Bank recommendation for best customer service?

Mwongozi

I'm currently with Barclays, and recently lost my connect (debit) card. (It's just lost, not stolen, so no panic.)

Initially I went to the Barclays website and called the "lost and stolen cards" number, only to be met by a recorded voice telling me to please enter my card number.

...I don't know my card number. I can't find my card.

So instead I wait until lunchtime and walk into the nearest Barclays branch to my office, and tell them I've lost my card and can I have a new one please?

No sir, you can't, not until you've sat in the Naughty Corner, picked up this rather grimy and battered phone... and get connected to the same line I'd called earlier.

I sigh, and persevere this time. Even without entering my card number I finally get through to a very polite gentlemen in India, who unfortunately has trouble understanding my fairly un-obscure Oxford accent. Sadly, half way through the call, I get cut off.

Oh dear.

So I walk out, steam coming out of my ears.

Can anyone recommend which bank I should switch to if I'm only interested in customer service? I don't care about interest rates, and I don't really care whether it's an online or an offline bank, I just want a way of contacting someone who will understand what I say and won't cut me off. Even e-mail would be better.

Suggestions gratefully received. Bonus points if I don't have to call India again - and if the Bank has online banking that works on Safari. (The Mac web browser.)

Thanks.

gt94sss2

Mwongozi wrote: »

Can anyone recommend which bank I should switch to if I'm only interested in customer service? I don't care about interest rates, and I don't really care whether it's an online or an offline bank, I just want a way of contacting someone who will understand what I say and won't cut me off. Even e-mail would be better.

Suggestions gratefully received. Bonus points if I don't have to call India again - and if the Bank has online banking that works on Safari. (The Mac web browser.)

If you are interested in customer service - give First Direct a try. They seem to come on top of every survey for customer service.

Their online banking works in Safari and your calls are answered 24/7 in the UK. You can also use HSBC branches to pay in money.

Regards
Sunil

brownbabygirl

gt94sss2 wrote: »

If you are interested in customer service - give First Direct a try. They seem to come on top of every survey for customer service.

Their online banking works in Safari and your calls are answered 24/7 in the UK. You can also use HSBC branches to pay in money.

Regards
Sunil

You seem to highly recommend HSBC all the time. Are you an employee (or higher up?)?:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

simongregson

Smile have excellent customer service, and fairly decent interest. Works on a mac fine.

https://www.smile.co.uk

Nationwide, slightly less good customer service via phone/internet, but helpful branch staff. They always have queues outside the door when they're busy in my local branch though!

https://www.nationwide.co.uk

I agree with you about barclays - useless!

'I would like to open this ISA, here is my form'
'You'll have to come back in 2 days'
... 2 days later
[types in laboriously details from the form and tries to sell me their rubbish current account etc etc..]
'So it's open then?'
'no we have to post your form to our ISA centre'
'Why have you just typed all the information into the computer'
'the ISA centre is a seperate department'
...
Then wait about a month for them to actually open the account.

gt94sss2

brownbabygirl wrote: »

You seem to highly recommend HSBC all the time. Are you an employee (or higher up?)?

Nope - only a customer of lots of banks.. and I do recommend others as well - depending on the situation.

Regards
Sunil

CopperPlate_2

first direct every time. smile were good, went downhill latterly, but fd surpass smile IMHO. Been with them for over a year and haven't had one complaint about them.

Elliesmum

I do believe Royal Bank of Scotland do alright in customer service awards. I have banked with them for over 20 years and have never faulted their service.

EM xx

wantmemoney

gt94sss2 wrote:

If you are interested in customer service - give First Direct a try. They seem to come on top of every survey for customer service.

I would suggest you take sunil with a very large pinch of salt his advice could cost you money one day

gt94sss2

wantmemoney wrote: »

I would suggest you take sunil with a very large pinch of salt his advice could cost you money one day

Very funny - using some of my own words against me but did you have to call me an idiot just because you were leading someone up the garden path?

Also there is nothing wrong with my advice! - both Smile and Nationwide do very well in the Customer Service stakes, but First Direct seems to beat them consistently.

Regards
Sunil

Geoffo_M

Lloyds are very good. They offer me a financial review every single time I visit any branch. I wrote to my manager explaining that I will never require one of their reviews, and to stop asking if I want one - and I didn't even get a reply.

johnofhertford

First Direct's customer service is excellent. Highly recommended