Do you think Bank of Ireland staff are snobby?

ulster · 10-04-2021 1:51pm #1

My current account is with them. I'm a fairly easy going person and patient enough (well most of the time anyway haha) but anytime I have to interact with BOI staff they always seem to have this superior tone, which drives me bananas. Idk but I always feel like they take a personal affront when you ask them to follow up on something. Anyone else experience this? I wonder what AIB is like.

spurshero · 10-04-2021 1:56pm

ulster wrote: »

My current account is with them. I'm a fairly easy going person and patient enough (well most of the time anyway haha) but anytime I have to interact with BOI staff they always seem to have this superior tone, which drives me bananas. Idk but I always feel like they take a personal affront when you ask them to follow up on something. Anyone else experience this? I wonder what AIB is like.

Banks have become a right pain . They don’t want to provide a customer service any more they just want whatever they can get out of customers . Go into any bank now try and get to a counter and ya are nearly rugby tackled over to use a machine that you don’t want to use . They don’t want to have to provide any interaction with staff . I think In the near future the ones that aren’t closed will be manned by a single staff member .Aib and bank of Ireland should have been let him to the wall when we had the chance . Some pay back the ordinary tax payer is getting for saving there behinds !

ednwireland · 10-04-2021 1:59pm

wouldn't go anywhere near them. when I moved here 24 years ago they said I could apply for an account and they would let me know whether I could have an account. I had a job i was taking up. Walked out went to ulster bank got an account that day never been back.

Mad_maxx · 10-04-2021 2:01pm

banks do almost nothing for customers nowadays yet fees are higher than ever.

Larbre34 · 10-04-2021 2:07pm

BoI staff, at work and in their private lives, do always have a great welcome for themselves.

I'd put it down to some heritage nonsense that they've been listening to since they were a cashier knee high to a grasshopper. But really theres no justification for it. Just tell them they days away from being replaced by an app and watch the look on their face.

Strumms · 10-04-2021 2:31pm

spurshero wrote: »

Banks have become a right pain . They don’t want to provide a customer service any more they just want whatever they can get out of customers . Go into any bank now try and get to a counter and ya are nearly rugby tackled over to use a machine that you don’t want to use . They don’t want to have to provide any interaction with staff . I think In the near future the ones that aren’t closed will be manned by a single staff member .Aib and bank of Ireland should have been let him to the wall when we had the chance . Some pay back the ordinary tax payer is getting for saving there behinds !

100%

I have an old BOI bank account for some of my savings but my day to day ‘banking’ and financial affairs are with a building society and have been since my late teens, for 22 years... staff in the building society are absolutely top notch, both local branch and city head office, have my debit card with them so all the services of banking and in 22 years never a single issue.

Had too this rancid little fake fûckwit in the Bank of Ireland , on me walking through the door, aggressively gesture and guide me with his arm out like he was talking to his bold child trying to get me to use a machine “ you can withdraw, you can, deposit you can...”. I just ignored the guy, continued on my trajectory, bumped into his arm and continued to the lone staff member behind the window...

I simply ignored his BS and chose to use the facilities at the bank that day which best suited my banking needs... ie. talking to a human, and having them provide what I needed.... fûcking boils my piss the way banks and businesses are trying to dictate to customers what to accept as in less service to expect even less going forward...

Tork · 10-04-2021 2:37pm

I think there's an element of that heritage thing going on, though I don't know if it pertains to younger staff. I remember a couple of Bank of Ireland bank managers (one retired, one not) who lived in my home town. Both definitely bought into the notion that being a bank manager gave them status.

I've had reason to deal with a few banks and it varies from person to person really. Or sometimes, from branch to branch. The biggest difference these days is that apart from them doing everything in their power to stop customers getting near a human, there are some utterly clueless staff working on the floor. They don't even know the answers to questions that would've been bread and butter to older staff. It really is a job that has been dumbed down and is on its way out.

99nsr125 · 10-04-2021 2:43pm

ulster wrote: »

My current account is with them. I'm a fairly easy going person and patient enough (well most of the time anyway haha) but anytime I have to interact with BOI staff they always seem to have this superior tone, which drives me bananas. Idk but I always feel like they take a personal affront when you ask them to follow up on something. Anyone else experience this? I wonder what AIB is like.

