fryera2's Review of Barclays Current Account
20th Nov 2006
Overall Rating
- Customer Service
- Ease of use
Internet Banking is good
Staff at my local branch are friendly
Bad Points
Another company jumping on the India is better bandwagon. It isn't!!
General Comments
I've banked with them for as long as I can remember, and in general I am quite satisfied with them, but I feel that little-by-little the customer service is slipping badly, and I fear that it may be the end of Barclays as a bank I would trust.
For example, a while ago I paid a cheque into my bank account and accidentally paid it into my e-savings account instead of my current account, which I was not supposed to do. Silly mistake, my fault entirely, but surely just a case of tracing it and putting it on the right account. I rang the call-centre and got put through to an Indian Call Centre, and whilst I don't want to slate them too much, because I have experienced MUCH worse, they still got all confused when the problem deviated from their script. And after getting passed from pillar-to-post, the best they could come up with was "we don't know where it is. Sorry". "Yeah, that's great, I don't need the money anyway - just forget about it". To add insult to injury, the final bloke then proceeded to try and sell me house insurance, as if the fact they didn't know where my cheque ended up was not a problem!!! Finally, I went into the branch, and they traced it and paid it into my account. Simple. Why could it not have been that way ringing the call centre?
If anyone has ever read any of my previous reviews then you might think I have an issue with Indian Call Centres and you would be right, I do. I would like to make it clear that I am not one of these people who rings up and hangs up immediately because the voice is Indian, and I am not racist in the slightest, but I do expect a certain level of customer service, and I have NEVER experienced this with offshore call-centres. And to be honest, it boils my blood when another company moves on the pretext of "increasing customer service". We aren't stupid, it's about increasing profits for your shareholders, so please stop treating us like idiots!!! I also think that more people don't complain because people "expect" bad service from Indian call centres, but I also think if more people did complain and voted with their feet, then the banks and other companies would soon move their operations back here!
At the moment I am wavering with Barclays, and if they decide to start charging me for looking after my money then I am off somewhere else!
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Members' Comments onfryera2's Review
Bertie
on 21st Nov 2006
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Bad Points
"Another company jumping on the India is better bandwagon"
No, fryer...India is cheaper and it's rapidly getting to the stage that keeping ones money in an old sock will be far more convenient. Considering the obscene profits the banks are making, one would think they could afford to provide you with a personal financial advisor billeted with you!
Hail the New World Order!