What's the appeal with first direct?

iAMaLONDONER

TheEffect wrote: »

Many people seem to want an account with first direct, and I find it hard to understand why?

In my opinion...
Their internet banking is probably the worst I've used. It's old, annoying (pop-out window...) and lacks most of the features most banks today have.

Their iPhone app is terrible. They need to sack their developers.

They offer hardly any incentives such as good interest rates, rewards on their credit cards, limited products.

The only thing I see that they've got going for them is they answer the phone straight away, rather than spending a few minutes pressing numbers like other banks.

So why do so many people want to bank with them and why do they consistently win awards?

If I could swap places and have a FD account with 6% RS and the 125 (which I would have got if they accepted me last month) lol

CRISPIANNE3

Well they have no appeal for me. I remember years ago when i used them as a secondary account and wanted a small overdraft facility. They went through every item on my statement and in the end I nearly gave up the will to live. Closed the account and nothing would tempt me back.

Felix_Schalyz

God knows how Answering a phone Quickly equates to being known as the best bank.
Its a bank that's it just like the rest whether you've got a 25 year relationship or a 2 month relationship with then, you pee them off they'll soon get shot of you.

dalesrider

MarkFromMullion wrote: »

Wow! That's brilliant. You've just fixed the biggest problem with First Direct's online banking with a one-liner. Amazing that FD themselves couldn't do it.

Thanks.
Mark.

That is because their system will log you onto the server with the least load.
Unlike the above which just points to one of the many avaiable.

Hazzanet

CRISPIANNE3 wrote: »

Well they have no appeal for me. I remember years ago when i used them as a secondary account and wanted a small overdraft facility. They went through every item on my statement and in the end I nearly gave up the will to live. Closed the account and nothing would tempt me back.

This is a tough one; if it's a secondary account and they don't see a regular 'income' i.e. wages/salary coming in, they'd want to make sure that the means to pay off the lending, however small, are there.

It reminds me of when I was 16 and asked for a cheque card from the Lloyd's bank. I had to have a sit down with the manager, the ominously named Mr Smith, to have a chat, where he did the exact same, but face to face. Back in the day eh?

I also applied for a Credit Card to FD and had the same run down my statement. I think it's mildly irritating, but shows that they are being prudent in their lending decisions.

Gromitt

MarkFromMullion wrote: »

Wow! That's brilliant. You've just fixed the biggest problem with First Direct's online banking with a one-liner. Amazing that FD themselves couldn't do it.

They don't really need to. Once you get to the internet banking page, just click the bookmark button/menu in your browser and bingo I did it a few years ago

Although the above link is harmless, I would never trust a link posted by what is effectively a stranger.

Biggles

Gromitt wrote: »

They don't really need to. Once you get to the internet banking page, just click the bookmark button/menu in your browser and bingo I did it a few years ago

That's all I did, no magic involved.

katejo

TheEffect wrote: »

Many people seem to want an account with first direct, and I find it hard to understand why?

In my opinion...
Their internet banking is probably the worst I've used. It's old, annoying (pop-out window...) and lacks most of the features most banks today have.

Their iPhone app is terrible. They need to sack their developers.

They offer hardly any incentives such as good interest rates, rewards on their credit cards, limited products.

The only thing I see that they've got going for them is they answer the phone straight away, rather than spending a few minutes pressing numbers like other banks.

So why do so many people want to bank with them and why do they consistently win awards?

I do most online but know the following: Should I need to ring them , the following apply.

1. I will speak to a real person who is not reading from a script
2. I do not have to go through sets of 6 options only to be told that the service needed is not available
3. I never hear the awful phrase "your call is important to us "
4. I like the £250 overdraft and have never been charged for it

The_pc_tech

Three main reasons I have my main account with them:

1. On the rare occasion I've had to call they've been pleasant to deal with.
2. I've never had to wait 45 minutes on hold like I've had to do with some credit card firms and my former bank when I've had to ring them, I don't want to waste time on hold.
3. Requests are dealt with efficiently and maximum time I've had to stay on the phone with them is about 5 minutes.

Cloudane

I was reminded today of exactly the appeal. I wanted a new card as mine is getting a bit dodgy.

- Phone was answered in 1 ring by a human, no buttons, no queue, just straight in there
- British person on the other end (Scottish, I believe, but understood each other perfectly)
- After a few security questions I explained the situation and didn't get the slightest of argument
- New card arranged, full explanation of what to do next, pleasant chat, have a nice day.
JOB DONE

Now, it's pretty rare that I have to phone them, which is probably why a lot of people aren't bothered, but to me every time they do this I save hours of the kind of routine you'd normally face elsewhere.


RANDOM BANKS 'R' US:
- Phone the number, spend 5 minutes working through the menu system
- Hold music for 25 minutes, "your call is important to us, please hold for the next available agent"
- Indian call centre, strong accent difference, spend the next 15 minutes trying to spell out your name and security details
- "Let me put you through to the card team" (hold for another 15 minutes)
- Repeat problem, repeat security details
- "Please try the following and call us again tomorrow if it doesn't work: take a soft cloth, rub the chip, try it in the machines it failed on, once you've verified this we can authorise a new card, goodbye sir"
- Repeat the whole thing next day
- Finally get new card sent.


For the most part I agree with this site in that it's best to get the best deals, however sometimes it's good to put some value on your own time (and sanity) and FD saves me loads on those rare occasions I need to talk to them.