Santander customer service is a joke

eskbanker

Gsaver1 said:

Had an account with them. Told them in the branch what I was doing with said account. Also said that would be the same for another close family member. Told that the person of the other account has to come into branch to say the same thing. Needless to say once these accounts were closed any other dealings with Santander were not happening.

Difficult to tell exactly what you're talking about, given the cryptic style, but if you do find any bank that will take instructions from someone other than the account-holder (or formally nominated attorney, etc), then I'd say it would be worth avoiding putting any of your financial assets into their care....

xylophone

Also said that would be the same for another close family member. Told that the person of the other account has to come into branch to say the same thing.

Unless you have PoA for the close family member and have registered it with Santander, the response was perfectly correct - Santander cannot take your instructions on another party's account.

Gsaver1

Cash ISAs were the accounts. They wanted to know what was happening at maturity. Asked to come into branch to clarify. Told them the accounts were being transferred to another financial institution. Shouldn't have bothered as you just go to your new provider and give them the information to transfer upon the anniversary being served. This was back in 2012 so maybe the process wasn't as good as it is now.

eskbanker

Gsaver1 said:

Cash ISAs were the accounts. They wanted to know what was happening at maturity. Asked to come into branch to clarify. Told them the accounts were being transferred to another financial institution. Shouldn't have bothered as you just go to your new provider and give them the information to transfer upon the anniversary being served. This was back in 2012 so maybe the process wasn't as good as it is now.

That doesn't sound right - it's normally preordained what happens to fixed-term cash ISAs on maturity (typically conversion to a variable rate product), and the notion of having to nominate in person in branch makes no sense, but ultimately you tried to do something inappropriate eight years ago, that was also unnecessary, and somehow believe that to be relevant to Santander's customer service in 2020?!

IvanOpinion

I must be lucky.  I have been with Santander for over 25 years and never had a problem.  I have found their in branch and call centre staff to be excellent and have resolved the very few contacts I have had with them first time every time.