Bank offers good online chat facility?

KerryL

Hi

I'm looking to switch my current account with a bank who offer a really good online chat facility where you can discuss all matters concerning your account with them online, as you would over the telephone. Main reason for this is I have no speech an therefore unable to communicate over the telephone so online chat is a god send for me.

If that's not to much to ask for, I would want to continue with a fee free account.

Any recommendations?

gt94sss2

Have you considered a mobile only bank like Starling or Monzo? They both use online chats as a communication method and are free.

makeni555

HSBC have online chat

jonnygee2

Monzo have an incredible online chat service. It's been a bit slower recently, but they can solve every problem over the chat very swiftly, and they are friendly too. Everything is fee free, even (mostly) abroad.

Starling also have live chat based customer support, it's okay, I've had slightly less great experiences with them but still solid.

The traditional banks have this to some extent but they are still mainly branch and phone based, and the online chat people sometimes ask you to use another channel. I think it would be better if you used a newer bank who use this as their main method of customer support.

Lomcevak

jonnygee2 wrote: »

Monzo have an incredible online chat service. It's been a bit slower recently, but they can solve every problem over the chat very swiftly, and they are friendly too. Everything is fee free, even (mostly) abroad.

I'd agree with this - Monzo online chat have always been very helpful when i've used them.

Only possible issue is that it's only available on a mobile phone, not via a computer. That's not a problem for most of us, but rules it out for my 80 year old mother, for example, who finds a phone on-screen keyboard too small to use.

JuicyJesus

Lomcevak wrote: »

I'd agree with this - Monzo online chat have always been very helpful when i've used them.

Only possible issue is that it's only available on a mobile phone, not via a computer. That's not a problem for most of us, but rules it out for my 80 year old mother, for example, who finds a phone on-screen keyboard too small to use.

Whenever I've tried to contact them they've taken an age to get back to me. Helpful when they do reply but it's really hard to see it as "online chat" when they don't reply for hours or even days.

pramsay13

Smile bank (from the Cooperative) has a good online chat if you are using a computer.
They don't have this function on their app although they are about to update their app so may well be included.
Starling has a good online chat through the app.

bronzebomber

The B part of Yorkshire bank has a decent online chat and they have been helpful whenever I’ve needed to talk to them

sal_III

Recently I used the online chat from the Barclays mobile app, no queue, more or less instant replies and managed to sort out several issues at one go for me (business account, not sure if it's the same for personal accounts). Also (for better or worse) no annoying telephone banking verification pass codes/words that I never remember as it considers you already authenticated by the mobile app.

[Deleted User]

Same with HSBC. I started a chat after noticing something I had a question about and got a reply in a minute. All sorted in a couple more.

feta

From experience, I'd say that Starling Bank, HSBC and Nationwide have great online chat. For Nationwide and HSBC, you don't have to be logged in to ask generic questions which is quick and easy when you don't have your login details or something.