Customer service down to the bare bones

Gaelmart

I went into  my local Donegal branch today to deposit my annual coin collection (€200+) as I ran out of jars.
Anyway as I was standing there, only one other person at desk (I was next), bank empty otherwise, I noticed sign saying coins only on tues or fri's. After it eventually sank in, I was about to leave feeling a bit miffed when a young lad(manager?) came over. I told him I as just about to lodge coins when I noticed sign and it was new to me, which it was. 
Nobody at the counter now. I stared at him expecting him to offer to "do it this time but shur I'd know for again". Nope. I had to walk from 3 feet from counter, with my bag, out of the empty bank.

You DO realise you have to do SOMETHING for customers. 

You cost me £300  a month from my wages since 2008 because you didn't realise that giving a quarter million euro to to people who do  their weekly shop in poundland for a 2 bedroom bungalow was a bad idea. 

Anyway after 40 years with you I'm moving. Only power we have to make statement is our custom.

G

Bank of Ireland: Elaine

Hi Gaelmart,

Thanks for taking the time to get in contact with us here on Boards.ie. 

We are very sorry to hear that you were inconvenienced while trying to lodge coins in your branch recently. Our coin lodgement policy was introduced in October 2013 and we endeavoured to ensure that all our customers were made aware of this policy change. 

Just to clarify, the majority of our branches will now accept coins on Tuesdays from 10am to noon and all day Fridays. The coins must be full bagged and in the correct denominations. 

We sincerely hope that this experience does not deter you from continuing banking with us. We appreciate your feedback today and will ensure to forward your comments to the relevant area. 

Thanks, 
Elaine 

heroics

Gaelmart wrote: »

I went into  my local Donegal branch today to deposit my annual coin collection (€200+) as I ran out of jars.
Anyway as I was standing there, only one other person at desk (I was next), bank empty otherwise, I noticed sign saying coins only on tues or fri's. After it eventually sank in, I was about to leave feeling a bit miffed when a young lad(manager?) came over. I told him I as just about to lodge coins when I noticed sign and it was new to me, which it was. 
Nobody at the counter now. I stared at him expecting him to offer to "do it this time but shur I'd know for again". Nope. I had to walk from 3 feet from counter, with my bag, out of the empty bank.

You DO realise you have to do SOMETHING for customers. 

You cost me £300  a month from my wages since 2008 because you didn't realise that giving a quarter million euro to to people who do  their weekly shop in poundland for a 2 bedroom bungalow was a bad idea. 

Anyway after 40 years with you I'm moving. Only power we have to make statement is our custom.

G

Its a Bank you hardly expect them to deal in cash do you   It is one of the reasons I left BOI as well. Did you try your local pub. Mine never has a problem changing coins for notes

DrEvil

I just tried to lodge coins today only to discover this crazy idea that Bank of Ireland does not like to do the most basic of tasks anymore. In all the years of the 'new banking features' (i.e. cutbacks) I've made allowances for them except for this. Usually any changes that were made there was an alternative method provided to complete the task. In this case of coin lodgement there was no alternative option other than to go to a competing bank which glady accepted my money.  I found in AIB they accept coins everyday like a bank should. Why has this happened and when will this change be reversed? If this change won't be reversed at least provide another means like a counting machine to do the job.

Skatedude

I gave up on BOI after the coin fiasco. I just couldn't understand why a bank refuses money on certain days. Its a bank FFS. So I, like many others, moved my account.

It seems BOI only want people to lodge money and then go away and not annoy them by asking them to do anything.

Bank of Ireland: Alison

DrEvil wrote: »

I just tried to lodge coins today only to discover this crazy idea that Bank of Ireland does not like to do the most basic of tasks anymore. In all the years of the 'new banking features' (i.e. cutbacks) I've made allowances for them except for this. Usually any changes that were made there was an alternative method provided to complete the task. In this case of coin lodgement there was no alternative option other than to go to a competing bank which glady accepted my money.  I found in AIB they accept coins everyday like a bank should. Why has this happened and when will this change be reversed? If this change won't be reversed at least provide another means like a counting machine to do the job.

Hi DrEvil

Thanks for contacting us here on Boards.

We're sorry to hear you are unhappy with the coin policy and will ensure to pass on your feedback to our Branch Network Team regarding these changes implemented in October 2013.

You may have read previously on the thread, our branches will accept coin, although as below on certain days and times. 

Tuesdays 10am - 12pm and all day Fridays.

We will certainly send your suggestion to our Branch Network Team regarding the facility of coin counting machines as an option for customers in branches. 

