First Direct customer service

Pablosammy

Is it just me or is it getting worse? I suspect they've made some personnel cut backs recently.

Whenever I used to call, it always got picked up almost immediately. Nowadays, there is a much longer wait, and tonight I wanted to pay off a personal loan. After 15 minutes on hold, I was encouraged to hang up by the nice lady on the phone as the wait was going to be particularly long. She suggested a call-back service, but the first available slot is Monday! Let me give you my money!!! :mad:

Don't get me wrong, I imagine it's still a better service than many other banks, but it no longer has that blow-your-socks-off efficiency that it built its reputation on.

Futuristic

It's possible they might be understaffed with the new customers, heck I didn't even know of FD existence until I saw the cashback offer!

Pablosammy

Futuristic wrote: »

It's possible they might be understaffed with the new customers, heck I didn't even know of FD existence until I saw the cashback offer!

Maybe, but they'll lose their USP if they're not careful. There are better bank accounts out there on paper (eg ones that pay credit interest!), but FD always held their own thanks to the personal customer service. Shame.

Rich1976

I agree First Direct's service isn't a good as what it once was. they do take longer to answer the phone and as for their new 'improved' app well that is just awful. I can't even use it on my Samsung, the transactions won't scroll.

I submitted a complaint to them on the 12th October online and received a message they would investigate and respond back to me by today. They have responded but only to say they haven't been able to resolve the issue and are allowing themselves another 3 weeks before issuing another response.

I have also had problems opening a regular saver account online in which it wouldn't allow me to select my first account for the SO to come from and wouldn't let me input the amount I want to save each month. There was simply no box to allow me to do this and all I got was an error message saying I hadn't stated my monthly amount!!

a further message through their website proved useless as they didn't know what I was talking about and suggested I call up to open the account - which took 25 minutes - just to open a savings account.

They really are a lot of hype over nothing. Yes their staff are genuinely polite but their service is nothing special overall.

baby_frogmella

Rich1976 wrote: »

they do take longer to answer the phone

If you call them on their 0113-2345678 number they will answer the phone within a few rings 99% of the time.

Rich1976 wrote: »

as for their new 'improved' app well that is just awful. I can't even use it on my Samsung, the transactions won't scroll.

Then the issue is with your Samsung phone, not with the FD app. I have used the new app on iphone 6 (iOS) and Cat S40 (Android) and it works fine.

Pablosammy

When I rang this evening, they suggested calling later on when it would be 'quieter'.

Well, I've just tried again, and yet again there is nobody answering the line when I'm being transferred. I've been told the wait for a member of the lending team is over an hour, and they shut in less than that.

Once again, I've been fobbed off and told to call back on another day because they 'wouldn't be able to deal with me today'.

All I want is a settlement figure, and to pay it. It's a 5 minute call and they can't cope.

First Direct used to be great, but they've been incredibly disappointing recently.

No_6

No doubt they will come out tops in the future though.


6

Rich1976

baby_frogmella wrote: »

Then the issue is with your Samsung phone, not with the FD app. I have used the new app on iphone 6 (iOS) and Cat S40 (Android) and it works fine.

the issue can't be my phone as their previous app worked generally ok on it, plus I can use other apps such as Nationwide's without any issues at all.