Feedback on Handelsbanken?

InsideInsurance

Like First Direct, Handelsbanken claim to have the highest customer service rating.

Anyone have first hand experience of their current accounts? Are they as they claim? What makes it worth paying them for what is a very basic account?

jinkster

Excellent bank. Your local branch depends on your postcode. All,decisions made in branch. You only have dealings wih your local branch. One problem is that there Internet banking system is extremely dated. No such thing of access via iPhone/ iPad or mobile device so if you travel quite a bit it's hopeless - hence why I left.

InsideInsurance

I do travel but normally have a laptop with me so the no mobile option shouldnt be too bad.

I do kind of get the feeling that they are a little bit like the french wine producers, at least according to Oz Clarke. I asked one of their managers of what the benefits of being with them over a high street bank and her reply was "we are an old fashioned bank". Well, the problem is I am only early 30s and so the current high street model is all I've ever known and so saying your old fashioned or traditional doesnt actually tell me the benefits.

Out of curiosity who did you move to afterwards?

May give them a go, can't be any worse than Barclays and its not as if Barclays have ever given me any "loyal customer" type benefits at all so could always return if needs be

jinkster

Funnily enough I moved to Barclays Premier. I do travel a fair bit (low cost airline pilot) without a laptop and only carry iPad and iPhone so the Internet banking was useless.

I'm 29 and was 28 when I was with them. Old fashioned bank - basically no call centres, everything you do is literally through the branch from opening the account to borrowing (Ididnt do that) to closing the account and everything you do in between. The lady I was in contact with at the branch was very helpful - she would tell me my balance and transfer funds around for me (maybe this was a little too old fashioned as I'd preferred to do myself but stuck in a hotel somewhere it wasn't possible). I would have definitely stayed there if the mobile services were up to scratch.

I'd call your local branch and speak to them, they will be more than helpful and certainly not snooty unlike some other (non high street) banks.

InsideInsurance

I do believe I know what they ment by old fashioned banking but it amused me as it reminded me of a story by Oz where he was saying a French wine producer told him he wasnt concerned by the slumping sales & cheaper new world wines because french was best and ultimately people will come back to it.

Oz's retort was that actually the big wine drinkers now are of an age that they cannot "come back" to french wine because they have never been into it in the first place so you cannot sit back and wait for customers to come.

Not quite in the same league but only promoting "old fashioned banking" without being able to articulate what real world benefits that gives is heading in the same direction. If someone has never experienced it they dont know what it means and on the surface it could simply mean poor online banking and no mobile website.

I am sure you get rotten apples in every company but having spoken to 3 of their branches I have found two were very nice and helpful but the one who I fall into the catchment zone for is very snooty. A matter raised with the regional director and since seems "resolved". Though I did find it appropriate to wear my house painting clothes when going to meet them.

BugsyBrowne

InsideInsurance wrote: »

Like First Direct, Handelsbanken claim to have the highest customer service rating.

Anyone have first hand experience of their current accounts? Are they as they claim? What makes it worth paying them for what is a very basic account?

It's probably a bank full of wannabes who like to think they look more important by having a current account and say I bank with Handlesbanken when really they don't have a pot to pi*s in but opening this account is better for their self esteem.

It's like the people who think they are middle class just because they have maxed out their finances on a 225k 4 bedroom property on a new estate when really they are working class like many of us.

JuicyJesus

InsideInsurance wrote: »

Not quite in the same league but only promoting "old fashioned banking" without being able to articulate what real world benefits that gives is heading in the same direction.

Speaking as someone who is very much used to new-style banking, if you want to drag me back to having to call a local branch for everything and having lending assessed judgementally according (partly) to what I look like and snap judgements of me by a lending officer, as opposed to somewhat objectively through credit scoring, you have another thing coming. That's what "old-fashioned" implies to me.

It has few to no benefits, and usually gets spouted by the people who use their cheque book like a pacifier because modern things scare them.