Customer service

Mobby

Anyone noticed that First Direct's customer service has gone down hill massively since they introduced new security? I haven't gone with the new security as I don't think their app is very good and don't want to have to use a digital code device that I'll have to remember to carry round all the time (I already have to carry enough stuff!).Called their phone banking team repeatedly today and kept hanging up out of exasperation due to long waits.
Eventually got through and it took me 29 minutes to set up two standing orders and make two payments, with the operator repeatedly asking me questions that I had just given him the answer to. It was laughable.
First Direct used to be really good - now introduced systems that are too complicated and my experience of their staff tonight was not good.

Archi_Bald

Mobby wrote: »

it took me 29 minutes to set up two standing orders and make two payments

Could you not have set up those SOs and made those payments online in just a few minutes using internet banking? I am very much a PC person but even I have to admit that the FD electronic security token (using the mobile app) isn't bad. May be not quite as simple as Lloyds/TSB's/Santander's phone-based approval of new payments, but still easy to use if you are a committed FD customer.

Thrugelmir

Mobby wrote: »

Anyone noticed that First Direct's customer service has gone down hill massively since they introduced new security?

Isn't that your choice? Paying people to do what technology can do simply isn't cost efficient.

Mobby

Archi_Bald wrote: »

Could you not have set up those SOs and made those payments online in just a few minutes using internet banking? I am very much a PC person but even I have to admit that the FD electronic security token (using the mobile app) isn't bad. May be not quite as simple as Lloyds/TSB's/Santander's phone-based approval of new payments, but still easy to use if you are a committed FD customer.

Could probably ...but don't like their app and don't want to have to carry a device around with me...yet another thing to add to my back pocket along with bank card, credit card, oyster card, shop loyalty cards etc. They used to have a really good phone service but now it's not.
Interested in what you said re what the other banks do. Had a really bad experience on that 29 min call which has really put me off FD.

Mobby

Thrugelmir wrote: »

Isn't that your choice? Paying people to do what technology can do simply isn't cost efficient.

Hi, yes agree it's my choice...but don't think they've got the technology right so prefer to deal with a phone service. Since that seems to have gone downhill, it's a motivator to move to a bank that has got the technology right. Anyone with thoughts on which is best...grateful for your advice!

stevemLS

I still find their phone service excellent.

The secure physical tag thing is tiny, barely bigger than a credit card, mine goes in my wallet in a credit card slot.

Apparently most if not all banks now have some sort of additional layer of security.

Besides, you could always have the tag on your phone as an app if you are concern about carrying extra stuff about.

Zanderman

Mobby wrote: »

Could probably ...but don't like their app and don't want to have to carry a device around with me...yet another thing to add to my back pocket along with bank card, credit card, oyster card, shop loyalty cards etc. They used to have a really good phone service but now it's not.
Interested in what you said re what the other banks do. Had a really bad experience on that 29 min call which has really put me off FD.

The easiest solution, surely, is not to use the App or carry the device around with you. There's no problem with setting up SOs and payments with FD online if:

• always do banking via a browser on a pc or mac - i.e don't need the app.
• always do online banking at home - with no need need to carry the device around

I've never had a situation where I would want to set up new SOs and payments whilst out - could this not have waited until you were home?

But maybe you only use a phone and never a pc?

Mobby

Hi, I travel a lot with work so banking needs to be mobile. Saw an article in one of the papers the other day that suggests I'm not alone in my dislike of the new technology FD are using.

Gromitt

Mobby wrote: »

Hi, I travel a lot with work so banking needs to be mobile. Saw an article in one of the papers the other day that suggests I'm not alone in my dislike of the new technology FD are using.

If you don't like their mobile app or customer service but need to be mobile then the only option you have is to move banks.

I travel a lot with work, but I almost never need to setup new payees or standing orders whilst out of the country, so just use a laptop to access the website and don't use any secure key.

giblet10

The new technology at FD is awful. All I wanted to do was send £5 today as we bought some flowers for a colleague whose dad passed away.

As I hadn't sent money to this colleague before I had to go through various layers of setting up a new payment which took, simply, ages. Generating a code for this, code for that - in the end I nearly gave up and just send £5 in the post!

EarthBoy

giblet10 wrote: »

As I hadn't sent money to this colleague before I had to go through various layers of setting up a new payment which took, simply, ages. Generating a code for this, code for that - in the end I nearly gave up and just send £5 in the post!

Don't be ridiculous, it's not complicated. I've set up lots of payments from First Direct using the new security device and it only takes a very few minutes to do each one. 3 or 4 minutes maximum, I'd say, and that's only because I check and double check the sort code and account no. a few times.