Bad Customer Service in Britain????

[ElPunto]

I was reading an MBA student's journal when I came across this funny post on cutomer service in Britain. For UK residents - can you confirm the situation below for us?

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It's a bad sign when you notice that banks have posters threatening criminal prosecution if you verbally abuse their staff. As an American, you might expect posters like this in the post office, but the bank? That's a head-shaking first. Think about it. It means that enough people in the past have lost it at bank tellers — across all branches — for the bank to warrant investing in advertising to dissuade future verbal abusers. What happens at a bank? Sure, there may be an occasionally long line, but what more in the way of uncaringly bad customer service would you expect at your local bank branch? Given that Britain is a society of polite, demure individuals, I didn't quite get it.

 

That was, until I tried to open up my bank account. Retail banking in the United Kingdom is abysmal. It took me the better part of three and a half weeks to establish my bank account. I'm still waiting for my checkbook. This is with repeated trips to the local branch, which closes promptly at 5 p.m. This was despite the bank's relationship with the school, and my attempt to deposit nearly £5,000 off the bat. The first few weeks of school, conversation was easy. We could simply trade our HSBC stories. One student had to show up for an "interview," scheduled two weeks prior. When he got to the branch, they couldn't find his appointment. He waited patiently for an hour until he finally lost it and raised his voice. The bank manager finally dragged out a second black-bound hardback, where his name was penciled in for the 2 p.m. slot. They use books to keep track of accounts. How primitive is that?

 

If someone — anyone — wants to start up an easy business in the U.K., set up a better bank. Britain will thank you. I don't know what regulatory hurdles you may face, but there's a list of "innovations" you could bring to retail banking. For instance, offer ATMs that let you deposit checks and money outside of bank hours. Banks here have automated machines that do this, just like in the U.S., but they keep them inside the branch -- which close at or before 5 p.m., meaning if you want to deposit a check after-hours, you're out of luck. Apparently, Canary Wharf, the newly established financial sector of London, has banks that offer full-functioning ATMs outside the branch.

[sheherazade]

Do the Americans think saying, 'have nice day' makes a service good?

 

It's a bad sign when you notice that banks have posters threatening criminal prosecution if you verbally abuse their staff.

 

That's cause enraged dcustomers use their mouths and not their pieces. If u don't have a right to carry a wepaon u use the next best thing- your maaawff- as they say in London.

[ElPunto]

Originally posted by sheherazade:

Do the Americans think saying, 'have nice day' makes a service good?

 

It's a bad sign when you notice that banks have posters threatening criminal prosecution if you verbally abuse their staff.

 

That's cause enraged dcustomers use their mouths and not their pieces. If u don't have a right to carry a wepaon u use the next best thing- your maaawff- as they say in London.

Less to do with 'have a nice day' and more to do with prompt service - I'm in Canada and it takes about 2 hrs to open a a bank account and I bet even less in the States.

 

I'm not sure why u have such a harsh view on the States - inferiority complex?

 

PS - I didn't add this part of the article:

 

"Gwyneth Paltrow recently got into some trouble after unleashing a string of pet hates about life in London in Marie Claire magazine. "Customer service is just rubbish in England. People are much more relaxed there, and things take forever to get done. They'll tell you it'll take two weeks for your Internet service to be fixed! It drives me nuts." I never thought I'd be quoting Gwyneth, but she's spot on. All of us at the school have a long supply of anecdotes about the perils of British customer service."

[sheherazade]

Canada, huh. Nuff heard. LoL.

[Sayyid]

Spot on! The author is not the only one who had problems with banks in the UK.

 

I too bank with HSBC and the amount of useless workers they got is unbelievable.

 

People, mostly black and asians who want to start a "new" business and need some money are prioritised, although I have a suspicioun that most of them have businesses that in real life do not exist.

 

The problem is not only with the closing hours but also with the lack of customer service and sufficient "training" in how to deal with your customers.

 

There are mostly ignorant people working in there, who do not have a sufficient standard of customer satisfaction or education for that matter!

 

Simply they can't do anything because they're paralized. You have to wait because they are incompetent and need to ask the "manager" of the branch and he is as competent as the rest of the people who work in there.

 

They're inadequate beyond belief and the only thing they can do is "licking a stamp" and stick it to a letter sealed with some details of you and statements that you get every three month or so!

 

They're useless and beyond help. I once complained and told them off. The bank manager was calm and unconcerned. I told him that my entire family banks with them and if they do not rectify their wrong actions, that I would close my account immidiately and that the rest of my family would do the same!

 

He simply replied "Do as you fit, sir"!

 

In the UK, if you want to open a bank account is more difficult than applying for a visa as a journalist to visit "North Korea", Iran and Saudi Arabia combined and get access to the white house!

 

You would properly have it much easier knocking at the gates of the white house and asking "if" you could have tea with Mr. Bush (junior)!

