Are Bank Call Centres deliberately set up to annoy us

usignuolo

My Barclays bank account is registered with Verified by Visa for online transactions. This means that when I pay online with a credit card, the payment is intercepted by VbV and I have to enter a random 3 characters from my 12 character password to proceed.

This morning in a rush for reasons I will not bother to detail, I managed to screw up the verification and it locked me out on the third attempt. Message told me to contact my bank.

First I went online to Barclays VbV screen to try and reset password there but it prompted me for my online banking password. I never use this, I log in with my credit card and that little machine they give you, so could not recall it. There was however a prompt for forgotten password? which I clicked and got a response - Please enter (4 digit) card number. ???? No idea.

At this point I thought I would phone Barclays customer services direct. After dialling the premium number and holding on for 10 minutes I got put through to the Indian call centre. I explained I need some help to reset my VbV password.

CC: Op 1: "I just need to take some security details"
Me: (provides security info)
CC: OP 1: "Now what is problem?"
Me: (explain I need to reset my VbV password)
CC: Op 1: "was this a 3rd party transaction or one of ours?"
Me: "I was paying online using my Barclaycard. I muddled my VbV number, now it is locked and I need it help to reset it"
CC: Op 1 (Customer Service) : "I must seek advice about this" (goes away and comes back.) I am passing you through to the Fraud Team".
Me: "-but it's not Fraud"---too late, transferred.

CC: Op 2: (Fraud Team) "Hello, Barclays Fraud Team, how can I help you today"
Me: "It's not fraud, I just need help resetting my VbV password"
CC: Op 2: "No problem, I can help you, I just need to take some security details"
Me: (Provide even more security information and explain again that I want to reset my VbV password)
CC Op 2 (Fraud Team): "Unfortunately I cannot help with that, you will need to go online to reset it."
Me: "I already did that, I do not know the password it requests, I need to talk to someone who understands VbV"
CC Op 2 (Fraud Team): "You will need to call the Customer Service Team"
Me: (starting to get annoyed) "I already did and they transferred me to you"
CC Op 2 (Fraud Team): "OK sorry for misunderstanding I transfer you direct"

Me: (another wait - getting increasingly annoyed)
CC Op 3 (Customer Service): "Can I just take some security details"
Me: "I just want to talk to someone about resetting my VbV password"
CC Op 3 (Customer Service): "Can I just take some security details first"
Me: "I have already provided them twice in the last 15 minutes to your end - you must have them in front of you"
CC Op 3 (Customer Service) "There is nothing logged in on my screen."
Me: "Before we proceed - do you know anything about VbV as that is what my call is about and I am fed up just being passed round. I want to speak to someone who can handle my query"
CC Op 3 (Customer Service): " I need to take some security details first".

Aaggh. .

InsideInsurance

First of all, learn to use saynoto0870.co.uk so that you arent calling "premium" numbers - though my barclaycard doesnt have an 09 telephone number to call so not sure why yours does.

Secondly, Barclaycard's call centre does seem a little special even compared to the rest. I do avoid phoning them at all opportunity, in other words it works perfectly for them.

I suspect the "4 digit card number" was the last 4 digits of your card number

ColdIron

[FONT=&quot]Try [/FONT][FONT=&quot]0800 400 100 [/FONT]

BJV

Simple answer Yes!


Well no not really think the problem is that to try and save money they have a lot of call centres outside the UK. It is not the operators fault as they are just trying to make a living instead it is the banks for trying to scrimp on major things so they can afford the ridiculous bonus payments they pay each other.

Goldiegirl

I don't think it's just banks, calling ANYWHERE seems to be a frustrating experience these days

pmduk

In theory call centres should be great for consumers, all services provided at the initial contact. In reality some companies aren't prepared to pay for it, whilst others are only paying lip service and not interested in providing an adequate level of customer service.

In recent years, those of us on sites such as this have looked to reduce prices as much as possible, (and thereby profits.)

This means call centre staff are sourced as cheaply as possible and frequently not given the resources to complete their job

mgdavid

Summary:
- you've screwed up your VbV password, not once, not twice, but three times.
- you 'cannot recall' your online banking password

I make no apology for saying this sounds self-inflicted; I guess criticising Barclays' callcentre deflects from you taking responsibility to manage your own security processes better. Surely the knowledge of how much hassle dealing with callcentres is gives an incentive to do this?

phona

You don't say if the third person you spoke to was able to resolve the issue. If so, then only one person (the first you spoke to) actually got anything wrong. Perhaps they were new to the job? Have you never made a mistake at work?

I can understand your frustration; we've all had a call centre conversation we'd rather not have had. In answer to your original question "Are Bank Call Centres deliberately set up to annoy us", I'd like to give another example. A few weeks ago I was in a similar situation where I'd got myself locked out of Clydesdale Bank online banking because I'd entered my security details wrongly. I phoned them and a very nice man (the first person I spoke to) unlocked it for me. The whole thing was very quick and the 0844 call cost 44p. I don't grudge them 44p to fix my mistake! So, no, they're not always bad.

anoncol

I sat waiting ages to get through to someone at Barclay's the other week too and the first person I spoke to also got everything wrong. Not good odds. Still can't get into account. Keep asking same security questions too that you've already told them and typed in on the phone.

Terrible customer service!

MABLE

In the early days I use to be bias regarding oversea contact centres. However when it comes to Barclaycard their overseas centres are a pleasure to speak to. Always very polite and helpful.

InsideInsurance

pmduk wrote: »

In theory call centres should be great for consumers, all services provided at the initial contact.

There are only certain companies that claim to have such heavily cross trained staff/ extensive IVR that all services are provided by the initial contact.

Most companies create specialist teams and some of the most advanced of these are not available from the IVR of the main customer service telephone numbers meaning that a more complex query may well need the customer to be transferred from their initial point of contact.

Personally I dont have any issues with being transferred once and nor do I have an issue with a basic IVR system either. I got very frustrated by First Direct and their call centre as they make a big thing of no IVR but when their New Accounts team left voicemails they left Customer Service number who then had to redirect my call but there is actually more than one New Accounts team and it was 50/50 if you were passed to the right one or had to be transferred again.