customer service - new applicant

100gSoma

I am a new applicant for a current account. I sent my forms off 10 working days ago and not heard back so I decided to ring up and check. Their introduction letter (with my application ref number) provided an 1850 number and said that I could call anytime to check on my application. It then said the phoneline is open 8am - 8pm mon - fri and 9am - 2pm on saturday.
I rang up at 815am, and got a recorded message stating that the office is open 9am till 5pm and call back. bit annoyed. still cost me 26cent to hear that. You would think the times or numbers on a new customer application letter would be correct. argh.... no way to make them aware of this by email either. zzzzzz

NuMarvel

I know it will cost another 55 cent to do so, but send them a written letter stating what your experience has been. Maybe send a copy to your local branch manager if you're so inclined?

100gSoma

Thanks for your reply. Would you believe things have degraded further.
I rang them today and apparently my application was on hold because they credit scoring agency could not credit score my address?
They said the syntax was wrong and that it's possibly because the Dublin area is written on the same line as the town. i.e. town, Dublin xx. is on the same line.
I asked can I not just send in another application. Nope. Because I have a savings account with this bank, and so I need to go in and change that address in a branch?! WHAT? are they serious. yes apparently so. but they cannot tell me waht I have to change it to, just change it, because it snot been accepted as it is. This is ridiculous. I have a good mind to pull my savings account from them too. Not getting any help at all except being told to go to the branch and change the address. To what though? is it definelty a syntax? I find it hard to believe that a credit scoring agency cannot credit score an address because of a comma in the wrong place. And why didn't they spot this mistake months ago when I opened a savings account? well because savings account are not credit checked. The bank tell me its a terrible system but its not their fault. Its the credit agency.
I'm fuming. I miss Halifax so bad. I never had a bad "we can't help you" reposnse form them in 2 years. This is back to the way I remember banking alright. arkward, horrible, red tape, call into branch, syntax errors in an address.... HA! :mad:

alexmcred

I take it it's Ulster Bank your dealing with? Not having the most pleasant of times switching to them either. I am really considering giving AIB a go at this stage.

100gSoma

Hi Alex, yeah it's not as straight forward as I hoped. I'm now trying to convince myself I don't need the Visa Debit card. However I travel alot in the Eurozone so it really does make things easy to manage. And I prefer that option over using a CC. But, if the experience so far is anything to go by, there are red flags everywhere on this one. Firstly they never called to tell me my application was blocked on Monday 22nd. They told me this when I rang up today but didn't proactively ring me. Now three customer service calls coul dnot help, and I'm being told to go to the branch to sort it.
I have a serious aversion to BOI and AIB though. Been there and didn't like it. Truth is, that any bank will seem pretty lame compared to Halifax. In my own personal experience they have been excellent to deal with.

unclebill98

All Halifax customer must use the switching service. Do you have many DD/SO on your Halifax account.

TBH, your not getting a great service. You can if you still want just go into a UB branch and open a current account there and then. If you already have a savings account with UB you may not need any ID etc. If they offer the swtiching servcie simply tell them its a waste of your time and explain whats happened so far.

Tell them not to bother with the other application. You do not have to use the swticher process but this would mean changing all you so/dd yourself.

They want the switcher process used so they can track the business gained from Halifax. Just tell them to use the normal system.