Calling a Natwest branch

lynxptc

Natwest have always let you call your branch direct and speak to somebody there but I've just tried calling mine and it goes straight through to a call centre.

Tried a couple of other branches in the area and they all go through to the same call centre - has anyone else noticed this?

7sefton

I think they are programmed to transfer you to a call centre if the branch line is busy or nobody answers. BUT I too have had this experience many times, and think the whole 'call your branch direct thing' is a bit of a marketing con.

stclair

If the branch dont answer after 5 rings the call is diverted to the branch support team.

opinions4u

stclair wrote: »

If the branch dont answer after 5 rings the call is diverted to the branch support team.

Benny Higgins moved Halifax and Bank of Scotland branches on to a more or less identical operating model.

Customer dials the branch direct, and if the branch are unable to answer it re-routes the call to a relatively small team in a call centre.

That team will then try to deal with your query or if they are unable to (in the HBOS case) email the branch and ask them to call the customer back.

Seems like a reasonable way if doing things to me.

all_change

"Seems like a reasonable way if doing things to me." - I'd be inclined to agree in principle, but in my experience they don't call you back when they say they will (or at all, unless you escalate it). I left a further message on one occasion, after a non-returned call, and someone from the branch did then get back to me, and helpfully explained that someone from the branch would in practice only call back if a message went to a named person, rather than just being a general message. (...as if I should have known that... I'm the customer, not a psychic!)
I was told by the call sentre to keep trying the branch (i.e. persist with phoning util someone answered within 5 rings). When the branch finally contacted me, they suggested that they typically only answer 2 or 3 calls a day themselves as they are so busy.
It really does feel like an attractive marketing ploy rather than an actucal service, purely based on my own experience.