Boi I always found to be the nicest

Aib and Ulster Bank were absolutely woeful

Antares35 · 10-04-2021 2:45pm

I've a relative who used to work in BOI and to this day she is still preaching about budgeting and mortgage approval etc. It's like she's the fúckin oracle on mortgages. And she told us when I got pregnant "oh that will be 1000 a month now deducted for a dependent". Bull****, it's 250. And when we were looking for approval (not from BOI) my parents kept saying "would you not talk to her". Eh no, we don't need your smelly old relative to get us approval, we can do it on our own merit. I think it's a generational thing too though - ooh she worked in the bank... BOI were kind of seen as the institution. But hopefully with younger staff that's being bred out.

Tork · 10-04-2021 3:06pm

I don't think any of the younger crew can afford to be arrogant TBH. A job in the bank isn't what it was and I'm sure many now fear for their futures. All of the banks are shedding staff, automating branches or closing them. Everything is being pushed towards online and to banking apps. The fintechs (i.e. Revolut, N26) have proved to be better at providing what younger people want and perhaps many will never go near an Irish bank again.

RandomViewer · 10-04-2021 3:15pm

Haven't been in a BOI branch since 1991, went to lodge a cheque in my account ,cashier was male and obviously not happy in his job, in his best snooty accent he said" you have only 20pounds in your account", I asked what has that to do with lodging a cheque for a grand , he repeated the amount and said it could take 3 weeks to clear, cheque cleared in 3 days, I emptied my account through the ATM and never went back

MarkR · 10-04-2021 3:19pm

Are ye having long drawn out chats with these people? I don't go to the bank to make friends, but I've never noticed an attitude when I (very rarely) to to a branch. I think if you go looking for trouble, you find it.

Strumms · 10-04-2021 3:27pm

RandomViewer wrote: »

Haven't been in a BOI branch since 1991, went to lodge a cheque in my account ,cashier was male and obviously not happy in his job, in his best snooty accent he said" you have only 20pounds in your account", I asked what has that to do with lodging a cheque for a grand , he repeated the amount and said it could take 3 weeks to clear, cheque cleared in 3 days, I emptied my account through the ATM and never went back

100% the way to proceed...Best way to do it, not getting satisfaction with a company / service provider... withdrawal your custom and go elsewhere...

No talking, debating, form filling, just... “ I’m done with you, good luck and fück you. “

Deeec · 10-04-2021 3:32pm

MarkR wrote: »

Are ye having long drawn out chats with these people? I don't go to the bank to make friends, but I've never noticed an attitude when I (very rarely) to to a branch. I think if you go looking for trouble, you find it.

There def is an attitude with AIB and BOI staff. - they simply want to avoid people as much as possible. They want you to do your banking online or through a machine. They always seem irritated that you actually got to the counter and they have to deal with you. Often they cant answer you on simple requests eg. My mother in law had some sterling she wanted to change into euro. AIB wouldnt change it for her as she didnt have an account with AIB. I said we are happy to pay an extra fee etc to facilitate this and give address, ID etc but no they wouldnt change it without lodging it. Cashier couldnt give me an explanation why this was the case. I ended up having to lodge her sterling to my account and withdraw the amount in euro from the ATM to give to her.

Tork · 10-04-2021 3:32pm

MarkR wrote: »

Are ye having long drawn out chats with these people? I don't go to the bank to make friends, but I've never noticed an attitude when I (very rarely) to to a branch. I think if you go looking for trouble, you find it.

These days, if you need to deal with a human in a bank it's bound to be for something more complex than lodging a cheque

10-04-2021 3:32pm

Perception a legacy issue hang up (from CUSTOMERS) from the days the local bank manager had control over who got loans. It's algorithms now or head office.

I don't get the air of superiority, the opposite if anything. The actual person behind the counter is very junior and really is of very little help compared to the machine, apart from FX.

Do you think the junior guy/gal likes pointing for you to use his replacement?

Met a senior regional bank manager recently enough and he pretty much said the career path is largely gone, and didn't know if he'd be able to see out his career in the bank.

Bank branches are now in the hand of those reading this right now. Mortgages can be arranged over email.

Physical bank branches will be as numerous as cobblers and Farriers.

