Metro bank - new customer review

nadirnwo

Joined Metro Bank today. Going to Asia so thought that I would give there debit card a try. Did some test transfers from my Natwest on-line banking in the evening. The transfers didnt appear instantly, there was a lag of around 30 minutes or so.

[Deleted User]

Yeah, there seems to be a lag on all payments in and out of Metro. Their customer service guys say 2-6 hours on average.

kaych

Went in the Tottenham Court Road branch two weeks ago at around 7:15pm, was told that there were about 3 people before me so there would not be enough time to open my account before the bank closes. Went away disappointed.
Decided to go to another branch the next day, Holborn and this time was there before 7pm. Waited for about 15 minutes until a consultant was available, he gave me a tour around the bank and how their meeting room is available for customer use etc etc. The tour was quite a nice touch I though, never had that with any of the banks before. The consultant who opened my account was knowledgeable and extremely helpful. When I was opening my account, my partner joined me at around half 7 and decided that he wanted to open an account too and he immediately asked another consultant to open an account for him. At the end, we done at around 8:15pm but they were still very helpful and didn't mind throughout. I really loved the customer service to be honest. I have just switched from Lloyds to FD due to CS, I don't mind not having interest paid in my current account, if this means I get an excellent CS in return.
BTW Just sent a payment from Lloyds to my Metrobank account and it appeared within an hour.
I won't be using it as my main account, I will use it for when I travel abroad, can't wait to test it out this weekend! but will also be having my halifax clarity with me though!

John_Pierpoint

Did you get a cheque book printed there an then?

Doc_N

kaych wrote: »

Waited for about 15 minutes until a consultant was available, he gave me a tour around the bank and how their meeting room is available for customer use etc etc. The tour was quite a nice touch I though, never had that with any of the banks before. The consultant who opened my account was knowledgeable and extremely helpful. When I was opening my account, my partner joined me at around half 7 and decided that he wanted to open an account too and he immediately asked another consultant to open an account for him. At the end, we done at around 8:15pm but they were still very helpful and didn't mind throughout. I really loved the customer service to be honest. I have just switched from Lloyds to FD due to CS, I don't mind not having interest paid in my current account, if this means I get an excellent CS in return.
BTW Just sent a payment from Lloyds to my Metrobank account and it appeared within an hour.
I won't be using it as my main account, I will use it for when I travel abroad, can't wait to test it out this weekend! but will also be having my halifax clarity with me though!

I'm entirely with you on the customer service they provide in their 'stores' - I found much the same when I opened my account.

Like you, I also have a First Direct account, and, also like you, I won't be using Metro Bank as my main account - just for travel abroad, really.

And that's a shame. They ought to be competing with First Direct to get customers to use Metro as their main account, but frankly First Direct still knocks spots off them for customer service.

The Metro website is abysmal - it was apparently done on the cheap (see posts above), and that really shows. I'd be very concerned about the security offered, apart from the poor ease of use. The call centre operation is hugely slower and less efficient. Faster Payments take up to an hour, instead of seconds.

I really thought FD had a competitor here - and it does for cash withdrawals overseas. In pretty well all other respects, though, FD still shines through. A shame, because I really was prepared to switch altogether from FD, but it just isn't feasible unless Metro gets its act together beyond its 'stores'. Maybe, though, that's just too expensive for them to achieve.

inmypocketnottheirs

John_Pierpoint wrote: »

Did you get a cheque book printed there an then?

Yes you can, or alternatively you can request one after the account is opened.

Metro_Bank_Representative

Thanks very much for the feedback all - we've absolutely taken this on board from customers and we're working very hard on a new website and improved internet banking site which we hope you'll love. We're currently testing this out and hope to have it to our customers as soon as is possible!

Doc_N wrote: »

I'm entirely with you on the customer service they provide in their 'stores' - I found much the same when I opened my account.

Like you, I also have a First Direct account, and, also like you, I won't be using Metro Bank as my main account - just for travel abroad, really.

And that's a shame. They ought to be competing with First Direct to get customers to use Metro as their main account, but frankly First Direct still knocks spots off them for customer service.

The Metro website is abysmal - it was apparently done on the cheap (see posts above), and that really shows. I'd be very concerned about the security offered, apart from the poor ease of use. The call centre operation is hugely slower and less efficient. Faster Payments take up to an hour, instead of seconds.

I really thought FD had a competitor here - and it does for cash withdrawals overseas. In pretty well all other respects, though, FD still shines through. A shame, because I really was prepared to switch altogether from FD, but it just isn't feasible unless Metro gets its act together beyond its 'stores'. Maybe, though, that's just too expensive for them to achieve.

Doc_N

Metro_Bank_Representative wrote: »

Thanks very much for the feedback all - we've absolutely taken this on board from customers and we're working very hard on a new website and improved internet banking site which we hope you'll love. We're currently testing this out and hope to have it to our customers as soon as is possible!

Thanks for that - glad to see you here. If you can sort out the key problems I mentioned above (Faster Payments, website and Call Centre) I think you'll pick up a lot of First Direct customers, like me.

BrandNewYear

Can you get one of these accounts if your credit score is not that great?

just_about

BrandNewYear wrote: »

Can you get one of these accounts if your credit score is not that great?

Depends how bad it is. I know one of my friend has able to get get it with about 3 defaults and a CCJ on his credit file. Though this was about a year ago.

So if they haven't changed there policy yet, then it shouldn't be a major issue to get an account with them unless you have a totally trashed credit file.