Banks trying to sell stuff

[northwales4u]

Called into my local branch of RBS to pay some cash into my personal account and the conversation was like this:

Me - "Please can you put this cash into this account"
Cashier - "Thats fine" - after some tapping away on her keyboard "has anyone spoken to you about upgrading your account?"
Me - "I'm not interested, I only want to pay that cash into my account"
Cashier, after more tapping away, "Who do you have you buildings insurance with? - Has anyone talked to you about that?"
Me - "I can't remember off the top of my head - I only want to pay that cash into my account"
Cashier - "Did you know that if you combine all your insurance policies with RBS you will get a nice discount?"
Me - "For fecks sake love, I have only come in here to pay in some cash - can you do it or not or I'm off?"
Cashier - "There is no need to be so abusive - I should refuse to serve you but since the transaction is half way through I will continue - here is your card - bye"

My old RBS branch was brilliant - I could walk in there with no ID or bank details and the cashiers would remember my name and account number so I could withdraw/deposit cash with no questions. Now at this new one I am getting quizzed everytime I go in there

[wine~o]

to the world of banking cashiers...they are all under threat of redundancy due to the fat cats...so the more product they can sell the more likely they'll keep their job!!

I had the same with LLoyds and now use their "Depositpoint"..no human contact..

[Cannyfixit]

Natwest is the same,have you ever watched Last of the summer wine i'm sure auntie Wainright works for Natwest because i always feel like Norman Clegg when i'm going into the branch

[nick200]

With Barclays I get a call what feels like every month asking to go through my account, it gets on my ... !

[northwales4u]

I did notice (while tapping my fingers) that one one of the desks in the back there was a box of Roses and a bottle of wine so I presumed they weren't a gift for the cashier I was landed with.

If the bank was near my daily route, after her, I would pop in everyday and wait to see her just to pay in 1p (might double it on a Friday)

[amy9]

I get this a lot when I phone Barclays. It's annoying but I understand that the poor staff there are forced to do it so I wouldn't be rude to them about it.

[big-all]

its easy enough just ask them to remove you from there cold calling list and ask not to be contacted via any media for non emergency situations

look on your web account look for the tick box that allows them to contact you and untick or tick if to stop getting comunications

example from my tsb in change personal details
"Your marketing preferences

Online greeting:
ALAN
Display personalised sales messages:
No

Text marketing:
No
Email marketing:
No"

[dynamod]

Banks? This guy got it right.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pu3IT1kGavE

[upagumtree]

He's not far wrong

[Inky Pete]

I've just had the pleasure of closing down my Santander current account - it's been hassle from the day I opened it in September, but I'm now about £700 richer for the experience.

They screwed up my overdraft request and switched my direct debits before my salary had gone in resulting in loads of bounced direct debits withh associated fees and charges.

It's taken 3 months of regular bitching at them and threats of a Financial Ombudsman complaint but they've finally refunded all the charges they levied, paid off all the charges levied by other companies for late payment, compensated me £400 for the trouble, and handed over the £300 they promised me for switching my account to them.

Having sorted all that out I have now switched all my DD's back to my original bank (I had the foresight not to close that account down completely) and REALLY enjoyed the moment when Santander said to me "now that the complaint is all settled, we've apologised in writing, ammended your credit file to state that it was all our fault, and coughed up compensation.......is there anything else we can help you with today sir?"

"Yes. I'd like to close the account with immediate effect."

[54aardvark]

Good on you Inky - stick it to them!

I had a set to with HBOS earlier last year, had business account with a 3K overdraft limit, going through a sticky patch and and got to 2K overdrawn. Received a letter one Monday "we're withdrawing your overdraft facility, please clear it within 6 days". Couldn't deal with it in my local branch as they don't have anything to do with business accounts - they'll set them up but after that you have to do it by phone to Edinburgh. Half a day on the phone and finally got to someone who had the faintest idea what I was talking about. "We can give you six months" - nae probs, had it cleared in three and took great pleasure in closing it down - they couldn't have cared less that they were losing a customer (and all the bank charges).

Now I run everything through my personal account and will deal with HMRC if I ever get investigated.

[moggridgeplumbing]

Every time I go into Santander they are trying to give in another credit card. They never seem to take no for an answer.

[Inky Pete]

I knew when I opened the account that Santander had a crap reputation for customer service, but was tempted by the £300 they were offering for me to switch to them.

It's back to Nationwide for me, never had a problem with them in the 20 odd years I've had an account there.

[joinerjohn]

I used to be with Gnat West and got totally fed up whenever I went to pay money in , with the "We'd like to review your bank account sir."(usually a sales ploy) Or "Can you spare 10 minutes of your time?" (for some product that would make them more money, but lighten my account). Eventually closed the account and moved elsewhere. G/F is still with them, but can now only draw money from their cash machines (nearest one is 2.7 miles away) so is thinking of changing banks too.

[northwales4u]

I had a letter just before Christmas off RBS saying they have been bought by Santander and my account will be transferred to them. After my dealing with Santander it looks like I will be going somewhere else but I can't think of any reliable banks anymore