Natwest "Personal Review"

Scousebird_2

Riq wrote: »

I would go and ask for Advantage Gold to be taken off.
I used to work for Natwest and I could never see the point of it at all!

How do you know the customer doesn't utilise the benefits, just because the product wasn't right for your needs, doesn't mean the poster finds it useless!! It's a decent product if you use the account I think!

hayley11

These "personal reviews" are offered to you because the customer service advisor has to hit targets, but they do offer you these based on your account status/circumstances.

The reviews are designed to help the customer, to see if they need any help with anything and you don't have to sign up to anything you don't want

Sooler

PROLIANT wrote: »

Cos that what it is isn't it? Personal review, to review an individuals banking needs? Well thats my interpretation of it.

It's more of a 'customer review' to see how much custom they can get from you.

They're never going to tell you to ditch their products because better is available elsewhere.

PROLIANT

Sooler wrote: »

It's more of a 'customer review' to see how much custom they can get from you.

They're never going to tell you to ditch their products because better is available elsewhere.

Well that’s all fine and well but as natweststaffmember stated in the post "Some people see selling as a dirty word yet, if the bank can save you money, is that selling or is it a service?", yes but why do people think like that? We are all adults here are we not? We can say "yes" or "no" to sales people, well I am sure I can, and like I stated in my earlier post to me banks provide a service not goods, and usually when I approach a bank most of the time it is to borrow money from them, I am the one who has to do the selling, most of the time they chase me away with a flea in my ear though, but never mind.

dunstonh

I think the problem is that the banks "generally" package the review to include some things that may benefit the customer but also use the opportunity to then try and sell other things as well. Problem is that most bank "regulated" products are pretty rubbish, overpriced or set up in a too basic way.

blueice072

Thank you for all the replies. I don't feel so worried now. I can't consoladate anything as I do not have any debts. Just a laptop loan with Barclays which has 3 DD payments to go then its paid off. Also I have a credit card with Halifax which I only use every now and again.

So does anyone know what they are going to offer me? Is it like home/contents insurance loans credit cards and that kind of thing?

Would I be able to ask the lady to upgrade my card as I would like the £250 cheque card as there are still a few retailers in my town that execpt cheques. How do they decide which card you get?

Blue Ice

natweststaffmember

I used the word selling as a dirty word because that is a theme coming across on the forums. A personal review will focus on Bank products but if you have the cheapest product the bank will not say you must change to us because that is irresponsible. From my own perspective, it does make you look at your own finances and sometimes think differently to the way you did before. I have spoken to people who simply looked at NatWest guaranteed to beat home insurance online, seen the quote and said I can get it cheaper elsewhere, when the bank will send it to the underwriters to beat. I have seen someone reduce their natwest home insurance by simply going to the bank after their year is up and saying I can get like for like cheaper elsewhere and the bank have beaten it. You say selling and I say its selling through service.

To answer Blue Ice, it is based on income factors and as I am sure has been discussed on here, the cheque guarantee facility is the only bit that you may want on it.

Sooler

blueice072 wrote: »

So does anyone know what they are going to offer me? Is it like home/contents insurance loans credit cards and that kind of thing?

May be life assurance, ISA account - check the Natwest rate against what's available elsewhere, some form of investment account. Just say you won't sign up for anything now.

blueice072 wrote: »

Would I be able to ask the lady to upgrade my card as I would like the £250 cheque card as there are still a few retailers in my town that execpt cheques.

Yes, ask for what you want. Tell them you'll switch banks if their product doesn't suit.

dellwear

natweststaffmember wrote: »

The review also covers information that the bank holds on you. Yes it will show you products that the bank have but if it saves you money then it would be irresponsible for them not to tell you.
Some people see selling as a dirty word yet, if the bank can save you money, is that selling or is it a service?

However people are generally better off if they shop around rather than take a product from their normal bank as a given.

As for that Advantage Gold - are you using all the features? If not then look to switch it to a normal bank account and save some cash instantly

dellwear

natweststaffmember wrote: »

You say selling and I say its selling through service.

...and I say you swallowed their sales training manual whole.

I worked there for a while and remember the ring binder with updates every week....... I also remember the targets and the sales push. Vile.