First Direct to switch to MasterCard Debit Cards

[Deleted User]

I assume they are waiting for HSBC to also switch and then they can make the changes within the HSBC system.

Lightning360

username said:

WillPS said:

Always interesting to see what kind of headaches these transitions cause. It appears HSBC ATMs and self-service machines won't be able to identify these as HSBC Group cards initially - so customers will only be able to access the same services that any LINK debit card customer can.

Interesting how keen they are to position this as an improvement and yet so unwilling to actually go in to any detail as to how it is. I'm not a customer of FD, but I think I'd prefer the truth if I was.

The implementation does seem very half-arsed and rushed.

As a client of theirs, having read that FAQ it doesn't inspire confidence - and the fact that they have listed the issues as "temporary" but with no time frame for resolution is concerning.

Ultimately a change of card scheme should not result in any loss of functionality to its clients, temporarily or otherwise.

It should be transparent (apart from the new card being sent). Everything should work as before, and if it doesn't, the rollout should be slowed down to allow for fixes to be bedded in so that everything does work as intended.

I've lifted the FAQ off the page in case it disappears.

Temporary changes when using an ATM

When you use your Debit Mastercard at an ATM:

• you won’t be able to access mini-statements
• at HSBC ATM machines only, you won’t be notified if a cash withdrawal takes you overdrawn and charges may be incurred
• at HSBC ATM machines only, there will be no message on whether your balance includes your overdraft when you make a balance enquiry.

Alternatively you will be able to:

• view and print transactions and statements through Online Banking or the fd Mobile Banking App
• request details of recent transactions and postal statements via the Contact Centre on 03 456 100 100
• review details of overdraft through Online Banking or the fd Mobile Banking App

Temporary changes when at an HSBC branch

Although we don’t have any branches ourselves, you can always bank in person at any HSBC branch, or with our friends at the Post Office. When you use your Debit Mastercard to make a transaction at an HSBC branch, there are some temporary changes:

• you won’t be able to deposit cash into the self‑service machines
  
• you won’t be able to deposit a cheque into the cheque deposit machine by using your card to initiate the deposit – simply type in your account number and sort code instead.
  

Alternatively you will be able to:

• pay in cash or cheques over the counter at the branch. You can find details of branches here
  
• pay in cash or cheques at the Post Office. You can find details of branches here Opens an overlay [Will show a security message first]
• pay in cheques through the fd Mobile Banking App
• send cheques direct to fd

This roleout seems a lot poorer than Santander's switch to Mastercard. As far as I'm aware, there have been next to no issues to do with the roleout (they've had some issues with their Mastercards occationally not working, however, a lot of banks have these issues).

dr_adidas01

Lightning360 said:

username said:

WillPS said:

Always interesting to see what kind of headaches these transitions cause. It appears HSBC ATMs and self-service machines won't be able to identify these as HSBC Group cards initially - so customers will only be able to access the same services that any LINK debit card customer can.

Interesting how keen they are to position this as an improvement and yet so unwilling to actually go in to any detail as to how it is. I'm not a customer of FD, but I think I'd prefer the truth if I was.

The implementation does seem very half-arsed and rushed.

As a client of theirs, having read that FAQ it doesn't inspire confidence - and the fact that they have listed the issues as "temporary" but with no time frame for resolution is concerning.

Ultimately a change of card scheme should not result in any loss of functionality to its clients, temporarily or otherwise.

It should be transparent (apart from the new card being sent). Everything should work as before, and if it doesn't, the rollout should be slowed down to allow for fixes to be bedded in so that everything does work as intended.

I've lifted the FAQ off the page in case it disappears.

Temporary changes when using an ATM

When you use your Debit Mastercard at an ATM:

• you won’t be able to access mini-statements
• at HSBC ATM machines only, you won’t be notified if a cash withdrawal takes you overdrawn and charges may be incurred
• at HSBC ATM machines only, there will be no message on whether your balance includes your overdraft when you make a balance enquiry.

Alternatively you will be able to:

• view and print transactions and statements through Online Banking or the fd Mobile Banking App
• request details of recent transactions and postal statements via the Contact Centre on 03 456 100 100
• review details of overdraft through Online Banking or the fd Mobile Banking App

Temporary changes when at an HSBC branch

Although we don’t have any branches ourselves, you can always bank in person at any HSBC branch, or with our friends at the Post Office. When you use your Debit Mastercard to make a transaction at an HSBC branch, there are some temporary changes:

• you won’t be able to deposit cash into the self‑service machines
  
• you won’t be able to deposit a cheque into the cheque deposit machine by using your card to initiate the deposit – simply type in your account number and sort code instead.
  

Alternatively you will be able to:

• pay in cash or cheques over the counter at the branch. You can find details of branches here
  
• pay in cash or cheques at the Post Office. You can find details of branches here Opens an overlay [Will show a security message first]
• pay in cheques through the fd Mobile Banking App
• send cheques direct to fd

This roleout seems a lot poorer than Santander's switch to Mastercard. As far as I'm aware, there have been next to no issues to do with the roleout (they've had some issues with their Mastercards occationally not working, however, a lot of banks have these issues).

Yes have to agree that Santader's switch to mastercard has gone much better than what HSBC/First Direct's current situation with their roll out is doing.

Then again Santander have been issuing Master Card debit cards on their accounts in Spain for quite sometime, so I guess they used that knowledge and implemented it on the UK system very easily.

