HSBC and ways to complain online - are they chopping customers' hands?

Olinda99

write a letter

if they don't respond within 8 (?) weeks you can go.to the ombudsman

marcia_

 I went into the HSBC branch and complained direct to the bank manager. He made a few phone calls while i waited and my problem was sorted. He even asked how much i wanted as compensation, I was given £150 

Ulrich

born_again said:

Ulrich said:

Hi All,

I had no need to contact HSBC for some time but had to do so last week.
It turned out the only way to make a complaint online is via their chat, which involves a live agent that might or might not register your complaint.
On top of that I don't know how they want me to provide supporting documents as their chat does not offer file upload feature.
Ended up making a complaint via Resolver about HSBC severely restricting customers' options to make complaints online and got a quick final response.

They admit "streamlining" process of raising complaints by getting rid of email option and using the chat instead.
The tricky thing is they state that their "chat service is not designed for messages to be exchanged immediately, it sends a notification once an agent has replied" but also "a complaint was unable to be raised as you would have needed to remain online, to be provided with the case reference", which is kind of 2 opposite things. They close a chat for inactivity 5 minutes after an agent sent you a message and if you did not respond within that timeframe, it's a new chat - pretty horrible design to my taste as it wastes a lot of time.

Basically, my point is that by getting rid of email and online form for making complaints HSBC made it much harder for their clients to raise a complain online.
The phone, branch and letter options are much less convenient, easy and sometimes not even fit for purpose.

I know nowadays every institution slashes their costs and the easiest one is to save on customer service.
However, I think they went too far in doing that.
Does anyone have experience in using Financial Ombudsman for something like that?

https://www.hsbc.co.uk/help/feedback-and-complaints/

Failing to log a complaint is a sure fire fine for a bank.

Email or chat still require the same number of staff to work them.

I'd tried this link before I complained, have you? It opens a chat.
They don't refuse - they just "couldn't do that without customer being online" despite their system not being designed for immediate exchange of messages, which is a total joke.

Ulrich

Olinda99 said:

write a letter

if they don't respond within 8 (?) weeks you can go.to the ombudsman

I specifically asked about online complaints so I'm afraid your comment is not relevant at all.
I know the other options but have no intention to print out supporting documents, pay postage etc.

born_again

Ulrich said:

Olinda99 said:

write a letter

if they don't respond within 8 (?) weeks you can go.to the ombudsman

I specifically asked about online complaints so I'm afraid your comment is not relevant at all.
I know the other options but have no intention to print out supporting documents, pay postage etc.

Pop into a branch they can scan the doc's for you 👍

A lot depends what you complaint is about. If you need to supply doc's then you have to follow their rules.
We used to allow people to email doc's. Even told them the format to use. Guess what. Most did not. So had to be chased to be told again that they needed to use certain formats as security system would not allow certain file types.

Ended up removing email & telling them to post them in or go to branch to be scanned. Just not originals in case they got lost in post.

Ulrich

born_again said:

Ulrich said:

Olinda99 said:

write a letter

if they don't respond within 8 (?) weeks you can go.to the ombudsman

I specifically asked about online complaints so I'm afraid your comment is not relevant at all.
I know the other options but have no intention to print out supporting documents, pay postage etc.

Pop into a branch they can scan the doc's for you 👍

A lot depends what you complaint is about. If you need to supply doc's then you have to follow their rules.
We used to allow people to email doc's. Even told them the format to use. Guess what. Most did not. So had to be chased to be told again that they needed to use certain formats as security system would not allow certain file types.

Ended up removing email & telling them to post them in or go to branch to be scanned. Just not originals in case they got lost in post.

After reading this I think that it's not down to any particular bank to decide on how to deal with complaints, there are some requirements and they were created for a reason.
All you said makes sense in offline world but not today.
Not anyone can pop into a branch btw.
Hence my original question.

Emily_Joy

Apologies to OP for bursting into their thread. I am quite happy with HSBC so far, but there is a little issue: I would like to setup a DD to pay my HSBC CC, from non-HSBC account. Their process to do that is to fill a paper form and post it. I tried this twice so far to no avail. First, I tried printed the form and sent it by snail mail, but nothing happened. Then I visited a branch where a member of staff gave me the form which I filled, signed and handed back. This was on 12th of December. Still nothing happened - the statement dated 30th Decemeber doesn't mention DD. *sigh* How long do I need to wait for DD to setup? It is not the end of the world, as they send me a payment reminder if I forget, but it's not super convenient either.  I am thinking whether I will have grounds to complain if nothing happens in the next couple of weeks...

masonic

Emily_Joy said:

Apologies to OP for bursting into their thread. I am quite happy with HSBC so far, but there is a little issue: I would like to setup a DD to pay my HSBC CC, from non-HSBC account. Their process to do that is to fill a paper form and post it. I tried this twice so far to no avail. First, I tried printed the form and sent it by snail mail, but nothing happened. Then I visited a branch where a member of staff gave me the form which I filled, signed and handed back. This was on 12th of December. Still nothing happened - the statement dated 30th Decemeber doesn't mention DD. *sigh* How long do I need to wait for DD to setup? It is not the end of the world, as they send me a payment reminder if I forget, but it's not super convenient either.  I am thinking whether I will have grounds to complain if nothing happens in the next couple of weeks...

I think it is fair to assume that if you've not had any confirmation by now that it has not been actioned. I would complain that you've had to make a manual payment for the December statement, despite trying since ... to set up a DD. Imagine if you had a particularly busy time and got the reminder at an inopportune time, then forgot. DD is there to avoid such situations. I am surprised that they don't have the facility to enter external account details for a DD online.

WillPS

Olinda99 said:

write a letter

if they don't respond within 8 (?) weeks you can go.to the ombudsman

While I agree this works, it is completely unacceptable in 2024 that this is the only cast iron way to ensure a complaint is opened.

masonic

WillPS said:

Olinda99 said:

write a letter

if they don't respond within 8 (?) weeks you can go.to the ombudsman

While I agree this works, it is completely unacceptable in 2024 that this is the only cast iron way to ensure a complaint is opened.

It isn't. Any communication that is received and expresses a dissatisfaction, especially one using the term complaint, can be referred to the Ombudsman if it isn't addressed satisfactorily. Don't let any financial institution redefine 'complaint'.