Do First Direct ever reply to secure messages?

Hooloovoo

meer53 wrote: »

The information will have to be given to you for compliance reasons, the call will be recorded.

But only for training purposes, you understand. I've agreed to them recording my call for that purpose, not for anything else.

I'm glad it's not just me who finds this a little confusing. Yes, I know they tell you to call back to confirm, but they bombard you with so much info over the phone it's difficult to remember everything.

This is why I hate using the telephone and I hate telephone banking in particular. I'd never have anything to do with First Direct if it wasn't for their regular saver.

What's wrong with signing the paperwork (as the paperwork clearly shows I need to do) and send it back as my confirmation?

For the record - still no reply to the first secure message I sent them nine days ago. Clearly they are very secure messages, because no one reads them.

MikeMcr

Hooloovoo wrote: »

This is why I hate using the telephone and I hate telephone banking in particular. I'd never have anything to do with First Direct if it wasn't for their regular saver.

Same here, I wouldn't use them for my main bank. I've also never had so much junk mail in a short period from one company; this is even with marketing by post turned off.

Hooloovoo

MikeMcr wrote: »

Same here, I wouldn't use them for my main bank. I've also never had so much junk mail in a short period from one company; this is even with marketing by post turned off.

Oh yes, the amount of paperwork I've had is astonishing!

Seriously considering whether this is worth the hassle for £100 and whatever peanuts I get from the regular saver.

meer53

You don't have to remember everything in the phone call, it's all in the paperwork they sent you. You didn't remember the important bit about calling back to complete your switch and you don't want to call them if you don't have to ? You also haven't chased up a response to your message. Which you can do without calling.

If you think this is too much hassle for £100, you must live a very sheltered life.

Hooloovoo

meer53 wrote: »

You don't have to remember everything in the phone call, it's all in the paperwork they sent you.

Which begs the question why they insisted in spending ten minutes on the phone with me reading out all the stuff they were going to send me anyway.

Come on, you either do it over the phone or you do it through the post. Pick one.

You didn't remember the important bit about calling back to complete your switch and you don't want to call them if you don't have to?

Correct. I gave my approval for the switch on the phone at the time. They specifically asked me the question, presumably for the purposes of the recording, to which I replied with a clear "yes".

They then send me paperwork, detailing everything they've already detailed, which doesn't ask for a response despite clearly having two boxes asking for a signature.

And now I have to phone them again, during which apparently they are going to read out all the terms and conditions for a third time.

You also haven't chased up a response to your message. Which you can do without calling.

I chased up the lack of response to my secure message by sending another secure message.

Tell me, since I'm clearly dumb, how can I chase up the lack of response without calling? Send a third secure message?

If you think this is too much hassle for £100, you must live a very sheltered life.

I guess so.

rb10

meer53 wrote: »

You have to make the second call to confirm that you've had the paperwork and have understood what you're about to do if you complete the switch. The information will have to be given to you for compliance reasons, the call will be recorded.

Somehow, every other bank manages to have a more efficient process.

Hooloovoo

Just to update - I do finally have a reply to my (second) secure message. That has taken six days for a response. My first message sent on 27 November has still been ignored.

Now, you'd think they would tell me "we don't have a record of you calling up to confirm the switch and so it didn't take place".

Oh no. That would be too easy.

The issues you have raised are being investigated. I will ensure you are contacted again shortly, certainly within the next 15 business weekdays.

Gee. Three weeks for an answer to a relatively simple question. Four weeks if you include the week it has taken them to reply to the secure message.

That's just brilliant. Well done FD.