Embarrassed by Barclays

borntobefree

Thanks - very interesting:o

Voyager2002

PROLIANT wrote: »

Sorry if I have upset or offended anyone, but i had to get my point across, I think a large majority would agree with what i have posted.

Count me out on that. I find Indian call centre staff are generally more polite, more willing to think, and far more willing to take trouble to give good service. And yes, sometimes the accent is a problem. But the basic problem is lack of training.

pb3

PROLIANT wrote: »

I think that if our quote "account managers" un quote were "British" or "Scottish" or "welsh" or "Irish" and not based in a "foreign country" then we would have better service and common understanding, yes I said it "not in a foreign country", I hate talking to Asian staff and those Lloyd grossman/american/ausi beech bum accents

I fail to see what difference speaking to a British, Scottish, Welsh or Irish "account manager" would make if one's CC limit was arbitrarily reduced. Are you saying that you tend to be placated by being fobbed off in a British accent?

PROLIANT

pb3 wrote: »

I fail to see what difference speaking to a British, Scottish, Welsh or Irish "account manager" would make if one's CC limit was arbitrarily reduced. Are you saying that you tend to be placated by being fobbed off in a British accent?

No, you can negotiate better in a culture who lets say understands where your coming from, i.e. they will twig that something isn't right and maybe make that extra phone call to another department i.e. the underwriter and get it sorted, they have probably been exposed to the UK way of life allot more than any "foreign" worker and maybe been in a similar situation them selves ok its not there fault and I whole heartedly agree with the fact like you and I they are just trying to earn a crust but my experience with the foreign call centre staff is that they read off a script, almost like talking to a computer, when you challenge them they "lock up" and all seem to come back with "Oh I am so sorry sir I can not help you any further" oh dear me, you know what I mean, so you come off the phone with your blood pressure sky high and feel like smashing somebody’s face in, some of you may experience different emotion but that’s me, so we live in a world where we want for nothing and expect everything to be half the price it was 6 months ago, this is what is driving industry away from the UK.

Mrs_A_4

I think it's a further indicator that if you are lucky enough to not "need" a credit card, then get rid of them. Banks are always going to be able to screw you over in this way.

Having that kind of thing happen to you IS embarrassing, even if it shouldn't be!

Before my LBM I was living on my credit cards due to a combination of dire circumstances. I went to take cash out on my Barclaycard, only to find out after the ATM refused me and the woman in branch couldn't explain it, that they had withdrawn my cash facility, helpfully, without bothering to inform me.

When I finally got through to someone at a call centre who could tell me this, the patronising git thought it fit to point out that taking money out on a cc was an expensive way of borrowing and I shouldn't do it anyway. Thanks for the helpful advice, dude. I'll bear that in mind and withdraw cash from one of my many trust funds and savings accounts, shall I?!?

Anyway, I've now cut up all my credit cards (except an "emergency" one in a block of ice in the freezer - there on a temporary basis until I can convince myself I can cutthat one up too!) and am back in charge of my finances, so don't have to worry so much when the flood of letters have come through telling me my limits have been reduced (or increased -RBS?!) or interest rates changed.

Bismarck

PROLIANT wrote: »

No, you can negotiate better in a culture who lets say understands where your coming from, i.e. they will twig that something isn't right and maybe make that extra phone call to another department i.e. the underwriter and get it sorted, they have probably been exposed to the UK way of life allot more than any "foreign" worker and maybe been in a similar situation them selves ok its not there fault and I whole heartedly agree with the fact like you and I they are just trying to earn a crust but my experience with the foreign call centre staff is that they read off a script, almost like talking to a computer, when you challenge them they "lock up" and all seem to come back with "Oh I am so sorry sir I can not help you any further" oh dear me, you know what I mean, so you come off the phone with your blood pressure sky high and feel like smashing somebody’s face in, some of you may experience different emotion but that’s me, so we live in a world where we want for nothing and expect everything to be half the price it was 6 months ago, this is what is driving industry away from the UK.

