Why don't the bank leave me alone...

Tesla · 29 Jan 2007 at 23:51

I paid some money into a friends account, they bank with Lloyds.

The cashier told me my account was up for renewal!

I don't even have an account with Lloyds.

The cashier was so focused on getting me to review my account they failed to realise it was not even my account being paid into but a friends. I could have probably found out sensitive information easily.

Deadly Ferret · 30 Jan 2007 at 00:17

Vixen said:
You deserve all the inconvenience you'll get if there's ever fraud on your card.

Nonsense. If they banks were ethical in the way they use peoples' personal information, then nobody would have any qualms about supplying them with it. But they aren't, and so we do have.

jas72 · 30 Jan 2007 at 08:42

toy_soldier said:
What makes you think call centre staff want you calling and asking for them personally? Thats one of the things that annoys me most in my job, people think you are their personal assistant or something, if someone calls back a few days later and expects you to remember their call out of several hundred then most of the time they are going to be let down.

Well every time I called back I had to reiterate the same story again and again and again.

I was also asked on several occasions which person I spoke to on the previous occasion. Only giving their 1st name was no use to the call center manager.

It was also very disheartening to spend 25 minutes (international call I don't live in the UK) on the phone only to ring back 2 days later to find nothing on their computer regarding my call. This went on for 3 weeks like I said.

So now I always want the full name of the person I'm speaking to. Actually their surname would do even. When you want to talk to stangers on the phone do you generally start with "Hello I'm John can you help me?"

I don't expect them to remember but if they say they'll look into something I expect them to do it.

AthlonTom · 30 Jan 2007 at 08:51

I went into barclays when I left uni to sort out my finances, they tried to sell me loads of stuff but I just showed them I had income protection and health cover and stuff on my employment contract. Then because of this they reduced the time frame for me to get out my student overdraft! This was then the basis for them trying to sell me a massive loan, though I was only in my overdraft by £1200

I just moved the money from my ISA to my current account there and then, then they apologized and I've been treated like some kind of prophet since

gjrc · 30 Jan 2007 at 08:59

just tell them that unless they leave you alone you will move banks.

trust me they wont try again.

also moving banks is very very easy so if they **** you off just move.

toy_soldier · 30 Jan 2007 at 11:10

jas72 said:
Well every time I called back I had to reiterate the same story again and again and again.

I was also asked on several occasions which person I spoke to on the previous occasion. Only giving their 1st name was no use to the call center manager.

It was also very disheartening to spend 25 minutes (international call I don't live in the UK) on the phone only to ring back 2 days later to find nothing on their computer regarding my call. This went on for 3 weeks like I said.

So now I always want the full name of the person I'm speaking to. Actually their surname would do even. When you want to talk to stangers on the phone do you generally start with "Hello I'm John can you help me?"

I don't expect them to remember but if they say they'll look into something I expect them to do it.

They obviously work differently to where I am, if you called then the member of staff you spoke to would put notes on your account so that any future calls could be resumed more or less from where they left it last time. I will happily give my name if there is a reason to, but most of the time the people who ask for your name are the arsey ones who think they are above you.

iPWN · 30 Jan 2007 at 12:25

toy_soldier said:
They obviously work differently to where I am, if you called then the member of staff you spoke to would put notes on your account so that any future calls could be resumed more or less from where they left it last time. I will happily give my name if there is a reason to, but most of the time the people who ask for your name are the arsey ones who think they are above you.

I have found this too. Anyway, back on topic, I find a simple "No thanks" is quite effective. They are only doing it because its part of their job, don't resent them for it.

V-Spec · 30 Jan 2007 at 13:02

I have mentioned it to them before, and I did say "Im not really interested because all they do is try to sell me a loan" to which they replied "oh ok sir we'll make a note of it"

Next time I go in, the computer has flagged me up again, and they keep asking...

roadie · 30 Jan 2007 at 13:38

I bank with Smile and have found them excellent. I receive no paper statements and can always get in touch with someone via phone. I switched from NatWest, who are a PITA and give no interest. Unless you need a local presence, I see no reason to bank with them or any other high street bank.

Vixen · 30 Jan 2007 at 14:52

Deadly Ferret said:
Nonsense. If they banks were ethical in the way they use peoples' personal information, then nobody would have any qualms about supplying them with it. But they aren't, and so we do have.

You obviously know much more than I do, with my 3 years of experience working for a bank, regularly working with the fraud department and trying to contact customers on an almost daily basis. There's an option on every account opening form to not recieve any marketing, and if a customer has no marketing against their name, the only calls they will recieve will be when the bank needs to talk to the customer.

G-MAN2004 · 30 Jan 2007 at 16:39

jamief said:
Please don't capitalise the first letter of every word - it makes your post (for me at least) very difficult to read, and it is just wrong!

Looking back at all his other posts, they're all like it :/

EH75 · 30 Jan 2007 at 18:01

gjrc said:
just tell them that unless they leave you alone you will move banks.

trust me they wont try again.

also moving banks is very very easy so if they **** you off just move.

I love how people think that by saying they will close their account they think that whoever they are speaking to will suddenly cave into their every demand. Fair enough I don't work in a department thats required to sell anything, however I know for a fact that the majority of people in similar roles to myself on the phones really couldn't give a ****. If they want to close their account then please do.

