Halifax Appointment System

innovate

Appreciate there are different facets to different problems. But this thread is about opening a kids savings account. Surely that can't be that hard.

Perhaps Halifax should allow online application for kids savings accounts, and if they cannot process the applications automatically, they should specify exactly what ID needs to be provided how (in branch, by post, certified, not certified etc etc ). I do fully appreciate that banks and building societies cannot simply accept online applications in al cases because verifying the ID of children is not as straight-forward as verifying an adult's ID, and crooks and fraudster will try and exploit this.

The precise issue at hand is that the Halifax website doesn't tell people why opening a kid's account requires a branch visit, and that Halifax require the customer to meet with a qualified professional that might only be available by appointment. Though as i said before, if any bank or building society out there employs people who are unable to carry out ID verifications, the employers should be relieved of their licence.

BMN

innovate wrote: »

Appreciate there are different facets to different problems. But this thread is about opening a kids savings account. Surely that can't be that hard.

Perhaps Halifax should allow online application for kids savings accounts, and if they cannot process the applications automatically, they should specify exactly what ID needs to be provided how (in branch, by post, certified, not certified etc etc ). I do fully appreciate that banks and building societies cannot simply accept online applications in al cases because verifying the ID of children is not as straight-forward as verifying an adult's ID, and crooks and fraudster will try and exploit this.

The precise issue at hand is that the Halifax website doesn't tell people why opening a kid's account requires a branch visit, and that Halifax require the customer to meet with a qualified professional that might only be available by appointment. Though as i said before, if any bank or building society out there employs people who are unable to carry out ID verifications, the employers should be relieved of their licence.

The Young Saver is a branch-only account - it can only be opened in a branch and it can only be managed in a branch.
They already do state on their website that you need the child's passport or birth certificate.
Who suggested that there are people unable to carry out ID verifications?

Halifax (as in the bank as a whole) doesn't know if you'll be required to make a pre-scheduled appointment. No such list of branches exists.
I believe you can book an appointment over the phone and you don't actually have to phone the branch.
As already mentioned, if they have the staff to see you on the day then they will.

gadgetmind

BMN wrote: »

Most appointments won't last this long.

Mine certainly won't as there is no way that I'd waste that much of my time in this way. Banks either work my way or I ditch them. I've now had my current account for 25+ years, so let's just say that they have flexed when required.

Tipping off. If the situation is exactly how you described it

If was.

then the bank staff would have reported it.

Not on their radar, above their pay scale, too much hassle, etc.

gadgetmind

opinions4u wrote: »

While web site direction may be unhelpful

Naaa, best advice you could give anyone. Reasonably up to date information to read at your leisure, compare and contrast, ditch and switch, apply and manage online, what's not to like?

One major complaint voiced hereabouts is that the wetware in the branches rarely understands the accounts on offer, so why bother with them?

planteria

just to say that i find that Halifax CS is consistently poor:wall:.

BMN

gadgetmind wrote: »

Not on their radar, above their pay scale, too much hassle, etc.

I disagree.
It's a key part of their training and job description
And only involves filling in a single form

Ifts

opinions4u wrote: »

I prefer the 20 seconds it takes to open an Online Saver on my phone. Not much use to the OP though.

Its a shame you can't close the Halifax Online Saver just as easily online.

You have to go into a branch or have to write in to their 'Accounts closure dept' to get the Online Saver closed. :wall:

hugheskevi

Ifts wrote: »

Its a shame you can't close the Halifax Online saver online in under 20 seconds.

You have to go into a branch or have to write in to their 'Accounts closure dept' to get the Online Saver closed. :wall:

I discovered that a few months ago - was mildly irked I couldn't close a simple saving account with zero balance online, but to be then call them and find you had to go into branch or write to them to cancel...

Still, not much that can be done other than to vote with feet if companies want to be so inflexible. Halifax still have my open, nil balance saving account along with a Halifax Reward current account with bare minimum to qualify for the monthly freebie, and a Clarity Card mostly used for overseas withdrawals. Another bank gets my real accounts.

Archi_Bald

BMN wrote: »

Halifax (as in the bank as a whole) doesn't know if you'll be required to make a pre-scheduled appointment. No such list of branches exists.
I believe you can book an appointment over the phone and you don't actually have to phone the branch.
As already mentioned, if they have the staff to see you on the day then they will.

It's good to know you aren't in charge of anything at Halifax. At least I hope you are not.

Archi_Bald

gadgetmind wrote: »

....the wetware in the branches....

Have I been hiding under a rock for too long?!? Never heard about wetware before, but what an absolutely magnificent all-embracing and apt term!!!