banks with counters

EssexExile

I was in the Halifax today, a very pleasant experience with about as many staff as customers so no waiting. No appointment necessary.

zcrat41

All this tech is well and good till something doesn’t work. My iPhone camera broke recently and it took 8 phone calls and a good few hours of my time in order to pay my corporation tax. Flipping nightmare. 

Although they’re not in person I have found Dirst Direct to be excellent. 

GibbsRule_No3.

Wait until someone you know closely, dies and you have to sort their bank account out. People will be needing to visit banks then. Friend lost her husband earlier this year and it has been a nightmare trying to sort things out and getting appointments at far off banks. He did have a Will but even with that in place it wasn’t easy, all the legal bits of paper from various people that all needed paying for. Don’t get started on the lack of free ATMs. As one of the elderly, 69 I am actually happy doing online banking and using Apple Pay for most of my shopping, especially in larger stores but some little local businesses I use do like cash. I also hate self service tills in shops, if Tesco etc want me to scan my shopping would they like to pay me the going rate?

datz

wiganshale said:

I have two accounts, one with Nationwide, with which I'm happy, but the other one wants me to go on-line to read "urgent" nonsense letters from them using three security checks before even asking what I want. 

So, Can anyone recommend a bank with adequate counter staff (short queues), who don't require me to make an appointment with adequate ID , for simple queries. 

I hate the run around most websites use to avoid a direct response.

I thought Tesco (close by) might be OK but I want to be confident before I approach one.

Most banks are closing branches, reducing hours and forcing customers online, all in an attempt to reduce overheads - usually accompanied by some questionable PR spin about dwindling in-branch numbers. I doubt the execs will lose any sleep over those that are being alienated (given these customers are often more 'expensive' to administer). Those branches that do remain are gradually being automated to an ever greater extent, and you're then left with 'sales reps' wandering around with tablets just pointing you to a row of ATMs for any actual 'banking'.

The only one I have noticed bucking the trend is Metro Bank. They are growing their branch network, have reasonable opening hours (7 days a week), and a full counter service. So a fairly decent option if a more traditional banking experience is important to you, but you have to live near one of their branches.

For the record, conducting banking entirely online is my personal preference, but I do understand the struggle this is for some people. And then there are those moments where antiquated processes force a branch appointment on you, with month+ lead times, because they don't have enough branches or trained staff, but I digress...

Exodi

GibbsRule_No3. said:

I also hate self service tills in shops, if Tesco etc want me to scan my shopping would they like to pay me the going rate?

As time goes on, the part of the older generation that are averse to change/technology/convenience will decrease and phase out. I expect in a few decades, there will only be self-service tills manned by a staff member.

I can't remember the last time I used a non-self service till. I don't hold a grudge because they're not paying me to scan my shopping, I have more pressing things to worry about in my life. The self scan machines aren't free to install or maintain and I benefit from the convenience.

Self scan (scan while you shop) is even better, I can't praise the convenience of checking your bill and bagging your shopping while you walk around instead of frantically bag stuffing and receipt checking at the till!

That's not to say it's perfect. I do occasionally need to call a staff member over because the till doesn't like the items weight or I've been selected to have my bags scanned. But it's clear to me which way it should by heading.

Not backwards as some older people may prefer, but forwards. I used an Amazon Fresh store a couple months ago... basically you scan a code on your phone on the your way in... and that's it. You grab things off the shelf and put them in your bag and walk out the shop. You then get automatically billed for what you grabbed. Absolutely incredible, convenience on a whole new level.

zcrat41 said:

All this tech is well and good till something doesn’t work. My iPhone camera broke recently and it took 8 phone calls and a good few hours of my time in order to pay my corporation tax. Flipping nightmare. 

I'm a bit lost on your point. That we shouldn't take advantage of the immense convenience of technology because 0.1% of the time one may experience a physical device issue?

Physical branches still exist for rare scenarios like this, or for complicated matters.

EDIT: I don't expect my opinion to be a popular one, as I expect a forum based on financial discussion to skew to an older demographic.

SiliconChip

If you really must have personal contact for your financial activities then you may find that Building Societies will be your best option - they may not provide quite as many facilities as banks do, opening times many be limited, and they can be a bit slow to process transactions, but most will have counters and customer-facing staff. Smaller local ones could be best, the likes of Nationwide, Yorkshire and Coventry (all of which I have accounts with) do have extensive branch networks but they also have significant investments in technology so you might well find their branches going the same way as traditional banks.

EssexExile

GibbsRule_No3. said:

Wait until someone you know closely, dies and you have to sort their bank account out. People will be needing to visit banks then. Friend lost her husband earlier this year and it has been a nightmare trying to sort things out and getting appointments at far off banks. He did have a Will but even with that in place it wasn’t easy, all the legal bits of paper from various people that all needed paying for. Don’t get started on the lack of free ATMs. As one of the elderly, 69 I am actually happy doing online banking and using Apple Pay for most of my shopping, especially in larger stores but some little local businesses I use do like cash. I also hate self service tills in shops, if Tesco etc want me to scan my shopping would they like to pay me the going rate?

My wife died a couple of months ago. I'm leaving all that complicated stuff to the solicitors! I did my dad's a few years ago with no problem, but his affairs were simple.

Rawrzy

GibbsRule_No3. said:

Wait until someone you know closely, dies and you have to sort their bank account out. People will be needing to visit banks then. Friend lost her husband earlier this year and it has been a nightmare trying to sort things out and getting appointments at far off banks. He did have a Will but even with that in place it wasn’t easy, all the legal bits of paper from various people that all needed paying for. Don’t get started on the lack of free ATMs. As one of the elderly, 69 I am actually happy doing online banking and using Apple Pay for most of my shopping, especially in larger stores but some little local businesses I use do like cash. I also hate self service tills in shops, if Tesco etc want me to scan my shopping would they like to pay me the going rate?

I'm amazed you got anything done in the branches. I recently had to deal with a family death and going into the branch to do anything was completely useless. None of them could directly help in person. Two gave a booth and started a call to the same number you would have phoned if you contacted from home, same long queues too. Appointments regarding some more complicated matters were done over the phone and not in person also. One of the others was a building society, they just submitted the same form that you could submit online on their website yourself. The only upside for any of them was they could send any documents through their own local post which gets processed a bit quicker than if you mailed it yourself. Otherwise it genuinely wasn't worth the journey. They just don't seem to have the staff or systems to do a lot of this stuff in branch anymore.

Barkin

GibbsRule_No3. said:

Wait until someone you know closely, dies and you have to sort their bank account out. People will be needing to visit banks then. 

My Dad died last year. I sorted pretty much everything out without leaving the house.
A special mention for Lloyds, whose bereavement team were fantastic, and couldn't have been more helpful. 

Unlike Nationwide, who insisted on a branch visit yet were still the most unbelievably awkward outfit I've ever had to deal with.

Just my own recent experience... 

Stargunner

wiganshale said:

I have two accounts, one with Nationwide, with which I'm happy, but the other one wants me to go on-line to read "urgent" nonsense letters from them using three security checks before even asking what I want. 

So, Can anyone recommend a bank with adequate counter staff (short queues), who don't require me to make an appointment with adequate ID , for simple queries. 

I hate the run around most websites use to avoid a direct response.

I thought Tesco (close by) might be OK but I want to be confident before I approach one.

Why don’t you get rid of your other bank and just use Nstionwide then.
if you need/want another bank you would be best to search around your area to see what branches are local to you. Just because a bank may give sone members s good service in their local town doesn’t mean that the same bank would give you a good service, as it is down to individuals that work in them.