Nationwide customer services experiences?

Astraeus

Evening all.

I am shortly due to move my banking arrangements away from First Direct and I am tempted by Nationwide's offering. One thing I have enjoyed about FD compared to other banks is the short wait time when calling their customer services team and generally how helpful they are on the telephone.

Can anyone share their experiences with Nationwide and give me a bit of an overview of their telephone services?

Many thanks.

agrinnall

I've been with Nationwide for 16 years, I rarely need to telephone them, and I don't really see why anyone with access to the internet would need to, but when I have done I've found them helpful - although they don't necessarily answer quite as quickly as FD do (but still not bad compared to the likes of power companies and telecoms providers).

Astraeus

agrinnall wrote: »

I've been with Nationwide for 16 years, I rarely need to telephone them, and I don't really see why anyone with access to the internet would need to, but when I have done I've found them helpful - although they don't necessarily answer quite as quickly as FD do (but still not bad compared to the likes of power companies and telecoms providers).

Thanks. Having read a few of the threads on here about First Direct, it would appear that they, more than most other banks, 'force' customers onto the telephone services. Maybe therefore I won't have as frequent recourse to the telephone with Nationwide if their internet services are up to scratch.

libra10

I would recommend all Nationwide's services. Their online banking, telephone helpline, and service and enquiries made in a branch office are second to none.


Their assistants are professional and efficient, friendly and helpful. When phoning (which is very rare), haven't had to wait too long before call being answered.


HTH

jonesMUFCforever

If you are happy with FD why move?

If you are after a bribe open a second current acount with FD transfer a couple of D/D 's to it then transfer that account - then your main banking remains unaffected?

Astraeus

jonesMUFCforever wrote: »

If you are happy with FD why move?

If you are after a bribe open a second current acount with FD transfer a couple of D/D 's to it then transfer that account - then your main banking remains unaffected?

I didn't say I was happy with them. I referred to one aspect of my entire banking relationship which I found in respect of which I found them favourable.

Also, what on earth makes you think I am after financial reward? Unless I'm mistaken Nationwide is one of the few banks that doesn't offer a joining bonus. For some of us, changing banks isn't about short-term incentives.

Katiehound

Opened Nationwide online a/c mid summer last year. Opening it was an utter nightmare... if it could go wrong it did! They suggested I visit a branch- round trip of 30 miles! Spent what seemed like hours on the phone trying to sort it.
Once opened it was finally fine- but saying that -once the introductory interest dropped I moved on......

colsten

Astraeus wrote: »

Unless I'm mistaken Nationwide is one of the few banks that doesn't offer a joining bonus.

You are mistaken, as is evidenced by various threads on this very forum about Nationwide switch bonus, cashback and referrals.

jonesMUFCforever

Astraeus wrote: »

Evening all.

I am shortly due to move my banking arrangements away from First Direct and I am tempted by Nationwide's offering. One thing I have enjoyed about FD compared to other banks is the short wait time when calling their customer services team and generally how helpful they are on the telephone.

Can anyone share their experiences with Nationwide and give me a bit of an overview of their telephone services?

Many thanks.

Ok so why move??
It makes no sense to me - what does''due to move'' mean?

Kim_13

I've always found them very good, although they may or may not have declined recently.

Having decided not to upgrade my phone, I recently rang them to downgrade my FlexPlus account, as it is not currently worth the fee for me. Having got through to the correct person, I stated that I would like to downgrade to the FlexAccount (I'm saving the FlexDirect until my TSB Regular Saver matures) because it wasn't worth my insuring my phone any longer. They didn't attempt to talk me out of it citing the other insurance benefits as I thought they might, but instead insisted on boring me to tears telling me the features of the FlexAccount and the FlexDirect - even though I'd already indicated I wanted to go back to the FlexAccount, which I'd had previously for 2 years. Once I'd passed that, I was read even more information about the FlexAccount that I already knew; FSCS (even though I don't have anywhere near the limit with them and this is routinely communicated via post); plus the whole overdrafts are repayable on demand thing (even though it was an existing facility I'm not using at present.) They even asked if I wanted to increase, decrease or remove it! It was so long that it felt like it was a new application rather than a simple downgrade.

Seemed awfully OTT to me given that someone could upgrade to the FlexPlus that they would have to pay for via online banking, without having all this talk.

I wonder why I bother to do my research if this is what we have to sit through these days.

darkidoe

Kim_13 wrote: »

Seemed awfully OTT to me given that someone could upgrade to the FlexPlus that they would have to pay for via online banking, without having all this talk.

I wonder why I bother to do my research if this is what we have to sit through these days.

I totally agree with you but then you occasionally come across a customer who happily goes through all these without reading the terms and conditions and then come out 2 weeks later posting that they have been misinformed/missold a product. I guess with telephone banking they have to be thorough and cover every nitty gritty detail to protect themselves.