negligent & humiliating

I went to HSBC Wembley High Street branch to make an international transfer which I do from time to time to pay a supplier. But instead of setting up an international transfer facility, a lady there has cancelled my online banking altogether! I discovered this the following day so I phoned HSBC customer service who took me through another process to set up the international payment facility. Still didn’t work. I found my online banking blocked and I needed to reregister and wait for a new security device to be posted to me. I could not use internet banking for ten days. For the first time in twenty years, I was unable to pay a supplier on time, losing face, integrity and trust. I was unable to download the bank statements needed for my accountant to do my tax returns. The schedule for this has passed and he had to reschedule his work as a result, putting me in an embarrassing situation. Worst of all, one of HSBC complaints officers has phoned me to apologise. She offered me a compensation of £100 then increased it to £150 as a “good will gesture”. I felt insulted and humiliated by such offer which made me feel more of a beggar than a company director. HSBC could have done better by explaining why I have had three incidences of negligence prior to this and promising not to repeat such mistakes. HSBC is no longer the respectable bank I thought it was. After 20 years, it is time to move to another bank, but not before complaining to the FSO as a first step before moving to the courts of law. Being a big bank doesn’t give them immunity from the law.