Lloyds bank no longer offering face to face appointment?

p00hsticks

blue.peter said:

This sounds very strange, since there are some things (e.g., registering a power of attorney) for which LBG actually insists on customers attending in-branch face-to-face appointments.

Perhaps they used to, but a couple of months ago I had to register a PoA with them and phoned up expecting to have to make a face to face appointment in branch and (with difficulty) get my mother to accompany me, but they did it all over the phone for me, including setting up online and phone banking and issuing me with a PoA debit card for the account in question. 

steven141

This is ridiculous. Why should you be forced to go online if you don’t want to. It’s the same with the branches asking you to use the machines or tablets. If someone wants to bank in branch and the branch is still there, why not let them do it? It’s fair enough saying not enough demand for as many branches but some people travel far for to get to a branch for them to be treated like this. It is unfair.

HillStreetBlues

blue.peter said:

This sounds very strange, since there are some things (e.g., registering a power of attorney) for which LBG actually insists on customers attending in-branch face-to-face appointments.

You can do POA (LPA) with a combo of on-line and phone.

HillStreetBlues

steven141 said:

This is ridiculous. Why should you be forced to go online if you don’t want to. It’s the same with the branches asking you to use the machines or tablets. If someone wants to bank in branch and the branch is still there, why not let them do it? It’s fair enough saying not enough demand for as many branches but some people travel far for to get to a branch for them to be treated like this. It is unfair.

They make people use the machines and restrict appointments and  then use the counter & appointment usage to close branches.

retiredbanker1

Lloyds have not stopped face to face appointments but using their algorithm about you and your accounts they only want appointments that are going to be profitable for them - end of.

Mortgage, Personal loan, House Insurance, Credit card, Paid for accounts, Pension, Life insurance - you will not find them turning you away - if you don't qualify for these products or they think they can't cross sell to you - then its the internet or phone for you.

This Charlie Nunn is going the way of CEO's from the 80's and 90's and we all know how that ended don't we?

Rob5342

steven141 said:

This is ridiculous. Why should you be forced to go online if you don’t want to. It’s the same with the branches asking you to use the machines or tablets. If someone wants to bank in branch and the branch is still there, why not let them do it? It’s fair enough saying not enough demand for as many branches but some people travel far for to get to a branch for them to be treated like this. It is unfair.

It just comes down to demand, it's not going to be practical for them to provide a service that there is so little requirement for. It's the same with anything, people aren't going to run VHS rental shops for the people that domt want to stream. 

friolento

steven141 said:

This is ridiculous. Why should you be forced to go online if you don’t want to. It’s the same with the branches asking you to use the machines or tablets. If someone wants to bank in branch and the branch is still there, why not let them do it? It’s fair enough saying not enough demand for as many branches but some people travel far for to get to a branch for them to be treated like this. It is unfair.

It's fantastic if/that you can get a TEAMS appointment if your nearest Lloyds Branch is 15-20 miles away.

Lloyds will email you a link, which you click on at the arranged time, and you are in a video conference with the bank's person who deals with your query. Very simple, nothing to be afraid of, nothing unfair, and you can save an automatic record of your conversation. Cheap as chips, no travel required. No danger to catch Covid or some other bug, either

Grizebeck

Probably cheaper If you used another insurance provider

Mr.Generous

Lloyds are working on AI tech for ALL mortgage and loan applications - staff have been briefed.

Yes ALL.

DullGreyGuy

eskbanker said:

lolaparker said:

blue.peter said:

This sounds very strange, since there are some things (e.g., registering a power of attorney) for which LBG actually insists on customers attending in-branch face-to-face appointments.

I was told poa registration can only be done by telephone or online ….that was one of the “ complex needs” i was referring to…. Fortunately I was able to do online but what about those who can’t ? 

If the options are phone or online, then those who can't do it online presumably have to use the phone?  Their accessibility policy should also offer textphone or similar for those with hearing difficulties....

Or promote the free BT Relay service for which you dont have to be a BT customer to use. 

I doubt many banks will openly announce such things until the branch is being closed down but you can see natural attrition managing to quietly reduce numbers as things get turned off. The OP also wants the jack of all trades person that can discuss current accounts, savings, credit, insurance etc whereas specialisation is the way most banks have gone... in a decent number some of those things (especially insurance) may be a totally different company. 


Handlesbanken always had a big selling thing of everything was in branch, locally empowered etc but its been a long time since I spoke to them but a former colleague was helping them introduce new product features more akin to other banks so maybe they are adjusting their model.