Bad Experience in a Barclays Branch

moneysaver6161

I have had a Pretty Bad experience in a Barclays Bank Branch, and to be honest I don’t know if I is worth complaining or just leaving it. I am certainly not looking for compensation or anything, but wanted to get others views on how they would have dealt with it.

I have a Barclays Basic account, I have no debt problems but I wanted a Standard account where I could not go overdrawn etc as I prefer to save up and but something rather than buy it on Credit. I have had the account for many years.

Today I Went into a Branch (Not my Local one as I was visiting relatives) as I had a cheque to pay in. The Branch was quite large and I was greeted by Someone as I entered the branch and asked if they could help me, I said I wanted to pay in a cheque, The queues were quite large and I was told to go to the right and use the counter marked ‘Premier Banking’ as it was shorter. There was only one person in front of me, but when I was waiting I took out my card (It’s just a standard Blue Colour) and the person in the queue behind me told me quite firmly I cannot use this queue as It is for ‘Premier’ customers only, and to come out of the queue and wait in the queue for ‘Normal’ customers (His Words), I pointed out that the Staff Member had told me to use this queue (But you could tell he did not believe me). But when I reached the counter and handed over my Cheque and Card I was told by the Staff member I cannot use this counter, and was directed to the other queue, which by this time was even larger so I just left the branch.

pjcox2005

No it's not worth complaining.


Potentially the first person to direct you to the premier queue did so by mistake or on the wrong assumption but we won't know.


The customer saying something to you is completely irrelevant and not part of Barclays service although I appreciate it adds to the frustration/experience.


The cashier may not have known you were specifically directed due to length of queue and thought they were just doing the right thing by policy and for premier customers. Had you told the staff member at the counter that you had been specifically directed by another member of staff they could have acted appropriately.


In my view you could have done with being more assertive given the first specific instruction.

eskbanker

Why didn't you go back to the person who originally greeted you and take it up with them?

Ryan101

moneysaver6161 wrote: »

I have had a Pretty Bad experience in a Barclays Bank Branch, and to be honest I don’t know if I is worth complaining or just leaving it. I am certainly not looking for compensation or anything, but wanted to get others views on how they would have dealt with it.

I have a Barclays Basic account, I have no debt problems but I wanted a Standard account where I could not go overdrawn etc as I prefer to save up and but something rather than buy it on Credit. I have had the account for many years.

Today I Went into a Branch (Not my Local one as I was visiting relatives) as I had a cheque to pay in. The Branch was quite large and I was greeted by Someone as I entered the branch and asked if they could help me, I said I wanted to pay in a cheque, The queues were quite large and I was told to go to the right and use the counter marked ‘Premier Banking’ as it was shorter. There was only one person in front of me, but when I was waiting I took out my card (It’s just a standard Blue Colour) and the person in the queue behind me told me quite firmly I cannot use this queue as It is for ‘Premier’ customers only, and to come out of the queue and wait in the queue for ‘Normal’ customers (His Words), I pointed out that the Staff Member had told me to use this queue (But you could tell he did not believe me). But when I reached the counter and handed over my Cheque and Card I was told by the Staff member I cannot use this counter, and was directed to the other queue, which by this time was even larger so I just left the branch.

I had something similar at my Local Branch a few years ago, I actually do have a Barclays Premier Account but I guess I don’t look like I should, being in Jeans and a t-shirt is probably not the right image (Although I don’t see how it matters).

I am waiting in the Queue and this guy comes up behind me, smartly dressed, taps me on the shoulder ands says to me ‘The Queue is over there’, I told him I am in the Queue, he says no you don’t understand this Queue is for ‘Premier’ customers only, which I have to say really p***** me off !, so I said to him not in a quiet voice, ‘Oh sorry so being a Premier Customer lets you jump the queue does it !’, he went a bit red in the face obviously not thinking someone would answer him back, one of the staff members came over and asked what the problem was and I said this Gentleman (And I use the word Gentleman loosely) has told me that I am in the wrong queue apparently, and I should be in the other queue, he Implied that ‘Premier’ Customers are somehow superior and obviously just by looking at me can tell I am not a ‘Premier’ Customer !.

