End of Visa Electron in the UK?

Azrael_1701

Toe-Jam wrote: »

I thought BOS and Halifax were the same thing, you can even log into your Halifax account from the BOS website.

They are seperate 'brands' under the same bank, but bank of scotland will be offering the lloyds style accounts, and not the halifax ones.

savagej

jambosans wrote: »

You're correct. Like stclair said, the number is only open between set hours (which incidentally are something strange like 9:30 till 4:30), which clearly indicates this is a specific team of staff (otherwise it would be 24 hours like the rest of telephone banking).

Leeds is a big contact centre, and AFAIK not purely telephone banking (i.e. 08457 20 30 40).

On the more general point of the thread, regardless of timescales, a migration to online Visa Debit cards seems the logical move during integration. Especially considering Bank of Scotland's coming adoption of LTSB's product range - it would seem strange to have two cards which perform the same function operating across three brands (online Debit for LTSB and BoS; and Electron for Halifax).

Edit: As Azrael_1701 points out, the line savagej has referred to is Easycash Applications, and existing accounts are serviced through the normal telephone banking line. However it doesn't take a stretch of the imagination to realise that a team that deals with Easycash Applications may be aware of pending changes before other departments (even if it's pure speculation or rumour).

Can I point out that everyone's being a little pedantic about savage's definition of this departments function, the main point of the thread was about the ditching of Visa Electron, and it's gone way off track.

thank you very much jambosan for putting it all into context and about the part it has gone off track, not that I am bothered and have not looked otday but no one put a "thank you" for the original info but some people and in my eyes the usual suspects just ran off in a tangent with some odd beliefs lacking any common sensse (my written language skills are not as good as they once were as I have a small stroke so I am more blunt and lacking in eloquence)

Toe-Jam it was on the board sometime ago about BoS moving to LTSB acc styles and what will happen to existing ones (I got flamed in that thread too). No one seems to know yet what the exact details are with regards to Halfiax accounts.

Toe-Jam

I could not get an answer on the special number savagej provided. I called head office instead and they advised me that, the system change to LLoyds will have no impact on products and services provided, including visa electron.

stclair

I just think its going to be a case of "watch this space".

savagej

Out of interest did you actually ask if they will still be issuing Visa Electron cards after the change of computer system, as no change to products or services could mean you will still have a debit card, as such your service has not changed as you cannot (supposedly) overdraw your account with the LTSB off line debit card either.

Edit: when I called I was told the cards would not be issued anymore but if you still had one, it would still work until you needed a new card.

stclair

I have to say in the banking environment not everyone will be aware of changes until it actually happens.

Look at the RBS/Natwest FIASCO recently there was the visa debit issue then the new products ranges and staff was non of the wiser.

As nine times out of ten upper management will be aware but it wont get fed down to advisors and the like until the last minute.

Toe-Jam

savagej wrote: »

Out of interest did you actually ask if they will still be issuing Visa Electron cards after the change of computer system, as no change to products or services could mean you will still have a debit card, as such your service has not changed as you cannot (supposedly) overdraw your account with the LTSB off line debit card either.

Edit: when I called I was told the cards would not be issued anymore but if you still had one, it would still work until you needed a new card.

yes i specifically asked what was happening to visa electron. She said there are no plans to stop issuing them.

But like stclair says, it may just be a case that the minions havn't been updated about whats happening

Moneysavingexpert posters knew about the change from maestro to visa debit on RBS months before it happened and also some of them didn't know that the accounts were changed last month until it had happened.

So like you said, lets wait and see.

savagej

:)okay dokey

Dr_Cuckoo3

Azrael_1701 wrote: »

Theres more than one;

• Leeds
• Dundee
• Dunfermline
• Rosyth
• Belfast

All take bank account calls.

Leeds has also been closed on-and-off the past few days.

I hope they don't start using Lloyds TSB's South Wales and Tyne & Wear call centres :eek:

Azrael_1701

Dr_Cuckoo3 wrote: »

I hope they don't start using Lloyds TSB's South Wales and Tyne & Wear call centres :eek:

None of the HBoS centers are changing.