Scottish Halifax Accounts Changing

Section62

There's a small banner which has appeared on the LBG brands online banking saying the ability to give accounts nicknames will be stopping soon, and all existing nicknamed accounts will revert back to the original names.

Not clear if that is part of the "system changes" mentioned in the OP's letter, or just one of the things being done to make online banking less useful than the app, but either way it will make it a PITB using online banking if you have multiple Reward/Vantage accounts as many of us do.

EarthBoy

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81963487#Comment_81963487

It will make online banking quite confusing if you have several accounts with nicknames, like I have. Fortunately though, the app is keeping the nicknames and I only use online banking once in a blue moon.

eskbanker

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81963591#Comment_81963591

Maybe it'll be a green moon in future? 😉

Maegi

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81957336#Comment_81957336

That's factually incorrect - you're clearly confused about legal entities and trading names.

'Lloyds' can used by BoS for former Halifax branded accounts if they so choose.

On their very own website… 'Lloyds and Lloyds Bank are trading names of Lloyds Bank plc, Bank of Scotland plc, Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets plc and Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets Wertpapierhandelsbank GmbH'

Maegi

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81957087#Comment_81957087

I'm not talking about basic banking functions like cheque deposits as BoS branches have been co-servicing Lloyds and Halifax customers for years before it was rolled out elsewhere in the group..

However, unless something has changed recently, BoS staff were not trained in Halifax (or Lloyds) products and therefore used to direct you to the phone or online if you had a complex issue or wished a new product; having most of the local customer base on the 'correct' brand product range does clearly reduce that customer service and sales friction.

Section62

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81964501#Comment_81964501

Something has changed recently - there has been a big push towards co-servicing and visibility between Lloyds and BoS systems including online banking and the app.

Following your logic, if a customer living in Scotland opens a Lloyds or Halifax account online then you'd still have the "friction" if that customer goes into their local BoS branch and asks for help with it. Unless customers living in Scotland are going to be banned from opening new Halifax/Lloyds branded accounts. Which seems rather improbable, and on the face of it the opposite of what LBG are trying to achieve with co-servicing.

Maegi

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81964574#Comment_81964574

Co-servicing (in the manor that I'm describing) has been going on for years as Lloyds have had no branches in Scotland for some time. That's not the 'co-servicing' that you describe which is in essence, multi-brand branches.

Never seen Lloyds branded products on sale in BOS (the only Halifax branded products being mortgages). Any complex Lloyds questions are fielded online or by phone as BOS branch staff say they're not trained on Lloyds (or Halifax) products.

There is also zero evidence they're actively marketing Lloyds retail products in Scotland nor BOS retail products in England/Wales. This is obviously quite different from actively stopping new retail accounts which you suggest.

jackjones01

I wonder if they’ll ever move Halifax customers with a Scottish postcode to bank of Scotland at some point

eskbanker

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81971701#Comment_81971701

OP is suggesting that that point is now (for some at least)!