MSE News: Santander 'worst bank for customer service'

olly300

r9rog wrote: »

I note olly300 and blueberrypie have not attempted to do so, but can anyone explain why HSBC customers should be required to occupy the space at the window during a cashier's housekeeping process and why the other banks require customers paying in to enter their PIN?

Sorry personally I spend as little time in banks and BS as I can.

I use machines or online banking for most of my banking, and apart from one BS I try and not have any interaction with bank/BS staff particularly on the phone.

I'm fed up of them trying to sell me something on every transaction I make in person, or purposely misinterpreting what I say not to do something.

gt94sss2

r9rog wrote: »

I am very grateful for this information. The express machines at my nearest branch are not yet at this level. It's not advertised and it is not on the HSBC website description of the machines. HSBC tell me that at most branches you still need to deposit an envelope to pay in cash, so no ability to reject their calculation, but it will come.

I don't know which branches you use (I think you mentioned Sutton which I am not familiar with) but the branches in Wimbledon, Clapham Junction, Kingston and Croydon all have these machines - probably others in that area as well (like Tooting and Putney)

These branches also seem to have computers for customers to login to HSBC Internet Banking within their branches and telephone points which customers can use to call HSBC telephone banking or First Direct..

Academic question - If everyone used these machines, who would stand at the window while the staff do their housekeeping

I've noticed that as HSBC refurbish their branches and put these machines in, they often relocate the counters within their larger branches and have fewer of them, as less people use them.

Regards
Sunil

stingyscot

I've been cahoot since it started in 2000, when it was the internet arm of Abbey National. It's now a Santander bank, but is run totally separately from their high street operations, and has UK call centres. The service I've received has generally been excellent, but not quite as good as it was before it was purchased by Santander, not because the call centre operators are any different but because some of their procedures have changed...for the worse. However, there are signs that cahoot may disappear, along with its credit cards and current accounts for new customers, and I, and all my immediate family who use it, will be sorry. The worst banks I've ever dealt with were incompetent Abbey (ISA nightmares) and the appalling unIntelligent Finance.

molie

Six months ago I tried to close my sons savings account and open up a new one he had compleat charge of. I could go into how many phone calls and time spent in branch, but I'll just say the old savings account hasn't been transfered and my son still can't access his new account. Can it really be that difficult.

miller

molie wrote: »

Six months ago I tried to close my sons savings account and open up a new one he had compleat charge of.

And probably a better interest rate. Complaint/FOS/£50 compensation. Job Done.

knightfox

CyBerman wrote: »

As a boy I banked with Lloyds, but when I became a student they told me it would have been six months before I could have a cash card so I crossed the road and joined Williams and Glyns.

They were subsequently taken over by RBS and apart from a slight glitch last year, I've never had any problems with them, doing most of my transactions over the phone and in the last couple of years online.

I have an RBS Royalties Gold account and made use of the airport lounge access, travel booking facilities and mobile phone and travel insurance amongst their other benefits.

Now with the news of my branch, which I probably visit less than once a year, being sold to Santander I'm looking to change where I bank.

From previous postings do I look to use First Direct? Any (civil) suggestions welcomed (and apologies if I don't get around to thanking you personally).

P.S. I live on the outskirts of London.

Well you use and enjoyed the benefits of Royalties. So the best solution is of course Natwest. You will get the same account. You can use any London branch or there will be one near you.

You could open an account in Scotland and just transfer all your details to that accout. It doesnt really matter that you dont live near the branch anymore as its all computer based. Then life wont change for you.

FD are great. I used them a few years ago. My relationship with my gf ended and I moved away from them. Kept on meaning to go back so they might be different now. But staff great help when needed.

Other than that everyone loves the Lloyds accounts at the moment. So that might be worth a look as well.

I am in the same boat as you.

By the way what is your manager saying to you? Were you in regular contact with them?

kathy48

I've banked with Alliance and Leicester for years without any problem but I'd have left Santander already if I could only get into my account to get the cash out of it! Anyone had experience with the Co-op? They seem to be favourite at the moment as the best interest rates on current about seem to be Santander and Halifax who seem to have similar customer service protocols.

rb10

kathy48 wrote: »

the best interest rates on current about seem to be Santander and Halifax who seem to have similar customer service protocols.

I don't think anyone would say that Santander and Halifax have similar customer service protocols ... they are pretty much chalk and cheese as far as customer service is concerned.

For an unscientific (but probably representative) survey, look on these forums for complaints about Halifax (tiny number) compared to Santander, which probably has at least one complaint on each page of the forum.

Acremead

AmandaJSmith wrote: »

.....Do they actually train their staff?!

After recent experiences I assumed that they don't, but a cynical friend suggested that the staff I'd talked to knew full well what they were doing, but were deliberately giving me mis-information just to get me off the phone. If the main way their work is being judged is the speed with which they get you off the phone then there's every incentive to say 'you cant' do this on the phone, you have to go in to a branch'.

BTW: if you are told to go into a branch, make sure you get an appointment first. If you turn up without one you may well be told to come back another day when they have an "adviser" on duty....

adindas

I love Santander because their saving and a/c offer competitive interest rate. So keep happy with that ....