[Born Friday]

Customer service is just rubbish in England. People are much more relaxed there, and things take forever to get done. They'll tell you it'll take two weeks for your Internet service to be fixed! It drives me nuts." I never thought I'd be quoting Gwyneth, but she's spot on. All of us at the school have a long supply of anecdotes about the perils of British customer service."

I thought Gweny and the likes of her had PA's to do the groveling for them.

It's a bad sign when you notice that banks have posters threatening criminal prosecution if you verbally abuse their staff. As an American, you might expect posters like this in the post office, but the bank? That's a head-shaking first. Think about it. It means that enough people in the past have lost it at bank tellers — across all branches — for the bank to warrant investing in advertising to dissuade future verbal abusers. What happens at a bank? Sure, there may be an occasionally long line, but what more in the way of uncaringly bad customer service would you expect at your local bank branch? Given that Britain is a society of polite, demure individuals, I didn't quite get it.

I think its absolutely necessary to have posters like that to protect the staff. I think its appaling the way customer service reps are treated in US, the customers get away with murder. Ofcourse, conflicts occur as a result of human interaction, but bullying and harrasing a rep is not the solution. If the bank is in the wrong they usually promptly deal with issue and in many cases compensate the customer, but i found it's traditionally the customers that are in the wrong who react the worst.

I once complained and told them off. The bank manager was calm and unconcerned. I told him that my entire family banks with them and if they do not rectify their wrong actions, that I would close my account immidiately and that the rest of my family would do the same!

Typical American thing to say!

[LayZie G.]

How is that the american way?

 

He said he has an account with HSBC or whatever, its a british based bank, and he was explaining his experience with the bank and their employees. What part of all that did I miss when he said he was from america? Can't you read properly, mr born friday?

 

I've had a bank account since I was 18yrs old, I never had to confront a bank teller. I don't have a reason to get my face with them. I get in line, do what I gotta do and out of the door. RBC bank is the ish, love them.

 

What I have a problem with it is ROGERS WIRELESS, their customer service is terrible. I only had one incident with them and surprisingly enough, I won, LOL. Fido customer service are airheads, I can't say enough about them, and now I know why the two companies merged. Ted Rogers wants to influence his bad business practice all across the country. ROGERS gets thumps down when dealing with their customers.

[ElPunto]

^LOL - tell me about Rogers! I can't stand those b*****ds. And TD is the bomb - lower fees than RBC!

 

What I don't understand is the logic of ATMs inside the bank? Did they not think people would need them in off hours?

[Valenteenah.]

^ The ATMs are placed within the front of the bank, but you can gain entry with your debit card and do your banking after hours as well.

 

I guess your MBA fella didn't realise.

 

I have been banking with HSBC for the last 12 years and I haven't had any problems with them. They're quite sweet to me actually. But maybe that's just my branch.

[Sayyid]

Exactly that's the problem of the people who were living in this country for a long time, they don't realise how rubbish their country really is!

 

Ahura, what you have been banking with HSBC since the last 12 years?

 

You must have had a bank account at a very young age, maybe a saving account!

[N.O.R.F]

Typical Americans have never heard of HSBC, its only the biggest bank in the world :rolleyes:

 

I shut my HSBC account after the refused me a student account, long story and yes there customer service is the worst in cnetral London at least. Opened an account with Barclays and havnmt looked back ever since, easy Internet Banking, Payments and opening additional accounts over the phone.

[Born Friday]

He said he has an account with HSBC or whatever, its a british based bank, and he was explaining his experience with the bank and their employees. What part of all that did I miss when he said he was from america? Can't you read properly, mr born friday?

Its evidently you that cant read properly Lazygirl. I haven't suggested in anyway the gentelman was an American, but his words were classic example of what an American customer would say. If you perhaps havent got the gist of my words, its not where the bank is based or who owns it, but the attitude towards customer service.

mr born friday?

and it is Miss ..

[Foxy]

HSBC isnt the worlds biggest bank, Citigroup is....HSBC is more globally everywhere though

 

cheers

[Valenteenah.]

Norf - That's strange. I had to deal with Barclays through my job and they were atrocious! The only worse bank is Natwest in my opinion.

 

 

Sayyid,

 

I opened my main account with HSBC when I was in year 9, and now I have three other accounts with them.

 

I recently found out that I have a very high rating with them, so I think my loyalty has been effective [and appreciated]. :cool:

[Sayyid]

Barclays is by far the most difficult bank to get an account with.

 

They require of you so many documents it's like applying for a visa or a passport!

 

The banks here are outrageous and luckily I don't get the hassle because I don't have a current account, debit card or a credit card for that matter.

 

Ratings, interest, att what have you is totally confusing and one should withdraw his/her money the minute money is paid into your account.

 

Otherwise....!