Barclays

[richw]

I also find Barclay's to be pretty terrible.

On the other hand, First Direct, who I also have accounts with, have always been excellent. When I have called with queries, they always answer the phone (no 'press 1 for' nonsense). So I would recommend them, even though in the past I have been less than impressed with HSBC (their parent company).

[RPWC]

Originally Posted by richw

I also find Barclay's to be pretty terrible.

On the other hand, First Direct, who I also have accounts with, have always been excellent. When I have called with queries, they always answer the phone (no 'press 1 for' nonsense). So I would recommend them, even though in the past I have been less than impressed with HSBC (their parent company).

We have banked with Halifax for over 25 years so will be opening an account with them for mum once my p o a arrives.

[COLVERT]

Originally Posted by AndyN01

This Which? report makes interesting reading.

https://www.which.co.uk/money/banking/bank-accounts/best-an!d-worst-banks-a3q5d8c6dj7y

Barclays gets 3 out of 5 for customer service. 10 out of the 20 banks listed get 3 out of 5 so they are not alone . And 3 is the lowest score in the list.

Tesco bank and RBS are at the bottom so I'm wondering just how bad they are .

Six banks get 5/5 so probably worth having a look around. Starling bank (never heard of them until a few days ago when I saw an advert on the telly) gets 5/5 for each of the 3 categories.

The parent bank of First Direct which is listed as the best is HSBC.---

I'm with HSBC and the bank is rubbish. --

[VVC-Geeza]

Originally Posted by torque2me

Except I read on the BBC News (26/10) that the Post Office is to remove a number of cash machines. They want everyone to be on-line so that they can do monetary transfers at 20p a go. However, "customers" of "clients" will not have much chance of a face-to-face discussion and get things sorted immediately. I'm thing of closing my accounts and putting the few bob I have under the mattress!

Kev

Can I ask what you mean by removing cash machines?

Barclays tried to remove this facility with the post office earlier this year but such was the protest they were forced to reinstate it.

[Simondi]

I worked for RBS for 26 years.
They and all other high street banks are driven solely for profit. Customer service is important but secondary to profit. If you're not sure about that ask yourself why so many branches have closed. Many of them were not making losses but need for reducing costs and maximising profit was put before customers.
One of the largest costs banks have is that of cash. Cash handling, transportation, security and storage. Fewer branches, less cash, fewer ATMs, less cash, more contactless, less cash. Less cash, reduction in costs and increase in profit.

Just my thoughts based on my experience

[RobSun]

I had a really bad experience with Barclays. I used two banks at the time Yorkshire, who I am very happy with (we will have to see what the Virgin take over means long term) and Barclays. I regularly went into Barclays put cash over the counter and paid my Barclay Card. I want in with a known amount of cash, keeping some back for a trip to Morrison's. I put that over the counter and paid the credit card as usual. The youngish Teller didn't swipe the Credit Card counter foil in the normal way but for some reason it registered. I went shopping checking the amount of cash I had and it was as expected.

Got an Email from Barclay Card reminding me that payment was due, not normal, but as it was paid at the bank was not concerned. Then got one saying over due and penalty charges. Rang them up and explained the situation and they held off any action and I went to the bank. They were totally unhelpful. Said on the day the terminal I said I was called to was not in use. Yes I said because one of your employees has robbed me. There was no record of my visit that day. I asked them to revue their CCTV they said it was to much trouble, we cant spend time looking it up. I asked to speak to the manager and was told she would not speak to me. She then told me that basically I was an old fool and I should come back if I could furnish proof that I came in. I told her that she was trying to cover up for one of her colleagues.

I went off got the proof of where the cash came from and again asked them to check the CCTV. This time the excuse was that it had been over recorded and they only kept it 4 weeks. I said that's ridiculous for a banks security and their customers. It was two weeks before I was sent the first email a further week for the second and a further week to get to this point.