The staff member asked what type of account I had and I pulled out my Shiny Black Premier Card, the guy just looked at me and walked out the branch.

But yes some people do look down their noses at you, don’t know why.

pjcox2005

Ryan101 wrote: »

I had something similar at my Local Branch a few years ago, I actually do have a Barclays Premier Account but I guess I don’t look like I should, being in Jeans and a t-shirt is probably not the right image (Although I don’t see how it matters).

I am waiting in the Queue and this guy comes up behind me, smartly dressed, taps me on the shoulder ands says to me ‘The Queue is over there’, I told him I am in the Queue, he says no you don’t understand this Queue is for ‘Premier’ customers only, which I have to say really p***** me off !, so I said to him not in a quiet voice, ‘Oh sorry so being a Premier Customer lets you jump the queue does it !’, he went a bit red in the face obviously not thinking someone would answer him back, one of the staff members came over and asked what the problem was and I said this Gentleman (And I use the word Gentleman loosely) has told me that I am in the wrong queue apparently, and I should be in the other queue, he Implied that ‘Premier’ Customers are somehow superior and obviously just by looking at me can tell I am not a ‘Premier’ Customer !.

The staff member asked what type of account I had and I pulled out my Shiny Black Premier Card, the guy just looked at me and walked out the branch.

But yes some people do look down their noses at you, don’t know why.

Whilst the guy shouldn't have made the assumption and acted arrogantly, wouldn't it just have been easier to tell him "I am a premier customer and therefore in the right queue, but thank you for your concern". That way staff didn't have to be involved, nor did you have to embarrass and make the person feel rubbish in front of others.

Wednesday100

How many high-street banks have premier fast lanes? I'd never seen a premier lane until I recently went into a HSBC branch when considering taking up their recent switching offer. It must be Barclays and HSBC - anyone else?

FOREVER21

Barclays don't have a premier counter in every branch, mainly in their larger ones.

OP, I have a premier account ,but I seldom use the premier counter as in my experience, I have stood in that shorter queue and found that those in front often are paying in large wads of notes ,requiring couting often more than once if there is a shortfall.

It is very much like the supermarket tills whichever one I select, often turns out to be the wrong one!


I am surprised that you were not directed to the automated deposit
macine by the greeter, or even that he/she did not do the transaction on their"i pad" which happens in my branch.

GingerFurball_2

pjcox2005 wrote: »

Whilst the guy shouldn't have made the assumption and acted arrogantly, wouldn't it just have been easier to tell him "I am a premier customer and therefore in the right queue, but thank you for your concern". That way staff didn't have to be involved, nor did you have to embarrass and make the person feel rubbish in front of others.

Where's the fun in that?

PeacefulWaters

No idea why you wouldn't complain at the time.

Fire off a letter. Ask for £25.

newfoundglory

I am a HSBC premier customer and I have never seen a premier counter anywhere? Honestly, do they exist?

I guess I wouldn't know as I only use internet banking and automated deposit machines!

That said, I did go to a HSBC branch yesterday to ask a question (no counter service on Sundays!). The kind lady did not know the answer, and had to take the lift to floor 1 (the 'hsbc premier' floor). She asked me to remain on the ground floor until she returned :rotfl:

I do live about 3 doors from a Barclays branch, and every morning there is a giant queue outside before 9am :eek:

Why did you not speak up and make yourself heard?

AnotherJoe

pjcox2005 wrote: »

Whilst the guy shouldn't have made the assumption and acted arrogantly, wouldn't it just have been easier to tell him "I am a premier customer and therefore in the right queue, but thank you for your concern". That way staff didn't have to be involved, nor did you have to embarrass and make the person feel rubbish in front of others.

Au Contraire, I think embarrassing and making that person feel rubbish is the least they deserved and hats off to Ryan.