Who is best for Telephone Banking

TychoTMA

Something close to 30 years ago, I was one of NatWest's guinea-pig customers for their "new" telephone banking system.
Living miles from a branch, I thought it was most wonderful and I'm still with it today. However, I now find it is most horrible, and it has been going that way since long before Covid.  I suspect that NatWest (and perhaps every other bank) very much want everyone to go the smartphone app route, or PC online.

Can anyone suggest whether or not there is any bank that is still offering good telephone banking? I have a dormant account with Nationwide BSoc, and thought about try them.
Thanks
T

Retiredwelshman

I have not used telephone banking for at least 20 years - all my banking is now online or on the app.
I know I am not answering your query but is there any special reason why you want telephone banking over anything else?

blue.peter

First Direct. No question about it.

They had telephone banking sorted thirty years ago. Nobody has yet managed to equal them. RBS is horrible. TSB, Santander and Nationwide are OK. They're not really good, and nowhere approaching First Direct's standard. That's not to say that First Direct is perfect: it certainly isn't. But it beats everyone else hands down on telephone service, which is what you asked about.

Having said that, I'm with @Retiredwelshman: I do everything online, and wonder why telephone banking is so important to you. First Direct score there, but I don't use them anymore because they're still stuck in the 1990s.

[Deleted User]

Nationwide don't offer full telephone banking now .
First Direct is probably your best option.

Fingerbobs

Depends what you mean by "telephone banking" - if you mean you want to speak to a real person straight away with no menus or IVR systems, it's First Direct.

If you want access to your accounts by telephone via an automated IVR system, I'm not so sure.

funkycredit

Or, open a Select account / Barclays premier & get your relationship managers mobile number. No messing around in any IVR / Queues etc then. 

Plus, with Barclays Premier you can now activate a direct video call from your mobile which I've used a couple of times for instant answers. 

So there are alternatives to First Direct; which I'll also +1 for. New account and had to call to setup - answered, dealt with and logged in within 10 minutes. Pretty impressive to be fair.  

TychoTMA

I want it because I had it for a long time and it was wonderful and easy. I don't have a smartphone and don't like having to use my mobile to get access to the "online system" (texted secondary pass numbers). First Direct seem to be very popular on many fronts and I'll check them and Barclays out. Thanks for the advice

steven141

Lloyds Bank, Bank of Scotland and Halifax all have good telephone banking systems. They can read out the transactions etc

Nasqueron

steven141 said:

Lloyds Bank, Bank of Scotland and Halifax all have good telephone banking systems. They can read out the transactions etc

This thread is over 3 1/2 years old and likely contains outdated information.

gsmh

It's a common question though, so deserves resurrecting.

NatWest and RBS have an over 60s phone line which is answered really quickly by someone who has the power to actions things. Not many people are aware of it. I've used it a few times.

Bigwheels1111

First Direct is my one and only choice.
Any problems and one call sorts it all.
Had issues with them like any bank.
But they give me money to resolve the issue.
So I’m good with that.