answered the call using your first name or something! They are impersonal as all the other bank call centres I've dealt with.

Not great at all. The advice I received was confused, and the service wasn't exactly warm. I think perhaps FD rely too much on the heaps of praise poured on them every day and consider themselves beyond reproach. I'm sticking with the Co-op Bank.

I know this might be unusual and perhaps unpopular, but I just needed to get it off my chest!

dfh

How can anybody answer a telephone call using a first name unless they know who you are.Unless you expect FD to have some sort of voice recognition system that picks up your voice and identifies you through that.

cottager

Can be done. Pre-filtering, menus or voice methods, and some work really well. I've phoned several organisations who know exactly who I am by the time the human answers, as they greet me by name. Some you verbally answer auto-questions before being put through, some you key in account details from the keypad -- methods vary, but if it's a good system it can be very efficient.

7sefton

dfh wrote: »

How can anybody answer a telephone call using a first name unless they know who you are.Unless you expect FD to have some sort of voice recognition system that picks up your voice and identifies you through that.

Sorry for any confusion, but I didn't mean I expect FD to answer each call using voice recognition or anything. I simply wanted to draw attention to the fact that the bank makes a massive deal about not having automated menus and instead putting you through to a real person immediately, only for the customer to have to spend time verbally telling the advisor personal details before account details are discussed. Personally, I'd prefer entering a few personal details into my telephone keypad, then have my call answered by someone who already had all my details on their screen and was ready to help me and yes, could greet me by name. I.e. like the Co-op bank.

Hazzanet

7sefton wrote: »

you would think they answered the call using your first name or something!

<rant mode>
This is something I absolutely detest to be honest. O2 call me by my first name regularly, without asking whether I'm comfortable with it, which I am not. It then makes it really awkward when I correct them by asking them to call me Mr Hazzanet.

It's a service-provider/customer relationship, not a chinwag over coffee; I'm their customer and that doesn't give them the right to call me by my first name.
</rant mode>

oldagetraveller

7sefton wrote: »

I'm sticking with the Co-op Bank.

How strange, when last year you were telling everyone not to use smile/Co-Op? Your words.

"Don't - they're actually really poor! Much better options out there."

glider3560

cottager wrote: »

Can be done. Pre-filtering, menus or voice methods, and some work really well.

First Direct don't do and have never had any automated telephone services. It is actually one of their selling points. At the end of the day, does it really matter if you read your postcode to a computer or a human?

Fairzo

Perhaps depends on what you're used to. I've just moved from Santander (Abbey) to FD. Enough said?

simax

Hazzanet wrote: »

<rant mode>
This is something I absolutely detest to be honest. O2 call me by my first name regularly, without asking whether I'm comfortable with it, which I am not. It then makes it really awkward when I correct them by asking them to call me Mr Hazzanet.

It's a service-provider/customer relationship, not a chinwag over coffee; I'm their customer and that doesn't give them the right to call me by my first name.
</rant mode>

Christ who sh*t in your coffee this morning? I call my customers by their first names, and in 15 years, I've only had one person object....

.... wasn't you, was it?

reehsetin

just moved to first direct and loving the service so far, love not having to input an infinite amount of info before you speak to someone, I've only come across one impatient person the rest have been lovely and even though he was impatient he was still really helpful.
And I got my £100 joining bonus within a month.

cottager

glider3560 wrote: »

At the end of the day, does it really matter if you read your postcode to a computer or a human?

Not to me, no