Treated like !!!! by Santander: what's my best revenge?

cashferret

juicyjude wrote: »

cashferret, if its any consolation they also lost my hubbys ID. What is going on there????????????????????We were told it was due to clerical error!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! After putting in a formal complaint (they also said he could send in further ID err I dont think so,) they sent a grovelling letter saying all his ID was eventually shredded something with Data Protection they sent a cheque for £30 but we havent cashed it yet as still not very happy.

I can't understand how they are still operating as a bank, I really can't. When the manager told me that my ID wasn't on file so couldn't be resent to start the application process again, he was insisting that I go into the branch with it again. When I flat-out refused, he finally conceded that I could send photocopies in the mail (my suggestion). Then he told me it would take seven working days, as though my case should go to the back of the queue. When I said that was unacceptable he said he couldn't phone the POA department to ask them to do it faster because they weren't reachable by phone. I had to point out that he could put a letter in with my ID documents.

It's all just, "can't, can't can't", "our procedures, our procedures". They have absolutely no concept of solving the problem for the customer.

I don't blame you for not being very happy, £30 is an insult for having to deal with this sort of attitude. Unbelievably unprofessional. Aargh!

cashferret

cardsharps wrote: »

I'd badmouth them on an internet forum that's read by thousands of their existing and possibly future customers. That usually does the trick.

That's one I can tick off the list, then! :beer:

angel_islington

cardsharps wrote: »

I'd badmouth them on an internet forum that's read by thousands of their existing and possibly future customers. That usually does the trick.

I'm not so sure. I doubt Santander pay any attention to this forum. It does, of course, help to prevent people from opening accounts with them, which can only be a good thing.

I'm still going through a complaint with them. I sent my letter ten weeks ago now and despite a follow up letter they still think I live at my previous address and I've got no idea when I'm going to get a reply. I have my FOS form printed out and primed to fill out.

I swear if you put the local primary school in charge (pupils not teachers!) they would do a better job.

angel_islington

Also, I have now created a Facebook group for members to share their experiences of Santander 'customer service'. Please sign up and share your story. The more people that join, the more interest it will generate. Ideally I would like it to become large enough that Santander take the member experiences seriously, which they are obviously not doing at the moment.

You can join by visiting this link.

http://www.facebook.com/groups/create.php#!/group.php?gid=128439930534721

cashferret

angel_islington wrote: »

I'm not so sure. I doubt Santander pay any attention to this forum. It does, of course, help to prevent people from opening accounts with them, which can only be a good thing.

I'm still going through a complaint with them. I sent my letter ten weeks ago now and despite a follow up letter they still think I live at my previous address and I've got no idea when I'm going to get a reply. I have my FOS form printed out and primed to fill out.

I swear if you put the local primary school in charge (pupils not teachers!) they would do a better job.

Although I'm pursuing my complaint with them and shouting about it here (too angry not to!), I don't think that anything that we do as individuals really has any effect. I think that Santander - and all the banks - know that the fraction of badly treated customers who complain and move accounts is small. Most people just want to get on with their lives and not have all the aggro of just moving from one bad bank to another.

I think that each time a customer complains about a bank to the FOS and the complaint is upheld, the bank should be slammed with a punitive fine of several thousand pounds. I don't think the customer should get the money - it should go to charity or to pay for the FOS or something - the point would be to whack the bank so hard for being rubbish that it actually has some incentive to get its act together.

Santander has had nothing but bad publicity lately for how it treats its customers, but have there been any negative financial consequences for it of any meaningful magnitude?

I really think this needs a change in legislation to allow seriously punitive fines.

angel_islington

They rely on people just wanting to get on with their lives. The 'Complaints Handlers' are actually 'Fob Off Handlers'. They will literally do anything to fob you off until you get bored/tired/die. That's how they handle your complaint so you have to be persistent and explore as many avenues as you can, i.e the 'official' complaint procedure, the fos, social networking, at the same time. Will it have a major effect, maybe not but that's not the point and is exactly the type of mentality that allows companies like Santander to get away with treating their customers so badly in the first place.

I'd appreciate it if you joined the Facebook group, if you have an account.

khana

I'm sure you realize that it is not Santander that is at fault, but an individual working in the organisation that has effectively messed up and caused you all this inconvenience and stress.

Most bank staff have worked for many other banks in the past, and so moving bank's really is not the answer to resolve things.

If an individual is at fault, then registering your complaint will ensure that it is looked at and resolved, hopefully to your satisfaction. More importantly, this will also log the complaint against the person responsible, meaning that they will find it a lot harder to get away with providing shabby service in the future.

Unfortunately, you will get incompetent staff everywhere, and it's only by dealing with this directly at the bank will this stop. Of course, if you are not happy with the outcome of the complaint then the FSC is the next place to go to.

cardsharps

They might have changed their name to Santander but they'll always be Shabby National to the great British public. I'm amazed anyone gives them their business.

Essex123

khana wrote: »

I'm sure you realize that it is not Santander that is at fault, but an individual working in the organisation that has effectively messed up and caused you all this inconvenience and stress.

I disagree. Santander could properly train its staff and improve its recruitment. If it has bad staff then line management should give them a chance to improve or they get replaced.

Furthermore, Santander should create an effective organisational structure and IT systems that work correctly.

Unfortunately, from my experience the staff are mediocre, as is the organisational structure and systems.

I have significantly reduced my exposure to Santander products, and the ones I still have are only because I am tied in or are offering such good terms that (i) they are making no money from me, and (ii) I can accept the fact things may/will go wrong.

Essex123

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