New Current Account? First Direct or Smile?

topher_2

Hi all

I want to move away from my bank who are completely inept!

I want a bank that has good customer service and good internet banking facilities. I'm considering First Direct or Smile. Both seem to have good customer service (if you exclude the monthly fees from FD, I won't be subject to the fee because of my income).

I'll probably open a current account and a instant access savings account (used to stash money saved in the short term, i.e the excess in my current account before I move it to an ISA or spend it!).

Any thoughts on which is better? I'm not concerned about the fees issue from FD as it is covered in many other threads here on MSE. Anyway I'd welcome peoples opinions and experience. If anyone can think of another worthwhile bank then let me know!

Thanks!

Phoenix79_2

FD have generally been the dogs danglies for years!

Out of interest, what bank are you leaving and why?

CopperPlate_2

Phoenix79 wrote:

FD have generally been the dogs danglies for years!

Out of interest, what bank are you leaving and why?

Ah but come on Phoenix, even you must admit that they may have shot themselves in the foot PR-wise over the fee-charging

I have to say smile, but I do like fd too. Even after this charging fiasco.

There are pro's and con's for both. smile has just as good customer service in my experience, as fd gives. The interest rates are better, cash clears immediately you pay in via the Post Office, there's the ethical dimension and co-operative membership options too. Decent internet banking site, good secure messaging, etc. Basically the same as you get with fd, but there are no HSBC branches up here bar 1 which is some sort of automated type office thing. Cos' of this fd allow us Scots to use the Post Office to pay in cheques and cash too so that's another point in their favour. Love the text banking messages which smile don't do unfortunately and have no plans either as I asked a wee while ago.

HTH

anniecave

I think that cheques take longer to clear with smile than FD though? FD is the usual 3 bank working days for a normal cheque. I would think smile going via a post office would be longer.
Which is more convenient for you, the post office or a hsbc? or do you not pay in many cheques? if so it becomes irrelevant.....

SparciaM

Smile cust service is good. Sometimes you do wait a while on the phone, but their secure message system you get a reply within 1-2 days. Better interest rates than FD and if you take money out of your savings account you wont loose any interest.

With smile you can pay in cash and cheques at post office and also send cheques directly to their cheque sorting office. You can also use Co-op branches to do banking.

FD offer better phone service - purely cause u don't queue and get straight through to someone and they offer text banking, but I think that's all they offer that isn't better.

Phoenix79_2

CopperPlate wrote:

Ah but come on Phoenix, even you must admit that they may have shot themselves in the foot PR-wise over the fee-charging

True....but the original poster would be exempt from the fees. FD have been winning banking awards since they were formed so there is obviously a good reason for that.

CopperPlate_2

Phoenix79 wrote:

True....but the original poster would be exempt from the fees. FD have been winning banking awards since they were formed so there is obviously a good reason for that.

I know, I was just pulling your leg.

There are slight irritations with the fd site - like not being able to delete bill payments once they have been set up. On the other hand, when you amend a standing order with smile it has to be implemented manually by staff at the other end - even though you do the amendments on screen - which is a pain and can sometimes take up to a couple of days to be done - with fd such changes are instant.

I'm actually in the position of having both smile and fd - and am considering moving to fd (yes, really!!) as I'd like to take up their offset mortgage offer next year so I am not knocking fd at all

Phoenix79_2

Its too early in the money to be pulling anything of mine! I need my coffee!

Are there any other options for the OP? I've always found Natwest exellent.

topher_2

Thanks for your replies. Keep 'em coming!

I currently bank with HSBC, and I know its the parent company of FD but it has different staff, different products etc - so I'm happy to consider FD.

I probably pay in 1 check a month for a tiny amount (milage claims etc), so not too worried on that score. There is a co-op bank branch in town, and a post office not too far away either - so that makes little difference.

If you have a problem with a smile account can you talk to the staff in the co-op branch?

Cheers!

rjm67

I've no experience of smile, but like CopperPlate says, despite the fiasco over the £10 a month fee that's being introduced I love FD. Customer service is excellent, online banking is great and I've been with them since just after they opened.

CopperPlate_2

Don't think that you can talk to Co-Op Bank staff about smile accounts - although there are no Co-Op branches in Scotland TMK so couldn't say for definite. Might be like Halifax and Bank of Scotland where their systems are (now) integrated. But I've always found the smile staff really efficient when you phone them compared to having had a branch based account with RBS for years and having to face sulky staff in a snaking queue at lunchtime.