MSE News: First Direct's top for service again — what's the secret?

Martinslovechild

chambta wrote: »

How do First Direct flog stuff? Do they wait for people to ask for mortgages etc?

Yes - but they also send out marketing emails and a regular e-newsletter to existing customers as well. A lot of their business (I believe) is generated from the existing customer base.

You can 'disable' marketing emails (I did this when they kept sending me emails regarding 'exclusive' mortgage offers even though I don't have a mortgage).

PoorCharleyBear

I've been with FD since they opened (and I was a poor student).

My mate who works for HSBC (then Midland) said FD was an attempt to draw the less affluent bank account holders away from the branches...but in fact it has attracted people who have more money/happier with phone use to them.


Anyway I have always found them to be good- even if they are a bank and still charge stupid amounts for some things (like replacement statements).

I was living in Australia and they were fab. Called me at home to check that my FD visa card was not being inappropriately used on a UK website. Once they knew it was me spending, they were fine. Nice to know they are protecting my accounts.

RichyRich

As a heads up - you can have as many replacement statements as you like for £10, provided that you send the request in writing and head the letter "Subject Access Request pursuant to the Data Protection Act 1998"

CarlBateman

Just to say they're not all sweetness and light. When I had the temerity to actually use my £100 overdraft facility they squealed like stuck pigs (sent 6 or 7 nagging letters) and promptly closed my account after I cleared it 3 months later.

Of course, I'd happily open a new account with them just for the pleasure of taking another £100 from them.

EarthBoy

CarlBateman wrote: »

Of course, I'd happily open a new account with them just for the pleasure of taking another £100 from them.

You can't. The offer is not applicable to anybody who's been a customer previously.

meer53

CarlBateman wrote: »

Just to say they're not all sweetness and light. When I had the temerity to actually use my £100 overdraft facility they squealed like stuck pigs (sent 6 or 7 nagging letters) and promptly closed my account after I cleared it 3 months later.

Of course, I'd happily open a new account with them just for the pleasure of taking another £100 from them.

Care to tell us the full story ? I think you might have missed some important bits out.

JuicyJesus

meer53 wrote: »

Care to tell us the full story ? I think you might have missed some important bits out.

I think by "used my £100 overdraft" he means "was overdrawn for a period of months and didn't pay any money in".

MoneySaverLog

They are by no means the b's and e's as far as I am concerned. There are better banks out there.

seriousDFW

MoneySaverLog wrote: »

They are by no means the b's and e's as far as I am concerned. There are better banks out there.

You always say that! So I'll say what I always say: I love FD and in my experience of about 18 months of banking with them, I've been really impressed.

As ever, it's not that they do anything out of the ordinary, it's that they do their core business of banking SO well. Everything just seems to have a common sense approach, and I have yet to experience another bank like that.

I've banked with about half a dozen other banks and all have left me frustrated by the branch service, the telephone service or their internet banking. Despite any criticism levelled at FD, I personally have only ever found their telephone and internet services easy to use and frustration-free. I like the structure of their account, with the £500 overdraft with £250 interest-free. I like their regular saver, and their balance transfer credit card for 20 or 22 months (can't remember which it is exactly) has been really useful, so I'm a very happy customer at the moment.

The only criticism I do have is that the interest rates on their normal savings accounts and ISA just aren't good enough, but I'm happy to use other banks for those.

dalesrider

MoneySaverLog wrote: »

They are by no means the b's and e's as far as I am concerned. There are better banks out there.

No one said they were.

Just they come out top of the poll.

No bank/retailer will ever please everybody all the time.