Barclays staff off sick so can't open account

penny_pincha

I currently bank with Barclays. It is convenient to get to the bank if I need to otherwise it is a 15 minute drive to my nearest bank. Last Friday, 9th, I tried to open a monthly savings account using their on-line facility but their website seemed to have a fault and despite conversing with one of their people with an on-line chat, I eventually gave up and went into my branch (5 min walk). I was told that as it was late in the day, it would be dome Monday.

However, I checked this morning (Tuesday) on-line to see if the account was open yet. It wasn't.:( I popped into the branch to be told it wasn't open as the person I spoke to on Friday was off sick. No-one else could get into her safe :huh:

Let us hope that she won't be off sick for weeks.:rotfl:

ses6jwg

Not everyone in a bank can open accounts. It requires special authorisations which are determined internally by the bank according to FSA regulations.

Unfortunately, though it is often forgotten on this website by many, bank staff are also human beings and sometimes can also get sick or ill. I'm sure your account will be opened when the member of staff is better and back in work.

MoneySaverLog

Why not apply for an account online?

adamc260

MoneySaverLog wrote: »

Why not apply for an account online?

Did you read this portion of what the OP said?

I tried to open a monthly savings account using their on-line facility but their website seemed to have a fault and despite conversing with one of their people with an on-line chat, I eventually gave up

penny_pincha

Thanks guys :A

The account is up and running now. Have checked on-line. All well that ends well.:j

But it does make me wonder what if the person had been off sick for a long time :think::think::think:

dunstonh

But it does make me wonder what if the person had been off sick for a long time

Coverage would have been brought in or made available. Back in my banking days, in a branch of 40, you typically had a minimum of 3 people to cover each job with the lower levels having more coverage than the higher levels. Each week the assistant manager had to manage the job rota coverage in the branch to cover sickness, training and holidays. Sometimes it could turn out a bit like one of those logic puzzles as you had to move staff around in unrelated areas to free up someone further along in the chain. That was when the staff levels were greater and the training was better though.

AndyinLondon_2

dunstonh wrote: »

Sometimes it could turn out a bit like one of those logic puzzles as you had to move staff around in unrelated areas to free up someone further along in the chain. That was when the staff levels were greater and the training was better though.

I remember those days, and being told I couldn't have Friday afternoon off as Pat who did a completely different job in a different town had already asked for Wednesday morning off.

However, in the OP's case it seems the problem was that the staff member had locked his application away and then presumably gone home with the key. I'm surprised there wasn't a spare in the branch but I imagine if it turned into long term sickness, someone would either call round to pick the key up, or call a locksmith or, depending on the type of lock, attack it with a screwdriver. Not that we ever did things like that

penny_pincha

Well Andy in London, it is a branch a bit in the sticks and a bit of a time warp when you walk in. I think there are only 3 members of staff.

To put you in the picture, the manager goes for afternoon tea at the village hall one afternoon a week (forging community links I think they call it) and sells cakes for charity one day a month. Very quaint.

They are a friendly lot but frustrating when you need something done sometimes.

PasturesNew

My local B's wanted me to provide some ID - they wouldn't accept a slightly out of date passport with a photo, instead requesting my 30 year old driving licence without a photo.... needless to say, I've not got round to getting back there since (it's a 20 mile round trip).

Opening accounts ISN'T something you can walk in and do. It takes appointments, evidences, paperwork - and about 30 minutes if you rush them through it.

lazer

We went into the halifax to open an account on the 25th of Feb (I think).

My nearest branch is about 40mins drive away, and were told that they would make us an appointment for the 31st March, as the person responsible for opening accounts only works every other week and the appointments were booked up.

We were opening a joint account so couldn't do it online and wouldn't want to anyway. My Fiance did this back in Dec 2011 and due to computer changes in incompetence at halifax, the account is only just open as they couldn't verify the ID.

He sent copies of the identification (Certified) and also brought them into the bank 4 times before it was sorted!