What would you like to have from your bank?

MoneySaverLog

ryantcb wrote: »

I thought I'd attempt to start a thread finding out what people would like from their bank as in services provided and not just free cash.

obviously ill start

1. Manage my money for me, if I have £1,000 in account 'a' and £6 in account 'b' and a direct debit is due out of account 'b' for £7 auto transfer £1 from account 'a' to 'b' to cover it. Or send me a text or phonecall telling me this may happen. Dont just charge me penalty fees.

2. Update my banks own credit card quicker. It can take days to show recent transactions on my online account when it could be instant.

3. Free drop in financial advisor.

1. Next best thing is free text alerts, then you have the choice whether to cover the payment yourself, using internet, phone or mobile banking. Lloyds TSB do this free.

2. I don't use credit cards anymore, they're the devil's spawn.

3. You mean to say they've never asked you if you'd like a sales talk, otherwise known as a Financial Review?

MoneySaverLog

itsgazza wrote: »

More Branch Counters open between 12-2

This must be one of the most busiest times of the day. There are plenty of free closed counter positions to do this, that at other times of the day may well be in use, that could be utilised.

Probably more a staffing issue though, as even bank staff have to take lunch at somepoint.

lolavix

MoneySaverLog wrote: »

This must be one of the most busiest times of the day. There are plenty of free closed counter positions to do this, that at other times of the day may well be in use, that could be utilised.

Probably more a staffing issue though, as even bank staff have to take lunch at somepoint.

A lot of Natwest branches have been blocking up the spare counter positions, because even when fully staffed there are still not enough for all the tills It doesn't look good to customers when they're empty, and it's hard to explain that the majority of the time, all available staff are out and serving when busy.

pqrdef

MoneySaverLog wrote: »

Probably more a staffing issue though, as even bank staff have to take lunch at somepoint.

Reminds me of when I went to a restaurant at dinner time, but I couldn't get served because the kitchen staff and waiters were all having their dinner.

Bloomberg

ryantcb wrote: »

I thought I'd attempt to start a thread finding out what people would like from their bank as in services provided and not just free cash.

obviously ill start


1. Manage my money for me, if I have £1,000 in account 'a' and £6 in account 'b' and a direct debit is due out of account 'b' for £7 auto transfer £1 from account 'a' to 'b' to cover it. Or send me a text or phonecall telling me this may happen. Dont just charge me penalty fees.

2. Update my banks own credit card quicker. It can take days to show recent transactions on my online account when it could be instant.

3. Free drop in financial advisor.

If you have fifty thousand pounds to your name then why not open a premier current account with a high street bank. With one of these accounts you get what is called bespoke banking, accommodating your needs mentioned in paragraph 1 would not be a problem.

Derivative

While I suppose it falls under the 'free money' banner, what I'd like most is to have more consistent savings interest rates, particularly with ISA's vs taxable savings accounts.

I have no problem with the profitable "drop the rate after 12 month" deals as I can just write the date in my diary.

The bothersome part is that Cash ISA's that allow transfers in generally have lower interest than those for new deposits.

I understand that transferring is more expensive in terms of admin costs, but 0.2% is a significant penalty on anything more than a few years' contributions, and it's often more than that.

jfh7gwa

lolavix wrote: »

MetroBank are open longer hours as far as I know?

What use is that to me when I (currently) live outside of Glasgow? Not everyone is in London/SE you know!

lolavix wrote: »

And the larger Natwest branches are open til 6pm.

That's great.
But I don't bank with NatWest any more due to poor service and no branches near me - and I normally literally go past the door of my home branch bank 10 times a week as I said - although I used to be a customer of Natwest (for about 8 or 9 years) though I'll admit. Checking that branch's opening times online just now they open as follows:

Mon 09:00 - 17:00
Tues 09:00 - 17:00
Weds 09:30 - 17:00
Thurs 09:00 - 17:00
Fri 09:00 - 17:00
Sat 10:00 - 15:00
Sun Closed

... so a bit better than my current bank which closes at 12.30pm on Saturdays, admittedly. Still no good to me as an ex-customer though!

Oh - and edited to add - even if I was a customer and the bank I pass was a NatWest, when I leave work at 5pm or 5.30pm (dependant on my start time that day) I have an hour's commute. So... if I ran in the door I might be able to make it for their 6pm closing some nights... other nights no way. And would they really let me in at 5.50pm or so? Meh. There has to be an easier way to bank than that!

lolavix wrote: »

Could you not pop in during a lunchtime?

Er, no. If it was that simple, I'd do it :rotfl:I currently work (and will be working, for the next month) at an office which doesn't have any branches near me. There is a Clydesdale very close, and a HBOS (BOS) branch, but they're not my main account.

lolavix wrote: »

I know it's not ideal, but the people who work there have families to get home to as well.

That's fine, but I'd switch to a bank which is more convenient to ME in an instant (like if Metro Bank moves north). My office is open until 8pm in the evening Mon-Wed and until 6pm Saturdays, but I work 37.5 hrs - how my bosses plan the staff rotas seems to work, just like it works in most other service places I regularly use (e.g. retail shops)... how my bank plans its staff rosta isn't my concern.

Reducing "manic saturdays" where I try and cram in a visit to get the kids hair cut and nip to the bank and do the food shop is my main concern. I know bank staff are human, but my main priority is to my own comfort. Sorry!

BJV

I would like a bank that is accountable. We have a business bank and if it was not so much hassle changing I would do it in a heart beat. Now we all now that people who work in banks are human well in the most part lol, and humans make mistakes. We all do. But when someone makes a mistake take responsibility. If you say that you are going to do something do it.

Stompa

ryantcb wrote: »

1. Manage my money for me, if I have £1,000 in account 'a' and £6 in account 'b' and a direct debit is due out of account 'b' for £7 auto transfer £1 from account 'a' to 'b' to cover it.

My bank already does that for me.

meer53

jfh7gwa wrote: »

Opening hours to suit my family. On the occasions where I need to go into a branch, it's a total pain in the neck some days - my "home" branch opens either at the time I start work (9am) or an hour after I start work (10am Wednesdays) and closes half an hour before I finish work (5.30pm last time I looked on the branch opening times). Meaning the branch might as well not exist.

The only time I can get to the branch is the Saturday opening hours, closes at 12.30pm - but this means I then have to take a special trip out from it, despite passing it 5 days a week on the way to and from work! madness, not convenient in the slightest when I'm passing it 10x during the week days.

Didn't used to be a problem when I was at home or even when I worked part time, but now that we're both fulltime, it's household chores like going to the bank that all add up and make for a manic Saturday when it needs doing.

So... more flexible opening hours would be fab. Such as a late night opening or something like that. Anything, frankly, that reflects that keeping to the 9-5 and half day Saturday is something that a good chunk of working customers don't find helpful.

What do you do in the branch ? Could you manage by doing your banking online ?