Misleading Halifax advert?

colsten

j.p said:

Indeed. It's the first of the four I'm complaining about, "Online", coupled with the presentation of seemingly helpful staff as if over each channel you could talk to them. If you remove 'Online' my complaint goes away. Or if you deemphasize contact with live staff my complain also falls. In fact the mere presence of a footnote "Subject to availability" would be a qualifier enough for me, a kind of catch-all and standard disclaimer. But no.
In my particular case, my device won't take the app, the nearest branch is far away, I'm reluctant to use the phone due to the need of having to authenticate each time (and definitely don't want to enrol in VoiceID), so my only recourse is self-service and guesswork on Online, or defer my query till the day I visit the town centre. How is that helpful?
I have already complained to Halifax about this and other matters, and while the answer I got dutifully read back to me every point I raised and acknowledged them, they also justify themselves and dismiss each one in turn, concluding "I'm unable to uphold your complain". Now they launch a full-on advertising campaign advertising one of the services I was complaining about they lacked as if they actually offered it. How am I supposed to feel?
Progressively functionality is being moved from Online to the app, and that is not a neutral move and it does leave people behind (even though it extends service to others, normally the next generation). It happened before from branches to online, now it's happening from online to mobile. And there's absolutely no technical justification for it, as it is not more complex or expensive to put a feature on a site than it is to put it on an app, it's just a bank decision pure and simple.
But think how this ad would look if it came from other banks. Would the Co-op get away with listing "On our app" next to real staff if they didn't offer messaging on their app? Would TranferWise be able to list "On the phone" if they hardly allowed you to place queries first and foremost on the phone in the first place? Would Starling be able to list "In Branch" if they didn't have any? There are banks for which you can contact staff on all four and they're "here to help" but they're not all banks. Halifax is claiming to be something that it isn't. The fact that it's a familiar name and everybody assumes it can do it all "wherever" doesn't exempt it from reality: it does not. I know "wherever" banks and this isn't one of them.
Yes, I am considering a complaint to the ASA.

As you sound generally unhappy with Halifax, you can save yourself a lot of heartache if you simply switch to a bank that does what you want it to do.  I don't believe you stand a chance with your complaint to the ASA, and Halifax will almost certainly not implement a chat facility in their online banking because of such a complaint.

SnowTiger

j.p said:

I have already complained to Halifax about this and other matters, and while the answer I got dutifully read back to me every point I raised and acknowledged them, they also justify themselves and dismiss each one in turn, concluding "I'm unable to uphold your complain".

A serial complainer with an axe to grind.  There are lots of other banks to chose from.

kaMelo

They do have the official Halifax twitter which I suppose counts as online contact with a real person although I would assume it's a more generic type of help rather than personalised and not something I would choose to use.

Looking at the tweets you are not alone in complaining about lack of online contact. 

The scenario you are describing whilst possible (any scenario is possible) the likelihood is remote and whilst online contact is helpful it's not really a deal breaker unless you want it to be, in which case there are always other banks.

TizerBunny

I tend to agree with OP, as someone who's had to phone Halifax Customer Service I find their advert grating. One hour plus wait just for someone to write down message and pass it onto correct department. Start again a few days later when message misunderstood. I'd certainly rate customer service lower than other banks with fewer contact methods. I've started switching to another bank.

Westie983

Hi,

Sounds like you are having problems with Halifax not offering the services you are looking for. They have never said that they offer the service you are looking for, they have online help (via their website) They have a message service under help on their website, They have an app which you can use or you can call or visit a branch. The advert like others is showing the avenues open to customers during this strange time. 

If you are wanting live chat then there are other banks which offer this service. 

Westie983