Is FirstDirect as good as they say?

philip1427

Hi there everyone,

After an abysmal time with HSBC Premier, I am thinking of moving to First Direct. I am being swayed the guise of better customer service and the £100 switching fee. I realise the downside is they don't have any branches. However I have been using my local post office counter to lodge cash which works out well for me. It seems the post office has less of a queue than my bank!

So does anyone have any good ( or bad) reports on First Direct?

Thanks in advance

[Deleted User]

Hello,
I have only recently transferred to FD. Very speedy and helpful responses to my queries, so far.
Regards,
mrwmartin

sausage_time

I honestly don't see them any better or any worse than any other bank I deal with.

lr1277

Before I joined FD 20 years ago, I canvassed opinion amongst those I know. Out of 10-12 opinions, only one person had a bad experience with them.
Since joining I have found the customer service to be excellent. However on these boards you do find occasional threads where people have had less than a stellar experience with FD. For me this sort of accords with my poll of 10% bad experience.

thebullsback

been with first direct since 1991 never a problem and i have made plenty use of there overdraft facility:beer:other half has savings with them and also well happy.

great online service and telephone also great

alanq

philip1427 wrote: »

I realise the downside is they don't have any branches.

But you can make deposits and withdrawals at HSBC branches if you wish.

https://www1.firstdirect.com/banking/ways-to-bank/branch-facilities/

Missus_Hyde

I've switched a couple of our accounts to them and so far I've found them excellent; very quick at dealing with things and both switches seem to have gone without any hitches.

Their customer service was very good; whereas I'm not looking to make a bosom friend, nevertheless the people I've spoken to have been helpful, friendly and very efficient, which I find most refreshing these days.:)

Hope it continues that way!

RG2015

Bear in mind that First Direct is part of HSBC so depending the nature of your problem with HSBC you may not be any better off with FD.

I find the FD online banking site very poorly designed but the telephone service is excellent.

The top benefit for me is the 5% regular saver for up to £300 per month for 12 months. It is also very easy to start again when the first regular saver matures.

Zanderman

Whilst their customer service may be good their website is clunky and so is their app.

So I see no reason to say they're better than other banks unless you need to phone them frequently.

If you don't need to do that then they're worse than other banks - as most have better website and apps.

EarthBoy

RG2015 wrote: »

I find the FD online banking site very poorly designed but the telephone service is excellent.

Zanderman wrote: »

Whilst their customer service may be good their website is clunky and so is their app.

So I see no reason to say they're better than other banks unless you need to phone them frequently.

If you don't need to do that then they're worse than other banks - as most have better website and apps.

My experience is the same. Over the phone they are excellent, but I don't want to do my banking over the phone; I want to bank online or through an app, and FD are lagging behind most of the other banks with their poor online banking and mobile app.

Wheres_My_Cashback

philip1427 wrote: »

Hi there everyone,

After an abysmal time with HSBC Premier, I am thinking of moving to First Direct. I am being swayed the guise of better customer service and the £100 switching fee. I realise the downside is they don't have any branches. However I have been using my local post office counter to lodge cash which works out well for me. It seems the post office has less of a queue than my bank!

So does anyone have any good ( or bad) reports on First Direct?

Thanks in advance

No, it's all hype perpetuated by MSE. Been a customer of theirs for donkeys years and they're no better/worse than any other bank when it comes to day to activity, but lacking behind most when it comes to technology and online banking.