MSE Blog: How to get what you want from your bank – some insider tips

Former_MSE_Helen

"I recently left my role as deputy manager of a Santander branch to join the team here at MSE as a money analyst..."

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How to get what you want from your bank – some insider tips


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Lokolo

You went into a branch, asked to look up some other persons details and then you were annoyed that they wouldn't do it!? And you used to be a deputy manager of a branch!?

I am assuming you need his details to know where the cheque is going to be paid into.... and yet you thought you could just go into a bank and ask for these details and they would give them?

JuicyJesus

I bet Santander will be delighted for MSE to publish the refund authority levels of their staff, which could lead to them being pressured or extorted by friends or family members - or total strangers - to refund charges on their accounts, amongst other things.

grumbler

Lokolo wrote: »

You went into a branch, asked to look up some other persons details and then you were annoyed that they wouldn't do it!?

Why not? I don't see any problem.

I am assuming you need his details to know where the cheque is going to be paid into....

No, it was the cashier who might have needed the details; the customer just wanted to pay the cheque into her dad's account that she knew the name and the address for.

and yet you thought you could just go into a bank and ask for these details and they would give them?

Read the blog again:
" I didn’t want to find out my dad’s details. All I wanted to do was put the cheque into his account".

I know there are procedures in place, very often these procedures are stupid, but unfortunately most people see them as some 'bible' that cannot be questioned or changed.

In this case the only 'details' that the MSE Eesha could have obtained was that her dad didn't have an account with this bank if it was the case. I don't think that it's a top secret.

innovate

As is often the case on a forum, we have only heard one side of the story. It would be great to hear what the Santander cashier says about it - but we're not likely to ever find out how they recall the visit by the ex-Santander employee.

Between the lines, I read a lot of sour grapes, and it sounds like they were a major contributor to this article.

chambta

In the bank I work for all branch staff can technically refund charges up to a certain limit. But firstly, in the case of most front line staff, they almost certainly wouldn't know how & they'll quite likely have been told not to do so in any circumstances without referral to other, more senior staff.

Publishing such 'inside' info is at best unhelpful and at worst could see staff being pressured by customers who 'know' because they're read it on here.

rb10

I think it is appropriate that cashiers do not pay money into an account when the customer is not present, unless they have the sort code and account number.

Firstly, it's an admission that this customer has an account at that bank.

Secondly, what if the customer has more than one account - which account do you pay it into? When the cashier cannot divulge any details of what accounts are held. It's far simpler to ensure the sort code and account number is presented first.

I'm surprised an disappointed that an ex-deputy branch manager didn't consider these data protection elements important.

The bank I used to work for (not Santander) did not allow deposits by a third party unless they had account details.

I share others' views that your blog post may not be the wisest thing to write about. Whilst you haven't posted anything confidential, it's not particularly helpful for the bank.

innovate

rb10 wrote: »

it's not particularly helpful for the bank.

nor is the article to the writer, when they really think about it.

jonesMUFCforever

I have to say though ideal person to work for MSE.

platterfish

"Or they might have knocked off a zero on your £500 deposit – giving you a shock a month later."

Unless they were stealing, then I'm sure they would notice and rectify this the same day, 450 is a big cash difference that they don't just leave and go home.

Archi_Bald

.....giving you a shock a month later

surely nobody would suggest these days that you check your bank account just once a month?