They're isn't any point taking it out on whoever you're talking to as they are probably on crap money and deal with multiple people on a daily basis who think they can treat you like **** and expect help. Seriously, if someone is on the phone to me and they are nice to me then I will try to help them as much as I possibly can. If people are idiots and are totally unreasonable then I will make their life as difficult as possible. Childish I know, but I really don't need that sort of hassle for £6.60 an hour.

Having said that I personally would move my account if I had some of the issues that some people I have spoke to have had. I wouldn't make a big fuss about it and tell everyone I spoke to from the bank though. I would just go ahead and do it.

toy_soldier · 30 Jan 2007 at 18:39

Redfox said:
They're isn't any point taking it out on whoever you're talking to as they are probably on crap money and deal with multiple people on a daily basis who think they can treat you like **** and expect help. Seriously, if someone is on the phone to me and they are nice to me then I will try to help them as much as I possibly can. If people are idiots and are totally unreasonable then I will make their life as difficult as possible. Childish I know, but I really don't need that sort of hassle for £6.60 an hour.
.

I agree with everything you have said there. Why the hell would the person on the phone care if your going to move banks / change companies or whatever, unless

A)They are on commision

B) You have some sort of business account that is making them a lot of money.

Vixen · 30 Jan 2007 at 18:43

Redfox said:
I love how people think that by saying they will close their account they think that whoever they are speaking to will suddenly cave into their every demand. Fair enough I don't work in a department thats required to sell anything, however I know for a fact that the majority of people in similar roles to myself on the phones really couldn't give a ****. If they want to close their account then please do.

They're isn't any point taking it out on whoever you're talking to as they are probably on crap money and deal with multiple people on a daily basis who think they can treat you like **** and expect help. Seriously, if someone is on the phone to me and they are nice to me then I will try to help them as much as I possibly can. If people are idiots and are totally unreasonable then I will make their life as difficult as possible. Childish I know, but I really don't need that sort of hassle for £6.60 an hour.

Having said that I personally would move my account if I had some of the issues that some people I have spoke to have had. I wouldn't make a big fuss about it and tell everyone I spoke to from the bank though. I would just go ahead and do it.

You only get £6.60? I got £7

. Sorry if I freaked you out on Saturday, I was trying to do as little work as possible so thought I'd say hi without introducing myself

.

OT though, I agree with everything you've said. I always just laughed when people thought their meagre account with £10 in it was bribary to the bank.

sunama · 30 Jan 2007 at 18:52

G-MAN2004 said:
Looking back at all his other posts, they're all like it

Ive looked at some of the threads he has started and he doesnt do it - he types normally. However, when checking the replies to other peoples' posts, he does seem to capitalise every word. I think he is a wind-up merchant tbh. It must take him forever to type like that.

I think it is quite funny, especially your replies to his post.

sunama · 30 Jan 2007 at 19:03

Redfox said:
I love how people think that by saying they will close their account they think that whoever they are speaking to will suddenly cave into their every demand. Fair enough I don't work in a department thats required to sell anything, however I know for a fact that the majority of people in similar roles to myself on the phones really couldn't give a ****. If they want to close their account then please do.

Totally Agree.

I used to work for Sainsbury's and I had many people tell me, "I will never shop at your store again, Im off to Tesco. Next week, they were back as usual.

In all honesty, as a worker in the store, it didnt really bother me - I would assist the customer upto a point, but if they got too shirty/demanding for my liking, I would just walk away. They could complain to whomever they wanted to. The funniest thing was when one bloke actually wanted me to go and get the manager so he could complain to him about me. I told him, "You can have my name, but as we are busy right now you will have to see the manager yourself." Later, that day I asked the manager if he received the complaint. He said, "Yes. I told him to leave the store as he was getting very rude."

Bottom line: the operational staff, in general, dont really care if you shop (or in this case, bank) with them or not. As long as they are seen to be doing their job to the best of their abilities and being paid, thats all they are concerned with. Now, if it was their own personal business, it would be a whole different story.

Deadly Ferret · 30 Jan 2007 at 19:13

Vixen said:
There's an option on every account opening form to not recieve any marketing, and if a customer has no marketing against their name, the only calls they will recieve will be when the bank needs to talk to the customer.

Yes, and we both know what the problem with that is: the onus is placed on the customer to remember to refuse. It should be a 'no' by default, not a 'yes'.

Pez · 30 Jan 2007 at 19:15

Deadly Ferret said:
Yes, and we both know what the problem with that is: the onus is placed on the customer to remember to refuse. It should be a 'no' by default, not a 'yes'.

Speak for yourself, thanks.

If my bank has a new product I want to hear about it. Its used to keep customers up to date with products. How would you feel if there was a savings account released offering 18% on balances, and you didnt hear about it because you didnt tick the 'Marketing Please' box?

You are given the option, its your own fault if you dont tick it.

Locky · 30 Jan 2007 at 19:16

all you guys whining about being offerd loans, credit cards, bla bla

and heres me who cant get any of them no matter how hard i try

and i could really do with a loan right now

so id be happy

Deadly Ferret · 30 Jan 2007 at 19:21

Pez said:
You are given the option, its your own fault if you dont tick it.

Oh really, how very magnanimous of the banks! I am given the option whether I want to be called at random by their sales people.

No. It is not that they should give us an option; they should ask for permission!