Delay opening Abbey postal ISA

Paul_Herring

davidcampbell wrote:

call 08457654321 or 08459724724 during branch opening hours and it can be booked in for you.

Colour me cynical, but aren't these the sort of numbers being complained about recently?

"How to beat banks’ 0845 phonerip-off"
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,9558-1451832,00.html

"What is that call really costing?"
http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money-savers/article.html?in_article_id=396241&in_page_id=5

"SOMETHING ISN'T RINGING TRUE"
http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/?t=article&l=dog_watches_dog_040205

davidcampbell

maybe so but i was simply trying to help, these are the numbers i give out to my customers. i am a fairly new member to the site and i havent yet learned all the money saving tips.

exactly what was wrong with me supplying someone with the numbers to ring.

perhaps i should have said instead " i know the number for the department you want, but how about i dont tell you it incase anyone is upset about the cost of it"

or am i not allowed to learn as i go along with the site??

lipidicman

I think the main problem is that you were advertising how people could make appointments to give you money - and make you money on the call on top!.

Its good to hear that the accounts are opened in branch now and that the delays are a thing of the past.

swebber

lipidicman,

I'm sorry to say that the daleys have not been cleared, or certainly not in my area. I've been waiting since christmas to get into a bank to sort out, had an appointment all nicely booked (three weeks ahead) when I got there they kept me waiting 20mins, as everyone was running around after a very stoppy woman. Good customer service from the start there.

When I got to see the advisor, she refused to take my ID, (Full british passport, yes in date, and a bank statement with correct address) she couldn't really explain why, just kept rabbiting on about those are the rules. I explained that Halifax had taken the same ID, so she called over someone else who glanced at them and said they didn't meet criteria as well.

As this was just before the 7% deal shut, I asked to do that instead and was again refused, as the lady just kept saying I should get some valid ID and then take out an ISA. Didn't listen to a word I was saying.

Not V impressive really. We did try to give them the benefit of the doubt and my Husband attempted to book with a different branch.
Now my Husband is a V laid back patience man, but the phone call drove him to say some very umcomplimentory things about Abbey.

So my point. Delays aren't sorted and I have come to the conculsion that they are deliberately turning people away. Perhaps only non Abbey customers.

I'm not too fussed about it now anyway, as A&L have brought out a better deal. Perhaps that will help Abbey sort themselves out, as they lose the business to a better rate.

davidcampbell

lipidicman wrote:

I think the main problem is that you were advertising how people could make appointments to give you money - and make you money on the call on top!.

Its good to hear that the accounts are opened in branch now and that the delays are a thing of the past.

fair point lipidicman but the point i was making is a nicer reply may have been "david did you know you can get round having to call 0845 numbers"

anyway we shall leave it at that ... paul, sorry if i upset you.


swebber. im sorry to say that your story is exactly what is wrong with Abbey these days. i deal with complaints of exactly that nature on a daily basis (no exaggeration) and it is not improving, we are merely shifting the problem round the company

the santander boys wont stand for it though and i honestly believe there will be improvements in the next 12months or so - not ideal for now or for your situation i know

i sympathise with you though, ive had these problems on my own accounts, its very frustrating :eek:

lipidicman

Abbey got it wrong for me too. They told me that closing my lloyds account was a condition of switching to them to qualify for the £40 offer. It wasnt, and I didnt want to do this. The customers services email confirmed that switching did not include the closure of my other account and helpfully informed me that the offer had now closed. So, I had missed the deadline because they had screwed up and turned me away. Their response? You can complain to the financial ombudsman service if you like......

So they would rather I took my complaint further than actually do something to rectify it in a mutually beneficial way. Nice customer service. Abbey have got it so wrong......

They are trying to convince people to switch from the 'big four' but until their service matches the big banks they have no hope. I can get appointments in lloyds the same day!

I was very happy with my 7% saver from abbey and didn't understand the abbey-bashing that goes on on this board.....but now I am not so sure. There seem to be pretty deep rooted problems. If the rate wasnt so good and a full year necessary to get the rate I would close it in protest!

p.s. swebber, why was a passport and statement not valid ID (was the statement recent?) It fulfils their published list!

lipidicman

To update on my problems with Abbey, they have now agreed to extend the offer for me until the end of February, so that is a little better!