Further to this on the evening that this happened I went out to the pub to meet a couple of mates and with them was a lady I had not met before. My mate said you look a bit off whats up? I told them but did not mention the bank or branch. The lady said that will be Barclays at the branch concerned in Bradford. I said it was and how could she know. She had worked there at that branch. I wasn't the first.

Nest day I rang the HO call center asking to speak to someone. They said no! I went ballistic and said that my next call was to the local TV stations, newspapers and Watch Dog. Two hours later I got an unexpected phone call from a man who said he was the Regional Manager covering that branch. He listened but was negative saying I had no proof I went into the branch at all. I pointed out that I would have if his counter staff and branch manager had looked at the CCTV instead of refusing and then dropped the bomb shell of having an ex employee of his telling me that it was unknown at this branch and always OAPs targeted. I told him he must have known about these other cases or he was having the wool pulled over his eyes and said I was reporting this to the police and put the phone down. Within a couple of hours I had another call, this time from a fraud investigator. We went through in great detail where the money came from and with going shopping after visiting the bank, with the expected amount in my wallet. The CCTV, the ex employees evidence and lack of action. He said he was very concerned and believed my evidence because of the detail I could give him. He said he had checked my banking habits and noted that I went into that branch at the same time every month which greatly increased my arguments. He commented also on the CCTV being over recorded in just 4 weeks saying he was going to look into this and try to get it extended as it was unreasonable for a bank to expect proof of a visit when it can take a month for a statement to arrive.

I never found out what happened, they did not let me know the conclusion of the investigation. But they sorted out Barclay Card being the same company paying that payment and put all the missing money into my account plus an amount in compensation that I was happy with, frankly it was not expected. I closed my account with them saying again the were sorry and would I stay. A few weeks later notices went up saying the branch was closing.

[wraymond]

I worked out of two banks as a financial consultant. I did well and got promoted to a job where I came into close contact with senior management. What a revelation! Never came across such a group of posers for whom 'customer services' was in Martian language.

Targets, targets, targets was all they cared about. Success seemed to be measured by what they could avoid getting the blame for. Won't name them, they have long arms. They will never get the use of any money I might have, or might want, there are other ways of getting by. Yours faithfully(?), A. Cynic.

[torque2me]

Originally Posted by WillyHeckaslike

It is not just any one bank and it is a failure of our education system which I noticed coming into the workplace in the early 80s. Many left school then with hands full of paper and empty heads and we are now reaping the benefit (what not) of their presence in the upper echelons of all manner of outfits.

As a consequence I had your very problem with one of my banks, I always have at least two as backups. In my case an outfit called Plusnet accessed my account and changed a DD to an inflated amount which was a figment of its imagination. I had fully explained to it as for the reason why and it had agreed to get a so-called manager to review the situation. Yet despite this and without my knowledge it decided to do what it did and it was purely by chance that I noticed its antics. After consulting my bank I became aware that I did not have the control of my account that I thought I had and was advised that just cancelling the DD could be reversed by the outfit/scammer. The only solution was to cancel both the DD and my bank card which was used to set up the DD and to have a new card issued - which is precisely what I did.

I still have the official information pack my, then, Barclay's branch sent to me. It clearly states that the administrators of the system will take an offending entity out of the system if found to be abusing it. I thought then......yeah!

Kev

[torque2me]

Originally Posted by RPWC

Another day and guess what? They still have not responded to my request to block all future debits.give up, this is the third time they have fail4ed to respond to my message correctly, if I behaved like this I would have been sacked ages ago. You would think they would at least read the message through and respond with" which part did you not get a response to.?"

Only if they can find a reply template to match, otherwise they go into meltdown.

Kev

[torque2me]

Originally Posted by VVC-Geeza

Can I ask what you mean by removing cash machines?

Barclays tried to remove this facility with the post office earlier this year but such was the protest they were forced to reinstate it.

As I put in my post it was included in the on-line BBC News.

Kev