FRIENDS LIFE - AVOID AVOID AVOID !!!i

daithestag

Glad you agree the service was unacceptable - I would never treat my customers as they have treated me - obviously some people disagree with what I have said on this board - maybe I should have thought 7 weeks was nowhere near enough time to send me a copy of my annual statement - I thought it was plenty of time maybe I should have given them maybe 3 months - it's just I never thought people in the admin department of friends life were so useless - you live and learn

jem16

daithestag wrote: »

obviously some people disagree with what I have said on this board

I don't think anyone is disagreeing that you have had bad service.

What people are trying to say is that avoiding Friends Life completely would not be the answer as they are unlikely to have the same issues especially on new business.

dunstonh

obviously some people disagree with what I have said on this board

Only you telling people to avoid Friends Life.

it's just I never thought people in the admin department of friends life were so useless

They had to transfer inefficient systems and data over to bristol at short notice. The problem of servicing on heritage policies is widespread across the industry. Anyone buying a policy from FL today is buying an FL policy maintained on the FL systems. Not an ex Winterthur policy maintained on legacy systems inherited by FL. As I have said already, that is not desirable but they it is an industry wide issue. FL are not actually that active in the individual pensions business now but they do have a lot of group schemes and their contract is simple and straightforward and the servicing on them is typically very good. Their life departments are also typically efficient too.

daithestag

7 weeks - does it really take that long to get my statement up on screen and click SEND ?????

keith1950

Quote:
it's just I never thought people in the admin department of friends life were so useless
They had to transfer inefficient systems and data over to bristol at short notice. The problem of servicing on heritage policies is widespread across the industry. Anyone buying a policy from FL today is buying an FL policy maintained on the FL systems. Not an ex Winterthur policy maintained on legacy systems inherited by FL. As I have said already, that is not desirable but they it is an industry wide issue. FL are not actually that active in the individual pensions business now but they do have a lot of group schemes and their contract is simple and straightforward and the servicing on them is typically very good. Their life departments are also typically efficient too.

7 weeks - does it really take that long to get my statement up on screen and click SEND ?????

You really need to read and understand what dunstonh is explaining to you.......it sounds as if these policies are not instantly available to view in screen !!

daithestag

OMG - just been informed 0845 numbers can cost uo to 0.41p a minute - I have been on the phone (mobile) for over half an hour to friends life !?!? Frightening

jem16

daithestag wrote: »

OMG - just been informed 0845 numbers can cost uo to 0.41p a minute - I have been on the phone (mobile) for over half an hour to friends life !?!? Frightening

It might also be free depending on who your line rental is with.

You could also also use http://www.saynoto0870.com/companysearch.php to find an alternative number.

bigadaj

Wouldn't it be worth just raising this as a formal complaint?

Firms are very sensitive about complaints so as well as your issue getting escalated and being addressed it will also be recorded and work against the firms performance statistics and records. You should also be able to claim your costs back from them as well.

mania112

http://www88.friendsprovident.com/contactus/index.jhtml

presumably the international numbers that start '01' are local rate numbers - use that.

mania112

daithestag wrote: »

Its cash that matters not pieces of paper ??????? Exactly !!!!!! - I did not know what my pension was worth so I simply asked for a simple statement - was that to much to ask - I gave the idiots 7 weeks - I made at least 5 phone calls - I was on hold for at least 30 mins and still no result - such a poor POOR service

I understand, it's poor. Friends Life have been on a downslide for years in that regard (behind the scenes they're getting pulled apart).

But, you shouldn't tell others to AVOID them. They are still fit for purpose for many people.

You could consider employing an IFA to deal with them on your behalf, they will also be able to help you meet your retirement objectives too.