First Direct - 20 minute phone quiz now needed to open savings account

Vortigern

Vortigern wrote: »

My fd regular saver matures in a few days time. I intend to start another online. I'll report back to this thread.

Doc_N wrote: »

You'll have no problem at the moment if you do it online. The long phone conversation is currently only required if you don't (or can't) bank online.

As predicted by the Doc, I've renewed online, no problem, no fact finding.

colsten

Great to hear online apps are still working as before.

Vortigern wrote: »

As predicted by the Doc, I've renewed online, no problem, no fact finding.

The Doc also predicts that there "will be a similar requirement for accounts opened online" after some website update. I am intrigued how they would make an online application last for 20 minutes

Doc_N wrote: »

Apparently it can be avoided at the moment if you bank online (she doesn't) but that's only because the website hasn't yet been updated. Once it's 'updated' there will be a similar requirement for accounts opened online - including the Regular Saver account.

Vortigern

colsten wrote: »

The Doc also predicts that there "will be a similar requirement for accounts opened online" after some website update. I am intrigued how they would make an online application last for 20 minutes

They could make you sit through a video presentation and ask questions to ensure that you had been listening.

Perish the thought!

darkidoe

I opened a Regular Saver account hassle free online about 1 month ago after my first regular saver expired. Seems like this is only a phone banking issue. Online banking 1 Telebanking 0

masonic

colsten wrote: »

The Doc also predicts that there "will be a similar requirement for accounts opened online" after some website update. I am intrigued how they would make an online application last for 20 minutes

Vortigern wrote: »

They could make you sit through a video presentation and ask questions to ensure that you had been listening.

Perish the thought!

I would be fine with letting a video present in the background and then completing a comprehension quiz using my existing knowledge of the T&Cs. However, I suspect they will simply direct online applicants to call FD to complete the application by phone.

Doc_N

colsten wrote: »

The Doc also predicts that there "will be a similar requirement for accounts opened online" after some website update. I am intrigued how they would make an online application last for 20 minutes

Not so much a prediction as a restatement of what they said on the phone when I complained about what was going on for telephone banking customers.

I bank online 99% of the time, and I was assured that I'd be able to renew my Regular Saver shortly online without problem - just a few clicks as usual.

She went on to say, however, that the website would be updated at some point to stop that from being possible. Once it's updated, online renewals will, she said, be a thing of the past and all renewals will involve a 30 minute phone call.

I checked that again yesterday, and it was confirmed - though all the staff you talk to are sympathetic and admit that these calls are hitting their telephone answering targets badly and infuriating customers.

It's almost as if Santander have implanted a high-level executive into First Direct and told him (her?) to find ways to bring it to its knees!

colsten

Doc_N wrote: »

It's almost as if Santander have implanted a high-level executive into First Direct and told him (her?) to find ways to bring it to its knees!

You sound like the last surviving member of the long-defunct Santander-bashers club

Doc_N

colsten wrote: »

You sound like the last surviving member of the long-defunct Santander-bashers club

Not really - I have a 123 account (3% interest, as I'm sure you know - which is 3% more than First Direct pay me), and they're first-rate these days.

Not at all as they used to be, though I do miss all the £30 credits they used to send my way every time they fouled up.

masonic

Doc_N wrote: »

This time, though, instead of just opening the Regular Saver account for another year, as requested, a 20 minute fact find session was required. No options - the only alternative offered was not to open the account.

<snip>

Apparently it can be avoided at the moment if you bank online (she doesn't) but that's only because the website hasn't yet been updated. Once it's 'updated' there will be a similar requirement for accounts opened online - including the Regular Saver account.

Well it certainly looks like the website has now been updated and I've just renewed my RS with no 20 minute torture session required.

Doc_N

masonic wrote: »

Well it certainly looks like the website has now been updated and I've just renewed my RS with no 20 minute torture session required.

Likewise - renewed mine, and the wife's, in a matter of a minute or two.

What I said back then was simply repeating what FD had told me over the phone, but they were already getting large numbers of complaints so presumably somebody saw sense.