If you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact us here.
 
Thanks
Alison

Irish Steve

So, to put the boot on to the other foot for a moment, if my account were to become overdrawn at 12:02 on Tuesday due to delays at the counter and being unable to lodge cash before the cut off time, and the asinine policy on handling coin other than on certain days at certain times, would Bank of Ireland waive the interest charges incurred between Tuesday and Friday morning when the cash could be lodged to the account?

I somehow doubt that would be the case, but it raises some interesting aspects of the manner in which Bank of Ireland is choosing to treat it's customers. 

Skatedude

Like many others, i work for a living and cant go to the bank on tuesday or fridays. Asking my boss for time off just to go to the bank even though i'm off Wednesdays just get's me into trouble and i then have to organise someone to cover my shift while i'm gone.

Just to lodge money into my account that i should be able to do during any banking hour simply beggers belief. It really seems like someone made a conscience decision to piss of their customers.

Bank of Ireland: Janet

Irish Steve wrote: »

So, to put the boot on to the other foot for a moment, if my account were to become overdrawn at 12:02 on Tuesday due to delays at the counter and being unable to lodge cash before the cut off time, and the asinine policy on handling coin other than on certain days at certain times, would Bank of Ireland waive the interest charges incurred between Tuesday and Friday morning when the cash could be lodged to the account?

I somehow doubt that would be the case, but it raises some interesting aspects of the manner in which Bank of Ireland is choosing to treat it's customers. 

Hi Irish Steve, 

Thanks for your post.

Although we have certain days the bank will except coin, we still except cash (notes / cheques) through our LATM's. Therefore you would still be able to lodge to your account to clear your overdraft.

Janette

 

Bank of Ireland: Janet

Skatedude wrote: »

Like many others, i work for a living and cant go to the bank on tuesday or fridays. Asking my boss for time off just to go to the bank even though i'm off Wednesdays just get's me into trouble and i then have to organise someone to cover my shift while i'm gone.

Just to lodge money into my account that i should be able to do during any banking hour simply beggers belief. It really seems like someone made a conscience decision to piss of their customers.

Hi Skatedude, 

Thanks for the post.

We will pass on your feedback, but just to clarify you can still lodge notes/cheques through our LATMs Monday - Friday in all Bank of Ireland Branches.

And also here is a link to Lobby facilities to make lodgements outside banking hours.

Janette

Skatedude

Yes, but like many others, We need to be able to lodge coins. i'd love to be rich enough to only deal in notes. but like many others, i still need that extra 30, 40 euros to pay some the billls.

TheScoringGoal

Bank of Ireland: Janet wrote: »

Hi Skatedude, 

Thanks for the post.

We will pass on your feedback, but just to clarify you can still lodge notes/cheques through our LATMs Monday - Friday in all Bank of Ireland Branches.

And also here is a link to Lobby facilities to make lodgements outside banking hours.

Janette

Wow. This is the banking equivalent of saying "let them eat cake". Bank of ireland have created two problems for themselves in this refusal to deal with coins and their charging structure. Permanent tsb must be getting new customers by the day

TheScoringGoal

Bank of Ireland: Janet wrote: »

Hi Skatedude, 

Thanks for the post.

We will pass on your feedback, but just to clarify you can still lodge notes/cheques through our LATMs Monday - Friday in all Bank of Ireland Branches.

And also here is a link to Lobby facilities to make lodgements outside banking hours.

Janette

Wow. This is the banking equivalent of saying "let them eat cake". Bank of ireland have created two problems for themselves in this refusal to deal with coins and their charging structure. Permanent tsb must be getting new customers by the day

simplybam

I was with BOI for several years. The straw that broke the asses' back for me was when they started charging me for money being paid into my account (i.e. they charge me a transaction fee when my employer pays my wages into the bank!) The idea of paying my bank to give them my money after the government already takes ever more money of me to reimburse them for their bad lending decision in former years seemed so outlandish to me that I voted with my feet and went to another bank.

Subacio

I too have been sent away from the counter with the coins I came in with. On my last visit to BOI to lodge a combination of cheques and cash, I was advised of the need to use the LATM for future deposits. I have used this facility before with varying degrees of satisfaction. Only once was I completely happy with its work. The other instances necessitated a visit to the counter to express my unhappiness that my receipt did not show the correct amount. I was told to come back the following day as they couldn't audit the machine during office hours. Now my banking is taking me 3 times as long to do as it did in the past. I'm sure your staff (those that are left) could find better uses of their time too.

