'I lost my rag in a Lloyds TSB branch' blog discussion

Barnetbear

Tempting as it is to get annoyed at individual staff, I don't. Nine times out of ten instead of blowing my top I get extra courteous when I meet with disinterest or incompetence.

Works better, every time.

Take it from someone (me) who used to rant and shout. In fact some staff at some places enjoy winding customers up as a sport, so don't give them their fun. Always smile like their cluelessness is irresistably cute and has buoyed your spirits rather than cost you a whole load of inconvenience.

babybutton666

lloyds are the worst bank in the universe - i was a victim of identity fraud and well over £100 was taken from my account on some random american gambling site - i was distraught, phoned the fraud department who told me to write a letter detailing all transactions that weren't mine and i asked them to cancel the card, i rang them a second time as another transaction they said shouldn't clear (as it was fraudulent) did and again they told me to write to them - they gave no address to write to so i composed a letter and went into the branch who faxed it to them and heard nothing. a few months later i went back in to the brach as the money had not been refunded and the woman on the desk was a moron - she refused to help me unless i detailed every transaction that was fraudulent (but seeing as i had only gone in to ask if someone could phone the fraud department to see what was going on and it was just before picking the kids up from school i didnt have the details she wanted (all on the letter) but her ignorance and extremely unpleasent manner has meant that now (nearly a year later) i haven't got a penny back and am not likely o as i wont go into branch to try to deal with it due to her rudeness - i have since opened a student account with barclays as i dont trust the lloyds - someone stole money from me, i reported it the only way i could and they didn't even bother to acknowledge the letter that was faxed to them in branch. I don't know how you kept your temper, i now just wont go into the bank!

danclyon

"close my account please" there and then I'm afraid. If there's that much messing about then it's not worth it no matter how good the deal is!

MSE_Martin

Hi folks

As for questions about products and things - I've kept it really lose for ID fraud reasons - but I promise it was appropriate and the best deal for me - don't worry on that score.

Matari

My opinion is that UK management practices, based on the price of everything and the value of nothing (Capitalism anyone?), lead to badly trained, disinterested staff who couldn't give a rat's a** about the needs of customers. Until we sort out what kind of society we want to be, this blind pursuit of profit at the expense of everything else will always result in the customer being last on everyone's list. In a nutshell, it is up to us to elect a government party that gives a rat's a** for the electorate.

Meanwhile, I left RBS several years ago due to their incompetence coupled with a complete disinterest in offering me preferential rates for a loan (had been with them over 20 years). Am now with Smile and have had no problems whatsoever.

The_Thrilla

Silas Marner had the right idea. Put it all in gold coins, and store it under the floorboards.

southlundon

As someone mentioned above, I was surprised that Martin even has an account at Lloyds if it's that dismal...? Surely you get what you expect?

PlasticMan_2

MSE_Martin wrote: »

I promise it was appropriate and the best deal for me - don't worry on that score.

Obviously you're the expert, but how much is your time worth? After you've written two letters, spent however long on the phone (cut off twice) to not get your query settled, gone down to a branch and then waited in a queue for forty minutes, not to mention the accompanying blood pressure increase. And by the end of all that you still hadn't got the contact info changed.

Have you still saved yourself money, and even if you have was it really worth it?

Now consider that with your knowledge and understanding of the industry and possibly because of your high profile you will probably manage to get more efficient service than the average Joe.

To me, Lloyds is a dinosaur, and I would never (again) waste my time putting my money in the pockets of someone who runs a bank like that, just on principle.

Toe-Jam

Well if I wanted to let off some steam I would obvious open an account with Lloyds so they mess it all up and you can go and hollar at someone on minimum wage for free.

Very prudent way of saving money (on the therapy) Martin. You really are as good as they say ;-)

Eric_Pisch

sounds like the battle i had with 02 after they upgraded my wrong phone account and then charged me in full for a phone i didnt have when it tried to cancel it, that was an interesting 5 months and 32 phone calls ...

no one seams to know whats going on or have any authority ...