First Direct customer service deteriorating ?

michael1234

Is it just me or is First Direct customer service getting worse?

I normally do all my banking online and have not needed to call them for over a year. I tried to call them yesterday evening a couple of times and just now in the daytime. After going through the same recorded message about their online platform I then get the "...we are experiencing high call volumes...." message.

This is quite a change from when I joined a couple of years ago when I'd call and someone would pick up the phone and say "hello, welcome to FD" or similar.

Maybe one solution for all banks if they are trying to get folk to use less costly online services is to prioritise those folk that don't use costly UK call centres for every little thing but only occasionally when necessary. I don't know, but it does seem FD is getting worse. Maybe that's harsh to judge them over a two day period but that's my experience.

[Deleted User]

Never thought much of it anyways.

Overhyped and participate in way too many paid/sponsored "awards".

quirkydeptless

michael1234 wrote: »

I then get the "...we are experiencing high call volumes...." message.

Maybe they are a victim of their own success and have many happy customers trying to call them to say how wonderful they are!


It's well worth listening to 10 minutes of tweety birds and sloshing water to do that

Wearside

I agree with Michael1234. The Customer Service in my opinion is not as good as when my wife and I joined 20 plus years ago. Trying to talk to someone can be a nightmare when trying to find the person responsible for the latest !!!! up!

Brewer20

I maybe call them once per year, if that. Never really had any problems, the latest call was around 3 weeks ago, we needed help setting up the iphone app with a secure key. Admit it was a long winded affair doing it but I think the iphone was at fault, a glitch.
As the poster above says 20 years a customer (same here) I wouldn't have been if their CS was poor but I've no need to use it our accounts (we have 3 + a credit card) run smoothly, which makes me think why others have problems with the running of theirs??

freddykrueger

Agree with this. 10 min wait on a Saturday evening to get through - cut off - also they were dealing with a complaint which, quite frankly, was brushed under the carpet and they couldn't close it off quickly enough. Time to vote with my feet I think.

JuicyJesus

Victims of their own success on the one hand, seriously complacent about their place in the world on the other.

They're not great.

Pentris

Is any other desktop user unhappy with the new mobile app look to the desktop screen?
I have tried to feedback about various facilities that have been removed from the site but to no avail.
No print facility for standing orders or direct debits.
No longer able to select a statement/transaction period to print out transactions.
When in the middle of creating or using 'move money' option the screen is covered over with a 'have a chat' window, so annoying.
When entering the money figure in using 'move money' you have to use the tab key to get out of the field, anything else changes the monetary value.
Transactions are in large print with big spaces between line so you have to scroll forever to get down through past transactions.
I think the new site is rubbish for me and I am considering moving bank. When I tried to provide a long feedback comment the site logged me out. Thanks for 15 years of good service down the pan for the sake of mobile users.:(

Tahlullah

Absolutely agree. I have been a customer for 20 years and have seen a sharp decline in customer service.

The new Desktop online service is awful. For years, I have logged on and used it happily without having to use the secure key thing. Now, I have to find the secure key fob to give it a try, to see if it improves.

To be fair, the only reason I remain with them is because they provide an outstanding mortgage service. I have an offset mortgage with them that I update and change diligently every 2 years and am always happy with the interest rate and the fact I can overpay to my hearts desire. On this ground only, I remain with them. Financially, it is better to keep what little money I have in their accounts so I can benefit from the offset, rather than keeping the mortgage and moving the rest of my money to another bank.

I hope the key fob makes a positive difference to my experience.

eskbanker

Tahlullah wrote: »

For years, I have logged on and used it happily without having to use the secure key thing. Now, I have to find the secure key fob to give it a try, to see if it improves.

[...]

I hope the key fob makes a positive difference to my experience.

The reason for this change (driven by new regulations mandating two-factor authentication) is discussed in more detail at https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6018369/first-direct-withdrawing-limited-access-online-banking

For those not wishing to use the physical secure key, the FD phone app is an alternative, but if your beef is with the principle of no longer being able to access online banking without something over and above a password then that's how things are going to be for all banks from September (although the Lloyds group are going down the trusted device route)....

LHW99

The new Desktop online service is awful.

Not happy with it myself.
Don't like the way they present transactions, received a platitudinous reply totally missing the point when I "gave feedback".
Also, has anyone found where you can get details of interest for each tax year? You used to be able to download it, but I can't find a link now.