Smile Bank suspended new phone app applications

Harness68

I have been with Smile since 1999 and in the last few months I have noticed that they seem to be running down the services.  First came with the smile more accounts no longer able to perform the benefits on line. Then I changed my phone and since then I have not been able to have the banking app on the new phone.  Customer services say they have no timescale to solve this and in fact they have put a post on the Google play download area confirming they are not taking new devices.  Anyone know why

boingy

They've been in decline for some years now, with customer service getting slower and slower to respond to anything and when you do get through it's clear that they haven't the knowledge or the ability to help you. I was a long term customer but I finally gave up on them and transferred our accounts away about 18 months ago. No regrets.

With Coventry buying the Co-op I'm expecting the Smile brand to get quietly killed off.

Zanderman

Also had a smile account since 1999, but have never used the app so can't comment on that other than to agree with Boingy that Smile's days, as a separate brand, are probably limited. And that might be why they're no longer offering the app - it could be the start of a wind-down of the brand.

It lost its original selling point, 'the internet bank' many years ago as all banks are, and have been for most of the last 2 decades, online too. Including its parent Coop Bank whose online interface is identical to Smile (or is it vice versa?)  except for the branding. Nothing new has been added for Smile, as a brand, for some time.

I expect, at some time in the next year or two, that Smile customers will simply be 'migrated' to Coop branding. Probably no need for any change of account info, just a change of branding.

WillPS

Zanderman said:

I expect, at some time in the next year or two, that Smile customers will simply be 'migrated' to Coop branding. Probably no need for any change of account info, just a change of branding.

It's doubtful the 'Co-operative Bank' brand, which they use under license from The Co-op Group, has much of a future:
https://www.theguardian.com/business/article/2024/may/24/coventry-building-society-finalises-deal-for-co-operative-bank

I actually think that the Smile brand might have more of a future one way or another.

Zanderman

WillPS said:

Zanderman said:

I expect, at some time in the next year or two, that Smile customers will simply be 'migrated' to Coop branding. Probably no need for any change of account info, just a change of branding.

It's doubtful the 'Co-operative Bank' brand, which they use under license from The Co-op Group, has much of a future:
https://www.theguardian.com/business/article/2024/may/24/coventry-building-society-finalises-deal-for-co-operative-bank

I actually think that the Smile brand might have more of a future one way or another.

Yes, Coop may vanish as a banking brand too. Though in my own view I think it unlikely they would fall back on Smile.  That brand is dated, and the services and offerings have been relatively poor in recent years, I would think they'd be better with another name entirely rather than trying to revamp an old rather tired one. I would expect that would be what their marketing people would advise. But happy to be wrong!

ailuro2

We've started the move to First Direct this week.
We've been with Smile since the beginning.
Had their Smilemore account for years - mostly for cheap worldwide travel insurance and breakdown cover.
But last week we got a letter saying that we'd no longer be covered if a travel provider went bust.
Phoning them up to cancel Smilemore ( not paying 15.50 for poor insurance) proved a tricky business. 
So we are moving.
I have fond memories of their Glasgow call centre and top notch customer service. 
Oh well. 🥹