MDMD

Presumably they are using FD to test it out, while they iron out the issues……

username

MDMD said:

Presumably they are using FD to test it out, while they iron out the issues……

Which doesn't strike the right the right tone.
Fair enough if they want to get selected clients to trial it via opt in etc, or selected geographical areas of the country, that I would understand.
However, it is the fact they wish to completely change everyone across to Mastercard Debit at the latest in some arbitrary date in September, with not everything functioning 100% that is of concern.
The whole thing seems very badly planned, especially the 'temporary' losses of functionality - if we wind the clock back a few years when they switched from Maestro UK to Visa, there was, to my knowledge no loss of functionality. It was a new card sent out and you would just start using it. Everything else that you would do with the Maestro you could do with the Visa.

zagubov

Highland76 said:

colsten said:

Highland76 said:

greyteam1959 said:

And I have to ask......
Does it really matter ??

Yes, it does. We're talking about Mastercard v Visa, not just the change of appearance. 

What's the big deal? I have both, VISA and Mastercard debit cards, obviously at different banks, and there's really no difference in principle, just in implementation by different banks (e.g. some offer online card management, but that's available for VISA or MC). I might be missing something exciting though, as I generally use credit cards (VISA and Mastercard) rather than debit cards. So please edify me.

The big deal is that whilst in UK places which accept cards generally accept both Visa & Mastercard, in some parts of the world you still come across some merchants which accept Visa or Mastercard only, so very useful to have a debit mastercard if you already have a debit visa card from another bank. Ditto for some overseas ATMs. Its not just aesthetics.

Not so long ago I remember that in the Netherlands, cash was king and shops or restaurants seemed to offer either visa or mastercard but rarely (maybe never) both.
Does any much-travelled MSEer know: are other countries so close to us as sparing with their card acceptance, and also are the ATMs in most countries able to accept both mastercard and visa debit cards?

jbrassy

zagubov said:

Highland76 said:

colsten said:

Highland76 said:

greyteam1959 said:

And I have to ask......
Does it really matter ??

Yes, it does. We're talking about Mastercard v Visa, not just the change of appearance. 

What's the big deal? I have both, VISA and Mastercard debit cards, obviously at different banks, and there's really no difference in principle, just in implementation by different banks (e.g. some offer online card management, but that's available for VISA or MC). I might be missing something exciting though, as I generally use credit cards (VISA and Mastercard) rather than debit cards. So please edify me.

The big deal is that whilst in UK places which accept cards generally accept both Visa & Mastercard, in some parts of the world you still come across some merchants which accept Visa or Mastercard only, so very useful to have a debit mastercard if you already have a debit visa card from another bank. Ditto for some overseas ATMs. Its not just aesthetics.

Not so long ago I remember that in the Netherlands, cash was king and shops or restaurants seemed to offer either visa or mastercard but rarely (maybe never) both.
Does any much-travelled MSEer know: are other countries so close to us as sparing with their card acceptance, and also are the ATMs in most countries able to accept both mastercard and visa debit cards?

I went to Uzbekistan once where I saw only one or two shops accept card at all and they only accepted Visa. Cash was definitely king there. I also once went to Peru and in some rural areas very few places accepted Mastercard, but they did mostly accept Visa. Finally, I went to China just before Covid and very few places accept Mastercard or Visa. They mainly accept Alipay, WePay, or UnionPay. It was really annoying as I had to pay for most things in cash and very few Chinese banks accept Mastercard or Visa in their ATMs.  

If you go travelling, it is wise to carry both a Mastercard and Visa.

jimroy

I received my new FD debit card yesterday to replace my expiring one and it was the same as the old Visa one. I'm pleased about that. I have too many Mastercards now. I liked having a mix. I hope my renewed Gold Card remains a Visa one too. Though I've probably jinxed that now. Lol

EarthBoy

jimroy said:

 I hope my renewed Gold Card remains a Visa one too. Though I've probably jinxed that now. Lol

I received my new FD Gold card a couple of days ago and it was still Visa.  The design was identical to the old card.  As far as I know, FD are only changing their debit cards to Mastercard, not their credit cards.

username

zagubov said:

Highland76 said:

colsten said:

Highland76 said:

greyteam1959 said:

And I have to ask......
Does it really matter ??

Yes, it does. We're talking about Mastercard v Visa, not just the change of appearance. 

What's the big deal? I have both, VISA and Mastercard debit cards, obviously at different banks, and there's really no difference in principle, just in implementation by different banks (e.g. some offer online card management, but that's available for VISA or MC). I might be missing something exciting though, as I generally use credit cards (VISA and Mastercard) rather than debit cards. So please edify me.

The big deal is that whilst in UK places which accept cards generally accept both Visa & Mastercard, in some parts of the world you still come across some merchants which accept Visa or Mastercard only, so very useful to have a debit mastercard if you already have a debit visa card from another bank. Ditto for some overseas ATMs. Its not just aesthetics.

Not so long ago I remember that in the Netherlands, cash was king and shops or restaurants seemed to offer either visa or mastercard but rarely (maybe never) both.
Does any much-travelled MSEer know: are other countries so close to us as sparing with their card acceptance, and also are the ATMs in most countries able to accept both mastercard and visa debit cards?

The Netherlands is a strange place when it comes to card acceptance - I visited Amsterdam a couple of years ago, and with it being a tourist city they widely accepted both Mastercard and Visa in a lot of places.

However, there were certain more local outlets in the sticks that would accept only the Dutch Maestro debit card, no M/C or Visa.

I had a Visa credit/debit and M/C debit and credit with me to cover all bases, and a small amount of cash for the places that were awkward with card acceptance. Ultimately it is always good to have a diverse wallet - both in terms of card schemes but also banks.