'Which is the worst customer service bank?' poll discussion

rb1

Re Santander and HSBC
I have been thinking of changing from HSBC who I hear are going to start charging for current accounts, although I cannot get a straight answer and keep being referred to their 31 page leaflet.
I popped in to a local branch of Santander (NW) and just my experience with their enquiry staff at the front desk was enough to put me off. The woman I spoke to was so vague about everything and kept telling me I'd have to make an appointment to discuss anything at all, and there weren't any appointment slots in the forseeable future etc..... yeah OK Byeee.

Linda's_Man

Likewise, my wife and I went into a Santander branch and asked for literature on current accounts. We were told there was only one but they had run out of leaflets and only had a single sheet flier. No enthusiasm at the thought of new customers at all. We said thanks but we won't bother and left. All the 'posters' have proved our instincts to be correct. Thanks.

Linda's_Man

I left First Direct many years ago when they first introduced a £10 banking charge. It was not so much the charge that convinced me to change banks, more the service I got when trying to pay cash in at my nearest HSBC branch in Basildon, Essex.

The branch had just installed the automated paying-in machines and I had £600 in £20 notes to pay in. I always like to give it to a human being so that I know it will not get lost in a machine. So, I joined the queuewhich was quite long as the bank were obviously trying to put people off using the counters.

I was approached by a lady who asked what I was in the bank for. I said to pay in some cash. She then suggested I used the machine. I said I did not want to, but she just kept on questioning me as to why not and giving me assurances that everything would be o.k. In the end I said I did not know how to use the machine so she got a lad over to go through the process with me. He started to explain that the machine would reject notes heavily marked with felt tip, cellotaped notes torn notes etc. He told me to place the noted in the recepticle and the machine would count them and issue a receipt straight away. The machine whirred away, rejected 3 notes and spued out a receipt. I asked him what happens now that I have deposited £60 short of the desired amount. Yes you guessed it, he told me I would have to queue up and pay it in at a cashier. I just stopped at hitting him.

A few weeks later I wanted to complete a similar exercise, but was prepared this. I was met at the door by 2 'Gastapo' type women. Who asked the same question as to my business that day and I pre-empted their response by giving them both barrels in a loud voice, so that evetyone could hear, my previous experience with thier machine. They then had the cheak to say to me "There is no need to get up tight".

I changed to a Woolwich account very soon after. I have to say First Direct were brilliant in those days but I had to drive 10 miles to my nearest HSBC branch (because that is who FD are) and then have to pay to park. There were always long queues in the bank and at that time they did not open on a Saturday. Hence the change to the Woolwich which had a branch in my local town centre. Then like A&L the takeover happened by Barclays and everthing went pear shaped. I then changed to Nationwide, about 2 months before they stopped paying interest on current accounts, but the benefits of their debit and credit cards when used abroad was worth it. However, I have just learned, not from Nationwide though, that in November they are going to charge the exorbitant fees the other banks are charging. So will look for some sort of interset on credit balances. I am considering Halifax as they are, again, in my local town centre.

Hooda_Thunkit

My gripe was with LloydsTSB. I've been with them in all their previous forms since childhood - and I'm no spring chicken.
I had a spare £6000 sitting doing very little in an account; they phoned me and asked if I would like to drop in and discuss a better way to use this money.
After a chat I was persuaded to put the money into bonds- I particularly asked if I could add to that sum as and when I chose, as it seemed a good way to build a nice sum in savings. I was assured I could put any amount in whenever I wanted. They also explained that the value of the bonds would drop dramatically then build again and start making handsome profits after five years, so it would be a long-term investment.
Two weeks after taking out this bond, I received a letter telling me they were changing the rules and I would not be able to increase the amount in the bond.
I was furious. I did not want to leave such a small amount in a bond for 5+ years, so I told the manager I wanted the bond cancelled and my money returned to the original account, as I felt they had deceived me.
I was told this could not be done; I either had to leave the money there for at least 5 years, or cash the bond and only get £3000-odd back!!
It transpired that the bond was an incredibly poor performer, and after SIX years, I got £6200-odd back!
I am still with LloydsTSB, but I use the current account only; all my savings and investments are with other organisations, and always will be. LloydsTSB blew my trust in them when they did this to me.

Tiggsok

I have just had what can only be described as dreadful customer service from what now is Santander.

I opened my account with A&L about 3 years ago and was 'upsold' to a Premium 50 account last year, being told that, despite my doubts, that the £10 monthly fee would be outweighed by the interest I would receive. It didn't! I called earlier this year and was told I'd have to wait until the 12 month contract was up and to call again to swap it.

I have now called, but despite speaking to a manager, Santander say that they can't change my account without me contacting ALL of my direct debit originators myself to inform them of the new account number. If I were a new customer, they'd do all that for me.
So which business do they value most? Obviously not customers with established good business, savings accounts and ISAs. :mad:

I shall be taking my accounts and ISAs away from this company - beware!!

Doc_N

Tiggsok wrote: »

So which business do they value most? Obviously not customers with established good business, savings accounts and ISAs.

Santander don't value any customers. You soon learn that after attempting to operate any account (laughingly called a bank account) run by them.

They don't operate Faster Payments properly, and still send large numbers of transactions via BACS for no apparent reason - which means that transfers to other accounts take days instead of seconds.

Customer service is non-existent.

How Santander have avoided financial meltdown so far escapes me, but I don't trust it or any of its subsidiaries, and I certainly wouldn't risk any substantial sums of money with it.

whizzocki

I have accounts with Cahoot and Alliance & Leicester and interestingly service is completely different, even though they are both Santander.

Cahoot cannot be faulted - I have been with them about 10 years and never had a single complaint, apart from when I accidentally went overdrawn and incurred bank charges, which they immediately reversed when I called them to explain the situation.

Alliance & Leicester have been the complete opposite, difficult and obstructive, their main aim seeming to be trying to persuade me to buy more of their products. I'm taking my savings elsewhere!

whizzocki

Hooda_Thunkit wrote: »

LloydsTSB blew my trust in them when they did this to me.

Lloyds absolutely NOT to be trusted. Scottish Widows (part of Black Horse) did the same to me, creaming off a massive chunk in commission after hard-selling me a with-profits policy which turned out to be a with-losses policy with some very small print. They completely ignored all my correspondence until I got the Financial Ombudsman involved to rap their knuckles. Zero social responsibility.

jumpycheese1

Halifax. They moved a branch in town and in order to go to the cashier desks, you have to walk about 40 yards to the 2 cashier desks there. In between the front door and the cashier desks, there is just a reception desk and a small table - thats it. Plus they weren't sympathetic when I told them why I was taking my business elsewhere - 2 branches near me have closed down and having to travel to town to deal with them. Also they gave me conflicting info when I had to close my joint account that I had with my ex.

I cannot stand banks refurbishing/relocating their premises to give us fewer cashier points.

Rokkchic

Santander are dreadful.

Been with Abbey for years. They weren't great. Now Santander took over even worse. Automated phone service is frustrating, lengthy and when you finally get to talk to someone they often are from a different country and getting them to understand what you want is a nightmare. They say everything is OK and sorted over the phone and then find they have not done what they promise. E.g. it took me four lengthy calls and waiting over two months just to get a new card sent. Am paying off my overdraft and going ASAP. The worst news was yesterday - I bank with RBS who are BRILLIANT and I had a letter in the post saying they are being bought out by SAntander too! HEll, I'm going to keep my money in a sock under my bed and start sending postal orders out for bills...