I'm kind of with you but don't agree on the smashing faces part. It hacks me off but not to that extreme. There should be a chance to negotiate or discuss with someone on the same wavelength. I had all manner of problems doing a big balance transfer ober the Christmas period...all organised down to the day of when things should happen....Barclaycard put it through twice (system error), straight through my limit and hit me with excess charges and loss of special promotional rate that I'd paid for...I called and to spoke to a series of advisors who didn't really understand why I was upset and confirmed, but not very convincingly, that "it would be sorted out as I was a good customer" - we were talking about a big amount here and it took three phone calls over a 10 day period to get the matter resolved and I did nothing wrong. The people from the UK really understood where I was coming from and when they said it was being referred to their finance department I believed them and it was sorted. All I'd like is a chance to chose to speak to a UK operative and if it means I can't have 24/7 access then that's fine. If they say, call between hour X and hour Y for a UK advisor then great..I have a choice. Nationality is irrelevant...the advisors just need to be "fit for purpose" - can they act effectively as the go between for the customer and the banks....OK meaningful banter would be OK but not the over the top "how are you today?" stuff which is just asking for the honest answer of "look pal, I've got this big debt to transfer that I'm being calm about...my day would be a lot better if you could give me an awesome deal, but you won't so just let's get this over with, can we?"

londonuk2008

I have had a Barclaycard for around six years. Recently my interest rates have been going up and my credit limit has gone up and down in the past 12 months.

When I called them up to query , I was told they feed from your Experian report every month , using a score supplied by Experian.So I checked with Experian and found I am 'very poor'. Can't understand as I have no defaults etc. Barclaycard did say I am classed as a very good customer with them but my score is pulling me down.

Seems to be the way B'card are going.

udydudy

judybb wrote: »

I had the card for a week and a half.I still have not recieved any thing through the post.I take on board peoples coments on bad timing and responsibale lending ect,but if they thought i was a risk surley that should be sorted at the first hurdle.:mad:

Barclays as an organisation is all sh.t, they do this all the time. just goes to s how how bad their management is!!.

I had a barclay card with nearly £9000 for nearly 3 years with a good credit file..no defaults, homeowner (with over 20% equity which does not show on credit file ofcourse)

they reduced limit to £900 when I paid off a 0% BT. No letter and no intimation. same response as yours. As i bank mostlyusing internet banking I got to know of this reduction when i checked my online account.

I just called and demanded reinstatement of the limit or lose my cutom, they preferred the later. Now I only bank with barclays when it suits me. i.e open a current account when I need to invest in the best ISA around(last 2 years they have been the best).

Even on the bank accounts they keep changing their offers, the other week I had £25,000 personal loan available at 7.9%(subject to status) which disappears after 2 days!!. Same with overdraft. I do not care as barclays is not my main account just a mule account for the ISAs.

I know they are within their rights to do as they please but like we say a person is well within their rights to get drunk and act foolish but what do we think of such people....w....r!!. Same is my opinion of Barclays!!!.

Nationwide on the other hand gave a 3 week intimation of reducing their OD limit and have a professional attitude where in they have a 6 monthly review and I prefer doing most of my banking with them.

Barclays managment could not care about any customer, except their own fat cat pay & Bonus!!.

Badger_Lady

PROLIANT wrote: »

No, you can negotiate better in a culture who lets say understands where your coming from, i.e. they will twig that something isn't right and maybe make that extra phone call to another department i.e. the underwriter and get it sorted, they have probably been exposed to the UK way of life allot more than any "foreign" worker and maybe been in a similar situation them selves ok its not there fault and I whole heartedly agree with the fact like you and I they are just trying to earn a crust but my experience with the foreign call centre staff is that they read off a script, almost like talking to a computer, when you challenge them they "lock up" and all seem to come back with "Oh I am so sorry sir I can not help you any further".

I understand exactly where you're coming from - unfortunately, it's not just all my customer services now, my company's IT department has also been outsourced to India. I recently sent a request to "create a file and name it X". Three weeks later, the reply came back, "Request could not be completed as we can't find a file named X".

And that's in writing - imagine what it's like trying to discuss it on the telephone!

I have every respect for the people doing the work - it must be as frustrating for them as it is us, and I'm sure they're equally skilled - but the fact remains that communication problems are rife and do inhibit progress between two parties, whether it's discussing your limit on Barclaycard or trying to get your website fixed!