How long before the human tellers are fully replaced by their automated counterparts? We may all go back to keeping the biscuit tin under the bed. 

I closed my AIB account to move to BOI, but you're as bad as each other. You've forgotten your customers are people. All the fancy ad campaigns in the world won't make up for the feeling of worthlessness your customer gets as they leave your branches still laden with the coins they came in with.

Skatedude

ffs, now i have to move my biscuit tin

DrEvil

Bank of Ireland: Alison wrote: »

DrEvil wrote: »

I just tried to lodge coins today only to discover this crazy idea that Bank of Ireland does not like to do the most basic of tasks anymore. In all the years of the 'new banking features' (i.e. cutbacks) I've made allowances for them except for this. Usually any changes that were made there was an alternative method provided to complete the task. In this case of coin lodgement there was no alternative option other than to go to a competing bank which glady accepted my money.  I found in AIB they accept coins everyday like a bank should. Why has this happened and when will this change be reversed? If this change won't be reversed at least provide another means like a counting machine to do the job.

Hi DrEvil

Thanks for contacting us here on Boards.

We're sorry to hear you are unhappy with the coin policy and will ensure to pass on your feedback to our Branch Network Team regarding these changes implemented in October 2013.

You may have read previously on the thread, our branches will accept coin, although as below on certain days and times. 

Tuesdays 10am - 12pm and all day Fridays.

We will certainly send your suggestion to our Branch Network Team regarding the facility of coin counting machines as an option for customers in branches. 

If you have any further queries please do not hesitate to contact us here.
 
Thanks
Alison

Hi Alison,

Thanks for your response. To make it sound like it's a privilege to lodge coins on tuesdays 12-2 and fridays comes across like a fob off and BoI don't really care about the customer.

It seems to be that head office in BoI don't seem to care about the staff that run the bank either. I've just come back from the branch after having to wait 5 days before I could lodge the coins, both the cashiers at the branch COMPLETELY agreed this is a terrible policy. They say it creates needless queues on friday and tuesday lunchtime for no reason and management refuse to listen even though customers are complaining about this every week.

When I arrived at the bank on Monday last the cashier only had one other customer to deal with before me. No queues or other customers were in sight after me yet she was unable to help due to the policy. Today when I was in the branch, she could accept the coins even though there was a queue of 10 people behind me. The logic makes no sense, it's inefficient, it pisses off exisiting customers, discourages potential customers and also appears to cause issues with your staff doing their job.

Skatedude

Why cant the banks get in the coin machines like some shops have? then you can use use your coin to get a docket to lodge at the lodgement machine.
Problem solved, and can be done any day and no staff required?

Seems perfectly reasonable to me,

Bank of Ireland: Tara

Hi Skatedude,

Thanks for the suggestion. We'll ensure to pass this on to our Network Team. 

Thanks
Tara

Ally Dick

Skatedude wrote: »

Why cant the banks get in the coin machines like some shops have? then you can use use your coin to get a docket to lodge at the lodgement machine.
Problem solved, and can be done any day and no staff required?

Seems perfectly reasonable to me,

Not suitable for high volume businesses like pubs. I can't see the banks getting them in to suit personal customers only

The Voice of reason

How long does your "pilot" of the coin machine in Baggot St. have to be running before you put it in all branches? What exactly is the criteria to see if this wil be done?

Bank of Ireland: Billy

The Voice of reason wrote: »

How long does your "pilot" of the coin machine in Baggot St. have to be running before you put it in all branches? What exactly is the criteria to see if this wil be done?

Hi The Voice of reason, 

Thanks for posting. 

The pilot has been running for a while in Baggot St. branch however due to the low take-up, we are considering alternatives. As soon as we have further details, we'll post on Boards and our other social media channels. 

Thanks

Billy

BreadnBuddha

Bank of Ireland: Billy wrote: »

Hi The Voice of reason, 

Thanks for posting. 

The pilot has been running for a while in Baggot St. branch however due to the low take-up, we are considering alternatives. As soon as we have further details, we'll post on Boards and our other social media channels. 

Thanks

Billy

The low take up in Baggot St? FFS.

How about trying it somewhere in a suburb with people trying to watch every cent instead of in a location which is surrounded by working professionals?

Typical reinforcement of the Irish bankers message.... If you have money, real money, we're glad to help. If you need it, come back on the 29th of February and make sure you complete all of these forms in triplicate with a green biro, between 15:35 and 15:37 pm.

Walk on lads. I closed my account 2 years ago with BoI and wish I'd done it sooner.

draiochtanois

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