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Smile - Why I'm no longer smiling
4$£&*(£$&*(!
Posts: 999 Forumite
I joined Smile the year they opened as 10 years ago they were revolutionary. They offered a fully fledged internet banking service, not a partial service like most other banks of the time (remember back then if you didn't want to go into your branch it was pretty much phone banking only for many people). I also liked the fact they are part of the Co-Operative Bank and had ethical policies.
10 years later and I start to look at how they have changed. Am I really that loyal to a bank which pays me virtually no interest compared with 4.5% a couple of years before? Do I really need that interest free overdraft I never use? So I have a word with Halifax who will give me a fiver each month just for giving them my wages. Brilliant, they'll do all the switching but I do need to let Smile know to take my credit card balance from the new account as this doesn't appear on the debit lists with it being internal.
Problem number one. Emailing them. 10 years ago if you sent a secure message you'd get a reply in a couple of hours. Last year it was certainly within the day. So why three days later am I sending a reminder to an internet bank to email me?
Problem number two. If someone reads your secure message, you need to take it they will not be looking into any other message you have sent and you have to explain the problem from scratch.
Problem number three. As they don't reply to emails in a timely fashion this now requires a phone call to their 0870 number. I'm feeling less warm about their ethical policy all of a sudden.
Problem number four. Receiving a secure message saying 'that's all done for you' does not mean 'that's all done for you'. When, two weeks later, no mandate was set up against my Halifax account to debit the credit card from I emailed again. Same delays but eventually I was told really not to worry and their name would appear in my list of direct debit mandates on the day the money was due to be taken. I replied with my concerns but these were ignored.
Problem number five. My concerns are realised. My credit card balance zeros, but neither my Halifax or Smile accounts have had the money taken. Calling Smile they guarantee it has been taken and will appear against my Halifax account. Calling Halifax and this is all news to them. It took me six phone calls before someone admitted the money had been called, it was now in limbo for three working days, it will bounce back then I can clear this one manually and I'll now need to complete a paper direct debit mandate.
Problem number six. If they promise you no charges will apply, charges may apply. I was charged interest and my credit file was marked as a late payment, my first ever blotch. I was furious but after a heated call with their management team this was waived.
Problem seven. If you then have children's accounts with their parent group, don't expect them to be sorted either if you decide enough's enough and you are leaving. Withdrawing all the cash a week last Saturday to move to another bank, I was told confidently there was some interest due and the accounts would be closed the following Monday and money transferred to me. By Wednesday I phoned them and asked what was happening, they said it was usual for accounts to take five days to close. Come yesterday and it was still not closed, I phoned and was told it takes 10 working days and a cheque for the interest was being sent to me, not transferred electronically so now I have the hassle of banking a cheque when I didn't ask for this.
To sum up, I was one of their loyal customers. Their accounts used to be brilliant. Their credit cards used to be competitive. I have come to the nightmare understanding as I'm sure others have long before now that it does not pay to be loyal to any bank no matter how ethical or award winning they claim to be. Also banks can slip rapidly in the 'customer experience'. If you told me I'd be experiencing all this a year ago I would have called you a liar to your face. Now I am smiling more at leaving Smile than staying with them. Not only have they lost a banking account with me, through their incompetence they have lost my credit card with them and Co-Op have lost two children's accounts.
As a parting shot, my partner was in branch and has a basic account with them. They told her she should open a regular savings account, this would build her credit file as she is a discharged bankrupt, and they would automatically upgrade her Cashminder card to a standard current account if she did all this. She suggested this to me until I pointed out savings accounts do not build up credit scoring and their savings account was a paltry quarter of a percent when she gets 2.8% on her ISA.
This is all very sloppy service and very unethical for a supposed ethical bank. Co-Op group customers - you may wish to rethink who you bank with.
10 years later and I start to look at how they have changed. Am I really that loyal to a bank which pays me virtually no interest compared with 4.5% a couple of years before? Do I really need that interest free overdraft I never use? So I have a word with Halifax who will give me a fiver each month just for giving them my wages. Brilliant, they'll do all the switching but I do need to let Smile know to take my credit card balance from the new account as this doesn't appear on the debit lists with it being internal.
