'When did you last go into your bank?' poll discussion

brizey47

I joined Girobank about 25 years ago, it then became Alliance and Leicester and all that time all my banking has been done by phone or post, now by internet. I had to take some cheques from work a while ago to the bank and I wouldn't ever want to go back to that archaic syatem.

samshep

There wasn't an option for "online banking only" which would fit the bill for me. Last time I went into my main bank was when I was with Natwest before I switched to Smile in the early 00s. I do cheques over the counter at the Post Office, or by post. technically I can go into the Co-op branches, but have never needed to.

gastronomix

If it wasnt for pesky cheques and having to use rubbish HSBC automatic deposit machines my relationship with First Direct would be perfect.

kittykitten

poppy10 wrote: »

Never understood why people spend half an hour queuing up at the bank when virtually all accounts these days allow you to manage your account online or via the phone. Haven't been in a branch in ages.

As much as I'd like to agree with you, as I do most of my banking online (pay bills, transfer money, opened my ISA, etc) I was last in my bank a fortnight ago, to do things that I couldn't do any other way: how do you suggest I pay in cheques, and exchange the coin from my savings jar for notes without going into the branch?

And before someone suggests it, you can't pay cheques in at the ATM if you bank with Barclays, although I know at some banks you can - I used to work for LTSB and when I did you could pay cheques and cash (notes only) in at ATMs, although if I remember rightly it was only ATMs in or attached to the outside wall of a branch, as it still requires the branch staff to process the deposit (I really really hated that job!)

Also whoever had a pop at the saturday staff of bank branches re: DDs going wrong - I protest at that, as I was one of those saturday staff up until a few years ago, and it's not that we're not knowledgeable about the fact that you can do DD recalls, or how to sort it, it's that a lot of the companies who you need to contact to do DD recalls don't have the people you need to speak to working on a saturday! I do agree with the comments re: selling in bank branches though, although please don't take it out on the counter staff - the pressure on the staff to sell is immense, if you want to stand any chance of getting a pay rise or any sort of promotion you must hit your targets for referring customers on to the sales staff.

I don't go in that often, but I'd be lost without bank branches, as certain companies who I hold shares with insist for some obscure reason on sending dividend cheques instead of paying direct into accounts, and the post office a) aren't open on a weekend near me, b) the post office branch in the mearest city, which is open on a saturday always has queues out of the door, and c) want to charge me for exchanging coin for notes!

FATBALLZ

tara747 wrote: »

went to open an ISA the other day and it was jammers!!!! Couldn't move in the place. And the average age of the ISA queue was 70, which just goes to show who is saving in the UK! I was young enough to be everyone else's granddaughter. :rotfl:

I opened an ISA this week without leaving the house. Option of spending 2 minutes on the laptop or driving to the bank, queueing up with a load of old codgers for 30 minutes, sorting out the ISA, driving back home, taking me a few hours. Easy choice. All you've really highlighted is the technophobia of many old people. Haven't been into my bank for ages, probably last time was a year or so ago when someone last gave me a cheque.

edit: above post just reminded me i've been in more like 6 months ago when my change jar last got full so put it in the hsbc machine.

tara747

FATBALLZ wrote: »

I opened an ISA this week without leaving the house. Option of spending 2 minutes on the laptop or driving to the bank, queueing up with a load of old codgers for 30 minutes, sorting out the ISA, driving back home, taking me a few hours. Easy choice. All you've really highlighted is the technophobia of many old people. Haven't been into my bank for ages, probably last time was a year or so ago when someone last gave me a cheque.

Actually, I was opening an ISA to transfer my old ISA into, so it *is* quicker to go into branch with your transfer form and ID. If you open it online it takes way longer.

Bargainetta

I would normally only go into a bank branch once a year or so but in the last month a neighbour hit my garage door badly by accident in their car. Trouble was my wallet was inside my handbag which was inside my car which was inside the garage and we were all unable to force the garage door open so I had to ring First Direct who had to ring my local HSBC branch to arrange for me to go in and get some cash to carry me over. Luckily it all worked out fine and I am still on good terms with my neighbour. Everybody laughed when they heard about it because, believe me, I am probably the most jinxed person in my social group. Anyway the bank staff were great and the replacement garage door is better than the old one! No harm done.

sparrer

tanith wrote: »

I wonder wether other banks would accept cheques through the post as A & L and Santander do? I just pop em in an envelope and send them off saves any queuing , come to think of it I can't actually remember the last time I wrote or received a cheque for anything..

Yes, my on line bank does accept cheques via post but by the time I've faffed about doing that, and it taking a couple of days to reach the bank (if RM doesn't lose it), I may as well go into branch and have it credited to my account sooner. I'm fortunate that I pass my branch almost daily.

I've also recently been in to branch to open an ISA, amalgamate an ISA, close an a/c, move some bits around, all things that if done by phone would no doubt have caused havoc with the faceless person at the other end who hasn't got a clue about me or my money. In branch they know me and are fully au fait with my accounts.

I've never had more than 2 people in front of me so perhaps living out in the sticks has its advantages over town branches. I'm not suggesting you all move, please don't, as that would b*gger up my nice, quiet, friendly branch and I'd end up complaining as much as you all are!

johnmc

I love the fact that I can go in and speak to a person if I want to so I keep an account with a local branch.

I haven't been into my own branch for years, though. When I do get cheques I pay them into the local Post Office. All the rest of my banking is online or at an ATM.

MacsReturns

Well, I answered A, as I had to pay in my wage cheque (yes, anachronistic cheapskate employer...), but as that's monthly, maybe B would have been a more representative answer - I go in monthly, it just happened to be in the last week.

Apart from that I do everything else online, and I'd be a lot happier if the employers went back to BACS -- on time. Really sucks getting paid by cheque on the last day of the month - sometimes it doesn't clear 'til the 15th... but that's a whole nuvver thread :mad: