Nationwide Credit Card poor customer service

thrifty_pete

I have used direct debits for years without problems. The system is inherently insecure, anyone can subscribe to a magazine if they know your bank details. The European SEPA system is much better, you have to authorise the payment from your side.
Although Nationwide have my mobile number, they sent me an SMS rather than phoning me. The text had a link to a website paymentassistance.nationwide.co.uk where I entered my details and it rejected them. So their systems for communicating with customers are really poor. Presumably they cannot communicate with a secure online message as the credit card department is in another company and has no access.
I will look for another credit card company who are better run and customer orientated.
My credit rating will probably have to be sorted out now, just as like last time this happened. I change direct debits every 5 years or so, but that is presumably too frequent for them to cope with.

thrifty_pete

It is now March and I'm still waiting for a response to my complaint (I had to open a complaint as it seems the normal day to day customer service function are unable to rectify simple problems).
So they told me they would call me back within 3 working days on 5 March, no one called.
I think they probably have a lot of complaints to deal with given how poor the service is. Hopefully the Ombudsman will be able to help. Such as waste of time. Over two months to get a direct debit changed to pay off a credit card! Sad to see the brand go into decline - I have a mortgage and several savings products over the years which were quite good. Time to say goodbye which is a pity.

System

thrifty_pete wrote: »

I have been a customer of Nationwide for nearly 20 years and their credit card for about 15.
The level have service has really declined. I have always paid off the whole balance by direct debit (as often recommended by Martin Lewis).
I chose to close down my Santander account and move the direct debit to my Nationwide Flex account. So I called them (you cannot do it online) and told them the sort code and account number. So far so good. I then cancel the direct debit on my Santader account, which causes Nationwide to cancel the direct debit, although it it now not coming from Santander at all.
Roll forward a month and my credit card is not paid off, I can charged a fee and so I call again. The credit card call centre blamed the current account department. I called the main Nationwide Current Account call centre who blamed the credit card department, but they say all will be sorted out and take my account number and sort code again.
Now a few weeks later they have suspended my card due to arrears. Completely incompetant as far as I can see?
Google tells me they have outsourced the whole outfit to an American company called TSYS. So no wonder the call centres don't communicate and try to pass the buck.

It was always been outsourced - when I had an issue (many moons ago) Nationwide mentioned First Data.

thrifty_pete

Finally I have £100 compensation. I was told the website paymentassistance.nationwide.co.uk needs you to enter a postcode with or without a space. Still doesn't work for me.
I can't believe it is so expensive to have person phone me if I haven't paid my bill on time.

[Deleted User]

It's hugely expensive. Every lender I know spend much of their time trying to cut out manual intervention and push everything through online and automated processes.

planteria

i'm not surprised. i've been a Nationwide member for 20 years too, and they have struggled to handle things properly on a fairly consistent basis.