Problem number one. Emailing them. 10 years ago if you sent a secure message you'd get a reply in a couple of hours. Last year it was certainly within the day. So why three days later am I sending a reminder to an internet bank to email me?
Problem number two. If someone reads your secure message, you need to take it they will not be looking into any other message you have sent and you have to explain the problem from scratch.
Problem number three. As they don't reply to emails in a timely fashion this now requires a phone call to their 0870 number. I'm feeling less warm about their ethical policy all of a sudden.
Problem number four. Receiving a secure message saying 'that's all done for you' does not mean 'that's all done for you'. When, two weeks later, no mandate was set up against my Halifax account to debit the credit card from I emailed again. Same delays but eventually I was told really not to worry and their name would appear in my list of direct debit mandates on the day the money was due to be taken. I replied with my concerns but these were ignored.
Problem number five. My concerns are realised. My credit card balance zeros, but neither my Halifax or Smile accounts have had the money taken. Calling Smile they guarantee it has been taken and will appear against my Halifax account. Calling Halifax and this is all news to them. It took me six phone calls before someone admitted the money had been called, it was now in limbo for three working days, it will bounce back then I can clear this one manually and I'll now need to complete a paper direct debit mandate.
Problem number six. If they promise you no charges will apply, charges may apply. I was charged interest and my credit file was marked as a late payment, my first ever blotch. I was furious but after a heated call with their management team this was waived.
Problem seven. If you then have children's accounts with their parent group, don't expect them to be sorted either if you decide enough's enough and you are leaving. Withdrawing all the cash a week last Saturday to move to another bank, I was told confidently there was some interest due and the accounts would be closed the following Monday and money transferred to me. By Wednesday I phoned them and asked what was happening, they said it was usual for accounts to take five days to close. Come yesterday and it was still not closed, I phoned and was told it takes 10 working days and a cheque for the interest was being sent to me, not transferred electronically so now I have the hassle of banking a cheque when I didn't ask for this.
To sum up, I was one of their loyal customers. Their accounts used to be brilliant. Their credit cards used to be competitive. I have come to the nightmare understanding as I'm sure others have long before now that it does not pay to be loyal to any bank no matter how ethical or award winning they claim to be. Also banks can slip rapidly in the 'customer experience'. If you told me I'd be experiencing all this a year ago I would have called you a liar to your face. Now I am smiling more at leaving Smile than staying with them. Not only have they lost a banking account with me, through their incompetence they have lost my credit card with them and Co-Op have lost two children's accounts.
As a parting shot, my partner was in branch and has a basic account with them. They told her she should open a regular savings account, this would build her credit file as she is a discharged bankrupt, and they would automatically upgrade her Cashminder card to a standard current account if she did all this. She suggested this to me until I pointed out savings accounts do not build up credit scoring and their savings account was a paltry quarter of a percent when she gets 2.8% on her ISA.
This is all very sloppy service and very unethical for a supposed ethical bank. Co-Op group customers - you may wish to rethink who you bank with.
0
Comments
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I've never really bought the Co-op's "ethical" stance.
They still charge large amounts to customers who are naughty with their bank accounts, pursue Grannies for unpaid credit card bills and repossess the family home if the mortgage isn't paid for long enough.
It may help build up her internal credit rating though, and that could, in time, benefit her external rating. But I'd pile the money in to the ISA!As a parting shot, my partner was in branch and has a basic account with them. They told her she should open a regular savings account, this would build her credit file as she is a discharged bankrupt, and they would automatically upgrade her Cashminder card to a standard current account if she did all this. She suggested this to me until I pointed out savings accounts do not build up credit scoring and their savings account was a paltry quarter of a percent when she gets 2.8% on her ISA.
It's always a shame when a top service provider slips. But it's invariably inevitable that it will happen one day.0 -
I think you have to always be prepared to move banks.
At the moment First Direct is my main bank account.
