MSE News: First Direct tops our service poll

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Former_MSE_Megan_F
Former_MSE_Megan_F Posts: 418 Forumite
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in Budgeting & bank accounts
First Direct has again taken the crown in our banking customer service poll with nine out of ten giving it top marks, but RBS retained its wooden spoon with almost a third rating its service 'poor.'...
Read the full story:
'First Direct tops our customer service poll (again) - check how well your bank did'

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  • eskbanker
    eskbanker Posts: 31,034 Forumite
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    OMG! First Direct topping an MSE banking poll, who'd have imagined that?

    * awaits shocking revelations about the arboreal defecatory habits of ursine mammals *
  • minislim
    minislim Posts: 357 Forumite
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    Note to RBS/Natwest.

    maybe if you concentrated on your customers more before profits you might fair better in polls.

    RBS and natwest have terrible savings rates and mortgages aren't that great either.

    also they keep on closing branches even after the promised not to back in 2015.

    sort these out and you might do better.
  • eskbanker
    eskbanker Posts: 31,034 Forumite
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    minislim wrote: »
    Note to RBS/Natwest.

    maybe if you concentrated on your customers more before profits you might fair better in polls.

    RBS and natwest have terrible savings rates and mortgages aren't that great either.

    also they keep on closing branches even after the promised not to back in 2015.

    sort these out and you might do better.
    The poll specifically asks about customer service and explicitly states "Ignore rates or any other products" so isn't an effective measure of overall satisfaction with products or branch network.

    It isn't really an effective measure of anything much, given the disparity between voter population by bank and the respective customer bases, so First Direct attracted almost as many votes as Lloyds and HSBC combined for example, i.e. their loyal band of devotees distorts the true picture....
  • PeacefulWaters
    PeacefulWaters Posts: 8,495 Forumite
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    minislim wrote: »
    Note to RBS/Natwest.

    maybe if you concentrated on your customers more before profits you might fair better in polls.

    RBS and natwest have terrible savings rates and mortgages aren't that great either.

    also they keep on closing branches even after the promised not to back in 2015.

    sort these out and you might do better.
    I thought the lesson from this would be to match the winner branch for branch.
  • telemarks
    telemarks Posts: 255 Forumite
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    eskbanker wrote: »
    It isn't really an effective measure of anything much, given the disparity between voter population by bank and the respective customer bases, so First Direct attracted almost as many votes as Lloyds and HSBC combined for example, i.e. their loyal band of devotees distorts the true picture....

    Or maybe First Direct just have great service.

    After all more Santandar (and Nationwide) Customers vote than First Direct, but that doesn't help their numbers.

    Or looking at it another way, First Direct get roughtly double the votes of HSBC, however they have less that a quarter of the number of (in Credit) Bad vote. Thats eight times better, even between brand stablemates.
  • ValiantSon
    ValiantSon Posts: 2,586 Forumite
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    Another statistically invalid poll on customer service of the major banks.
  • colsten
    colsten Posts: 17,597 Forumite
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    telemarks wrote: »
    Or maybe First Direct just have great service.

    After all more Santandar (and Nationwide) Customers vote than First Direct, but that doesn't help their numbers.

    Or looking at it another way, First Direct get roughtly double the votes of HSBC, however they have less that a quarter of the number of (in Credit) Bad vote. Thats eight times better, even between brand stablemates.
    This happens when an entire Customer Service Centre casts their votes for their Service. #ItsNotRocketScience
  • eskbanker
    eskbanker Posts: 31,034 Forumite
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    telemarks wrote: »
    Or maybe First Direct just have great service.

    After all more Santandar (and Nationwide) Customers vote than First Direct, but that doesn't help their numbers.

    Or looking at it another way, First Direct get roughtly double the votes of HSBC, however they have less that a quarter of the number of (in Credit) Bad vote. Thats eight times better, even between brand stablemates.
    Yes, I do get the argument that by using percentages rather than absolute votes, it theoretically evens itself out, but when the sample sizes are so tiny and fragmented, it doesn't take much to skew the results, in either direction....
  • telemarks
    telemarks Posts: 255 Forumite
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    eskbanker wrote: »
    Yes, I do get the argument that by using percentages rather than absolute votes, it theoretically evens itself out, but when the sample sizes are so tiny and fragmented, it doesn't take much to skew the results, in either direction....
    What you say is true. But ..
    ... consider that this MSE poll has a far bigger sample size than many of those political polls, that get elicit fantastical rhetoric across all media every 5 years.
    Which type of poll has more value?
  • telemarks
    telemarks Posts: 255 Forumite
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    edited 7 March 2018 at 12:18PM
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    colsten wrote: »
    This happens when an entire Customer Service Centre casts their votes for their Service. #ItsNotRocketScience

    Sorry I was forgetting that only workers at one bank have access to the internet, all other banks having baned their workers from going online #GetReal

    PS Disclaimer, I do not work for FD, but have been a customer of Midland then FD for over 25years.
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