Can I keep my RBS account and NOT transfer to Santander?

SantEmp

pmduk wrote: »

Only because it couldn't get any worse

Well, it could. rn018 has clearly had a terrible experience but there's a lot of hyperbole coming from many on here. The vast majority of my customers are extremely happy with our products and services.

Sadly there are still a few departments not quite keeping up to the level we demand but that's changing. The worst experience I've ever had in a bank was with HSBC, simply atrocious.

It just seems to be a little bit 'popular' to have a pop at Santander. Maybe the money we conserved on customer service saved us from having to take any money off the government

amiehall

SantEmp wrote: »

Well, it could. rn018 has clearly had a terrible experience but there's a lot of hyperbole coming from many on here. The vast majority of my customers are extremely happy with our products and services.

I don't come on here for a sales pitch and tbh this is a tautology. People only remain your customers if they're happy with the overall offering so of course your customers are happy.

We all know that an RBS bailout had nothing to do with the way it operated its retail banking. Is it hard to understand that people want to choose who they bank with or would choose to stay with a bank that they've had good service from?

SantEmp

amiehall wrote: »

I don't come on here for a sales pitch and tbh this is a tautology. People only remain your customers if they're happy with the overall offering so of course your customers are happy.

We all know that an RBS bailout had nothing to do with the way it operated its retail banking. Is it hard to understand that people want to choose who they bank with or would choose to stay with a bank that they've had good service from?

I'm being a little facetious

pmduk

SantEmp wrote: »

Well, it could. rn018 has clearly had a terrible experience but there's a lot of hyperbole coming from many on here. The vast majority of my customers are extremely happy with our products and services.

Sadly there are still a few departments not quite keeping up to the level we demand but that's changing. The worst experience I've ever had in a bank was with HSBC, simply atrocious.

It just seems to be a little bit 'popular' to have a pop at Santander. Maybe the money we conserved on customer service saved us from having to take any money off the government

It's a little disingenuous to equate your customers (perhaps low) standards with any general supposition that santander's poor customer service is now acceptable. Any of the quality press money advice columns could be checked to see regular evidence of santander's inability to provide an adequate banking service.

mazza111

I don't have anything against Santander, I just don't want to bank with them. I chose to bank with RBS. I want to continue to do so. To be told that my account(s) are being moved without any choice is a big no no for me. I live in Scotland and tried to transfer them to a Scottish branch when I moved back up here approximately 8 years ago, and got the "Oh no it won't be a problem, just leave it as it is" talk.
Now I'm being forced to a bank that I don't want to bank with. Why not? Cos anytime I've been in the local branch with my daughter, the staff all look like they've been sucking on lemons, there is very little parking near the local branch. Whereas, everytime I go into RBS the staff are friendly and I can go to the car park next door to it. The parking being the biggest issue for me.

Quick appointment in local branch last week is sorting it all out, and should be sorted within the next week or two.

Gorie

SantEmp wrote: »

Sadly there are still a few departments not quite keeping up to the level we demand but that's changing.

The problem is these 'few departments' seem to equate to poor customer service and bad experiences for many.

RBS once had a few departments not quite keeping up to the level we demand - but they sought help from the government and taxpayers and its fixed now.

I agree however that no bank is perfect, my local RBS did occasionally run out of free mints at the counter. I considered switching to first direct but postal mints aren't quite the same. Although £125 could buy many mints...

I also think that the frontline staff (the ones at branches) are not to blame. Its more central than that - which makes it even more important to get it fixed! SantEmp are you frontline? Because I'm sure you all do a great job and the problem is higher up or somewhere else!

rn018b5249

RBS in England used to be Williams & Glyn's from 1969-1985. It was very much about quality and service. The old maxim quality and service never go out of style summed up that bank perfectly. If you banked with Wiiliams & Glyn's people looked up. It was probably the nearest thing an ordinary mortal could get to Coutts & Co., curiously another RBS owned bank.

The RBS team were just the same people as Williams & Glyn's although there were changes such as loss of proper Managers and the elegant style was replaced by a more ordinary feeling kind of bank that caused a great many people to mourn the loss of Williams & Glyn's; it had a special feel, very much personal banking at its best. They did nice little touches. I remember my meetings with the Manager - yes, a real one, with decision making power, to quite large sums. We would discuss my account and my plans, over tea in china cups and chocolate biscuits.

I see an opportunity here for RBS in England; they still own the company Williams & Glyn's Bank; it's current at Companies House. The big question in my mind is where next for banking? Should we be heading back to traditional values?

I think there is much agreement that RBS is probably the only remaining 'conventional' Bank with personal service. Some branches have suffered from modern plastic makeovers but on the whole you will often still find a traditional bank counter with tall glass and plenty of space to write. You will in many branches see people working behind the scenes and their attitude and courtesy is something others should aspire to.

Quite how Santander match up with the RBS model is hard to grasp; they are at opposite ends of the service scale. Mints are a nice touch. That's the way they think about their bank. They have pride in what they do. It is the culture of the place. Such a shame what happened to the company.

Why the retail bank has to suffer the ills caused by their reckless Fred the Shred and speculating traders is beyond my understanding. As I understand it, the sale of the Bank south of the border was due to an EU ruling regarding them having received state funding. That's seen as unfair competitive advantage in Europe, but quite why that meant a sale had to take place is a mystery to me.

What about a great opportunity to revive a much loved name in banking. I wonder how many readers of this forum recall Williams & Glyn's? And for those who do, is a revival something you'd like?

itsj2

Isn't the "Williams & Glyn's" name passing over to Santander as part of the deal to buy the English and Welsh branches?

bilbo51

I moved my local English RBS account to the local NatWest branch.

Same people in the back office and same systems.

Simple.

rn018b5249

I made enquiries to find out if the Williams & Glyn's brand had been sold to Santander and curiously it has not. I have a lingering suspicion there is a reason for that.

RBS own NatWest and Coutts & Co as well, and neither those are part of the deal with Santander. I'm sure our 'resident' Santander employee can tell us the answer.