Your comments about Smile puts into perspective the poster who got so upset at First Direct with his "3 serious complaints".
Andy0 -
opinions4u wrote: »I've never really bought the Co-op's "ethical" stance.
They still charge large amounts to customers who are naughty with their bank accounts, pursue Grannies for unpaid credit card bills and repossess the family home if the mortgage isn't paid for long enough.
Sure, but they don't invest that money in alcohol, tobacco or arms companies which is what they mean by ethical.0 -
Fiddlestick wrote: »Sure, but they don't invest that money in alcohol, tobacco or arms companies which is what they mean by ethical.
Agreed, however when they had a decent current account I overlooked the little things like charges that didn't apply to me and the 0870 numbers to contact them. Now their current account isn't even close to being competitive with many offers out there it has forced me to look at the little things and ask just why am I staying with them?
They seem to be more interested in marketing their ethics in areas we cannot see (i.e. we have to take their word for it) than producing competitive products or even simply being ethical when it comes to dealing with their customers. Suggesting to my partner her credit scoring will improve on the back of getting one of their savings accounts seems a long way from ethical to me.0 -
CitySlicker wrote: »Suggesting to my partner her credit scoring will improve on the back of getting one of their savings accounts seems a long way from ethical to me.
If getting a savings account means that they will upgrade her to a full current account, presumably she'll have a full service debit card and therefore the ability to overdraw the account. Perhaps this is what they were referring to when they said it could improve her credit score.Let's settle this like gentlemen: armed with heavy sticks
On a rotating plate, with spikes like Flash Gordon
And you're Peter Duncan; I gave you fair warning0 -
If getting a savings account means that they will upgrade her to a full current account, presumably she'll have a full service debit card and therefore the ability to overdraw the account. Perhaps this is what they were referring to when they said it could improve her credit score.
That's really the conclusion I reached when I was told, but as soon as I mentioned this I was corrected and my partner said no, she was sure they were talking about Experian and Equifax. I said that wasn't possible for them to do that, she said that's the way they were talking though.0 -
I might be able to solve at least one of your problems :jCitySlicker wrote: »Problem number three. As they don't reply to emails in a timely fashion this now requires a phone call to their 0870 number. I'm feeling less warm about their ethical policy all of a sudden.
I haven't tried it recently but there is an alternative to their 0870 number.
http://www.saynoto0870.com/".....where it is corrupt, purge it....."0 -
opinions4u wrote: »I've never really bought the Co-op's "ethical" stance.
They still charge large amounts to customers who are naughty with their bank accounts, pursue Grannies for unpaid credit card bills and repossess the family home if the mortgage isn't paid for long enough.
Their ethical stance refers to how and where members money is invested. I.e. that it is not funding those with dubious links, etc.
http://www.goodwithmoney.co.uk/ethical-banking/
In my opinion banks need to recover outstanding debts to remain viable regardless if those who are lending are grannies or not. Of course this needs to be done sympathetically and responsibly, but to expect banks and financial providers to lend money and have no recourse to recover this money is unworkable.
Also I've had a look at contact numbers for Smile and if you call them on the number they list for overseas enquiries then calls for that number will be taken out of any call allowance you have and, if not, will almost certainly be cheaper than an 0870 call. The number is 0161 477 1927.You cannot lose if you do not play0 -
If these kind of issues upset you (as they would upset me), then you will find Halifax immeasurably worse.0
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CitySlicker wrote: »That's really the conclusion I reached when I was told, but as soon as I mentioned this I was corrected and my partner said no, she was sure they were talking about Experian and Equifax. I said that wasn't possible for them to do that, she said that's the way they were talking though.
I'm not sure you understood my point correctly. If she has a current account with an overdraft facility, this is a credit facility and therefore something that could be reported to Experian and Equifax.
Even if she doesn't have an authorised overdraft, any account with a full debit card or cheque guarantee card can be considered to have an overdraft facility.Let's settle this like gentlemen: armed with heavy sticks
On a rotating plate, with spikes like Flash Gordon
And you're Peter Duncan; I gave you fair warning0
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