Trivial things you don't understand/mildly annoy you

[Arriba]

Barclays bank.
Go into West Swindon branch as it's where my accounts were opened. Can i walk in see someone and change my sons child account into a student one now he's 16? no. "Sorry but there is nobody available and you need to make an appointment".
" Ok What about old town then" my response.
 "Nobody available in the old town branch either but possibly someone in town between 2.05 pm and 3pm"(this was at 2.20)
I go home and phone Barclays direct and try to sort it out over the phone "sorry but you have to go into a branch"
Try ringing old town branch to make an appointment goes to fucking voicemail.
Fucking useless.
Why can't you walk in off the street,wait a while and see somebody? Fucking shit service

[slinky]

Barclays bank.
Go into West Swindon branch as it's where my accounts were opened. Can i walk in see someone and change my sons child account into a student one now he's 16? no. "Sorry but there is nobody available and you need to make an appointment".
" Ok What about old town then" my response.
 "Nobody available in the old town branch either but possibly someone in town between 2.05 pm and 3pm"(this was at 2.20)
I go home and phone Barclays direct and try to sort it out over the phone "sorry but you have to go into a branch"
Try ringing old town branch to make an appointment goes to fucking voicemail.
Fucking useless.
Why can't you walk in off the street,wait a while and see somebody? Fucking shit service

Complete bankers!  I bet if you were a new customer they would have found someone to speak to you.

[wiggy]

Off to football practice and it is pissing down - again.

[pumbaa]

Barclays bank.
Go into West Swindon branch as it's where my accounts were opened. Can i walk in see someone and change my sons child account into a student one now he's 16? no. "Sorry but there is nobody available and you need to make an appointment".
" Ok What about old town then" my response.
 "Nobody available in the old town branch either but possibly someone in town between 2.05 pm and 3pm"(this was at 2.20)
I go home and phone Barclays direct and try to sort it out over the phone "sorry but you have to go into a branch"
Try ringing old town branch to make an appointment goes to fucking voicemail.
Fucking useless.
Why can't you walk in off the street,wait a while and see somebody? Fucking shit service

If it makes you feel better, Halifax in Weston-super-Mare are no better. Can't see anybody until next weekend. Thankfully it isn't urgent, but I'm seriously thinking of moving my current account now,

[Ardiles]

Problem is...they're all bastards.  You'll move your account to Barclays and arriba moves his to the Halifax.  What does it achieve?

Until there is real change in the industry, switching accounts won't really change anything.

[pumbaa]

Very true. I'll evaluate again once I've moved and try and get a branch that doesn't involve a major exped to a busy town/city centre.

Having said that, anyone with experience of banking with irst Direct, I would like to hear your thoughts/experiences.

[janaage]

Very true. I'll evaluate again once I've moved and try and get a branch that doesn't involve a major exped to a busy town/city centre.

Having said that, anyone with experience of banking with irst Direct, I would like to hear your thoughts/experiences.

There's no f in 'irst direct'.

[joteddyred]

Problem is...they're all bastards.  You'll move your account to Barclays and arriba moves his to the Halifax.  What does it achieve?

Until there is real change in the industry, switching accounts won't really change anything.

Ah but it will if you move to Nationwide 'We're On Your Side' 

[Notts red]

Walked into Nat West on Monday without an appointment with my Son to open his first account, it took about 10mins to take his ID details from his passport and choose an account and within an hour they had phoned him to give him his account number and sort code. He received his pin number yesterday and debit card today. Now all he needs to do is draw some cash out to buy me a couple of beers before tomorrows match.

[SuggWillSugg MBE]

Walked into Nat West on Monday without an appointment with my Son to open his first account, it took about 10mins to take his ID details from his passport and choose an account and within an hour they had phoned him to give him his account number and sort code. He received his pin number yesterday and debit card today. Now all he needs to do is draw some cash out to buy me a couple of beers before tomorrows match.

He's managed to get to over 18 years old without a bank account and debit card?!

Or are you going to take his money and taunt him by buying beer with it?

[Notts red]

He's managed to get to over 18 years old without a bank account and debit card?!

Or are you going to take his money and taunt him by buying beer with it?

He is 16, he can draw the cash and I'll buy the beer.

[SuggWillSugg MBE]

I thought as much.

[Abrahammer]

The Reading lineup this year.

Take the headliners. The Cure, fair enough choice but Foo's and Kasabian? how many times they headlined festivals in recent years. Pretty unoriginal choices.

Having been 6 years on the bounce around the turn on the century you couldn't pay me to go now, that might be an age thing mind you.

[AldbourneRed]

Having said that, anyone with experience of banking with First Direct, I would like to hear your thoughts/experiences.

I bank with them, have to say all the good things you might have heard about them are absolutely true. Great service, friendly, helpful staff, they always answer the phone within a few rings, and because they only offer phone and online banking they're well set up for doing everything you might need to do quickly and efficiently over the phone.

Only drawback is to open an account you need to post off your ID or get it officially certified. Even that is a lot less hassle than it sounds.

Their current account switching service is great, moves over all your standing orders and direct debits with no missed payments.

Last I looked they were running an offer where, if you've never used them before, they give you 100 quid for switching to them, and if you don't like them and switch away (you won't) they give you another hundred! I'd tear their arm off if i could get that deal.

[cheltred69]

I bank with them, have to say all the good things you might have heard about them are absolutely true.

I'd echo that - have banked with them for about 16 years or so - no complaints whatsoever - of course if you want a branch network for any reason that doesn't exist but you can pay in cheques at HSBC branches anyway.