MSE News: RBS bottom in our banking poll as First Direct remains top

amanita

Caddyman wrote: »

Thank you for putting me straight on that one! I don't feel at all guilty then about leaving and jumping ship to TSB!

I cannot understand why M&S Bank who are owned by HSBC, don't just use a customised version of the HSBC Banking App, which I'm assuming is a proper App that is usable? Odd that.......

Actually, the new M&S Banking app is the First Direct app (which was until very recently very similar to the HSBC one- they have diverged lately). The issue is that most of the functionality isn't enabled, and you only get to see current accounts at the moment (no credit cards).

I don't use it as my main account any more, as I agree that their online banking is a huge pain, but I can see that their plan is to rapidly start to enable such functionality as payments, credit card stuff etc one at a time. We may hopefully soon see the digital M&S PASS and in-app new payees as First Direct has.

Mind, the old M&S Balance app is the ancient HSBC one, and they had that out for a long time, so I wouldn't stick with them unless you truly believe that it will improve before next year!

Jlawson118

I was reading the replies on here the other day where people are rating First Direct as poor and couldn't understand why, until I had to contact them today. All I wanted was to close my ISA account down and I was just out on hold more times than I needed to be. Before now I've closed accounts down and changed my security details in less than two minutes on the phone, this time round it took nearly 15.

amanita

Pretty surprising. I find for something like that, a secure message lets them mess around in their own time!

Amazing how they can double my overdraft in six minutes from me dialling, yet take so long closing an account..

A_Flock_Of_Sheep

First Direct are good.

I got £150 for joining them and £100 for leaving. Cant think of many banks so generous.

Jlawson118

amanita wrote: »

Pretty surprising. I find for something like that, a secure message lets them mess around in their own time!

Amazing how they can double my overdraft in six minutes from me dialling, yet take so long closing an account..

I phoned up last October I think it was, to change my mobile number. I thought whilst I'm there, I'll change my memorable date with them too, this was all handled in less than a minute, I was shocked, couldn't believe it. I was praising First Direct and even posted a thread on here raving about them like they were some elite club.

Earlier this year, I phoned up to cancel my credit card with them, again, this was handled in less than a few minutes and I was on my way.

Although in May I applied to work there, passed my phone interview and had to be tested on a phone simulation. Prior to the phone simulation, First Direct are teaching their recruits to mis-sell products to customers that they don't need. I failed the phone simulation because I just couldn't bring myself to do it, even if it was a fake call. I heard afterwards it's a very commission based job.

Makes me wonder why they're trying to hire so many new people, but it gives me a bit of an idea about why the customer service is going a little down.