MSE News discussion. Nationwide kills cheap overseas spending

adindas

Not yet, They will start apply full fee November 1st, though
ADINDAS

virgo17 wrote: »

To follow up. Nationwide Flex Visa Debit worked fine here in Spain this morning. Took out €300 with no problem. Pity the rate has dropped a bit.

Gamegal

adindas wrote: »

They will start apply full fee November 1st.
ADINDAS

Yes, think we all know that, there's 30 pages of it, Adindas!

Virgo actually was answering Marksfish's question as some were having problems getting cash out of ATMs in Spain a couple of days ago using their flex debit cards.

virgo17

Thanks Gamegal. Yes it was Marksfish (and anyone else interested) I was advising that my card was still working OK following the slight scare.

I'll use it until November and then move on. I will carry on with the Nationwide credit card until they decide to charge for overseas use on that as well.

Since the anouncement of the Flex 'improvements' I have been moving all my cash and savings away from Nationwide. By 1st November all they will have of mine are the accounts they won't make any dosh from. Kind of poetic justice really as I regarded myself with enough of my cash in Nationwide to be the kind of customer they wanted to keep.

Still there is no room for sentimentality in dealing with banks (of which I regard Nationwide to be now). If one doesn't cut the mustard it's time to move on, regardless of how long you have been with them.

Marksfish

virgo17 wrote: »

To follow up. Nationwide Flex Visa Debit worked fine here in Spain this morning. Took out €300 with no problem. Pity the rate has dropped a bit.

Thanks for that :wave:. I had seen a response to the original posting on the Spain forum earlier and was also going to report back. It seems the 2 people that had problems have since been able to access. Panic over Mr Mainwaring

Mark

verycross_2

Very, very cross with Nationwide. First they advertise how, unlike their competitors they won't hoik you in with a good rate and then cut it while you aren't looking. That's exactly what happened to my Nationwide ISA. Then, unlike others, they won't charge you for access to money abroad...

These must have been amongst the most dishonest advertising campaigns ever.

I've already written to express my displeasure. Like many others I fail to see how the free annual travel insurance is likely to benefit the two-thirds of members who don't use their debit card abroad every year.

In my case I'm unlikely to benefit as my daughter has a pre-existing medical condition which only specialist insurers will cover.

Does the replacement of a benefit offered to all with one which excludes the elderly and those with certain medical conditions breach any legislation? It certainly doesn't square with the caring sharing image formerly associated with the mutual sector. The Nationwide really is no different from a high street bank these days.

verycross_2

One more thing. The letter announcing the change to the FlexAccount refers throughout to 'customers'. If you write to Nationwide, do remind them that we are members of a mutual society and expect to be treated as such.

So 'proud to be different' that we can't even be bothered to sound like a mutual.

RobertinHerts

The Nationwide Building Society chief executive has come under fire for changing his email address following protests about alterations to the society’s FlexAccount.

RobertinHerts

The article I referenced earlier had this as the introduction:

For many vendors, it is usually much less expensive to retain existing customers that to acquire new customers. However, it may be that the potential to sell more products and services to existing customers is limited: sales to current customers may have reached saturation point, so the only opportunity, or the main opportunity may lie in acquiring new customers.

Pretty basic stuff: Rule 1 make sure you retain your best customers. Don't upset them so that they consider switching.

Robert

KCS1503

Just to expand on the post by RobertinHerts post from yesterday. If you follow the link to the article about the email addresses for Graham Beale and how he was forced to change his email address due to the amount of spam received. Maybe that category now includes cusomers / society members emailing to complain.

The comments which people have posted on the site are -

Mike says:
September 15, 2010 at 1:40 am

He has now backed down and is willing, once again, to receive e-mails direct from Nationwide members.
Here’s the new address for Graham Beale: gjbeale2(at)nationwide.co.uk

and

Dr Search- Principal Consultant at the Search Clinic says:
September 15, 2010 at 8:18 am

Further to the handy news on the Nationwide boss’s new email address, I see that the CEO Email Address website at www(dot)ceomail(dot)com has been updated with his phone number as well:
(Tel: 01793 513 513 then say “Graham Beale”)
Cheers
Dr Search

Sorry as a new contributor to this site I'm not trusted to post links yet but make the obvious substitutions. (Does anyone know what you have to do in order to be trusted?)

Maybe worth the direct approach to Mr Beale....?

KevinS
I'm still mad about this change and still whinging!

paparossco

I know it is a fiver a month but perhaps the Sainsbury Gold Credit Card might interest some for use abroad:

"Annual family worldwide travel insurance
We'll give you annual worldwide travel insurance for you and your family. That's 2 adults up to the age of 65, and up to 6 children under 16 (or 23 if they're full time students). We'll even cover you for winter sports^.
No fees on foreign currency
There's no fees on foreign currency when you buy it with your Sainsbury’s Gold Credit card so you can top up your wallet wherever you are.
No fees on foreign exchange or cash withdrawals abroad
Need some extra sun cream? If you use your Sainsbury’s Gold Credit Card to pay for goods abroad you’ll pay no fees. And, just like at home, you can also use your card for fee free cash withdrawals.
Earn Nectar points abroad
And to make your card even more rewarding, you can collect Nectar points worldwide – 1 point for every £5 you spend anywhere in the world.
Enhanced fraud protection
For your peace of mind we'll also give you Enhanced Fraud Protection. If you inform us that you are travelling abroad we can reduce the risk of your card being declined.
Low rate
Even if you’re buying in Malaga as opposed to Manchester, you’ll still enjoy the low rate of only 9.94% p.a. variable on your purchases.

All this for a monthly fee of £5. Minimum credit limit £1,500. Minimum monthly repayment of 2.25% of balance or £5, whichever is more, plus any amount over the credit limit."

Apologies if someone else has posted this and I missed it.