10-04-2021 3:37pm

Deeec wrote: »

I said we are happy to pay an extra fee etc to facilitate this and give address, ID etc but no they wouldnt change it without lodging it. Cashier couldnt give me an explanation why this was the case. I ended up having to lodge her sterling to my account and withdraw the amount in euro from the ATM to give to her.

Think this might be due to Money Laundering. I know you had ID etc. But don't want the time taken to process such for a few euro commission.

Deeec · 10-04-2021 3:43pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Think this might be due to Money Laundering. I know you had ID etc. But don't want the time taken to process such for a few euro commission.

I could understand this for large amounts. We are talking less than a hundred sterling in my mother in laws case - ID, ulster bank account details, whatever details they wanted were offered but they couldnt exchange it. The true reason is the want the money to sit in an account and gain more fees when you withdraw it whatever way.

10-04-2021 3:48pm

Deeec wrote: »

I could understand this for large amounts. We are talking less than a hundred sterling in my mother in laws case - ID, ulster bank account details, whatever details they wanted were offered but they couldnt exchange it. The true reason is the want the money to sit in an account and gain more fees when you withdraw it whatever way.

I'm not going to argue with you. Happy for you to believe that.

10-04-2021 3:50pm

I'm with Permo. I always have positive dealings with them.

Hyperbollix · 10-04-2021 4:02pm

An elderly relative had an awful experience with BoI about a year or so ago. He opened a savings account and put a very substantial sum in it and simply wanted to get that account added to their online banking profile to appear alongside their other accounts. Weeks/months went by and nothing was happening.

He was getting nowhere on the phone with them except getting fobbed off with, "I'm going to escalate this to our IT team" several times. We went into the branch to see someone about it and the best they could do was send out a jumped up 22 year old guy in a skintight suit who might as well have been dragged in off the street for all he knew about it. This guy ended up putting us on one of the phone kiosks to talk to the same crowd in Dublin who'd been fobbing him off for the past couple of months!

In the end, he wrote a letter to BoI HQ threatening closure of his account and media coverage over how shabbily he was treated as a lifelong customer and within a week, it had been resolved.

They are an absolute shower of cúnts who make Sky TV look like annual customer care industry award winners. If I had a big wedge of cash to put away, they are the last place on earth i'd go with it.

Wallet Inspector · 10-04-2021 4:04pm

All seem grand to me - doubt they're deciding to be stuck up when they go into work in the morning. And they're certainly not responsible for the bank's rules.

I'd bet any defensiveness is due to the way customers treat them. Take a look at any company's social media to see the utterly psychotic way customers (who are no doubt "appalled" by bullying) behave.

Example above - none of the staff were at fault because of a stupid tech glitch. Obviously they would have fixed it if they could. And they're human beings, with families, same as anyone. But referred to as a bunch of cuntts.

tastyt · 10-04-2021 4:11pm

Some people seem to think that the lads in the branch behind the counter are loaded and laughing at them and are the same as the millionaire “bankers” that ****ed people’s lives up in the crash and with the tracker scandal .

The majority are just going to work and doing what management tells them to do like the rest of us . It would be like going into the social welfare office and giving the person behind the desk ****e over Michael Martin or Leo Varadker

ShatterAlan · 10-04-2021 4:11pm

Bank of I reland staff definitely think they are in some way the elite of the banking world. I liken them to Aer Lingus flight attendants who think they are a cut above the rest.

Give me the bubbly, busty blonde with the tight red skirt on Virgin Atlantic or even Carmelita from Madrid on Ryanair anyday over the up-her-own-arse Aer Lingus crone with a face like a bulldog licking piss off a thistle.

Threadbanned

chooseusername · 10-04-2021 4:14pm

Larbre34 wrote: »

BoI staff, at work and in their private lives, do always have a great welcome for themselves.

I'd put it down to some heritage nonsense that they've been listening to since they were a cashier knee high to a grasshopper. But really theres no justification for it. Just tell them they days away from being replaced by an app and watch the look on their face.

Great expression Larbre, my Mother used to use that.

pgj2015 · 10-04-2021 4:17pm

Does anyone know how AIB and BOI get on? do they pass each other business or do they generally hate each other?

Deeec · 10-04-2021 4:18pm

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm not going to argue with you. Happy for you to believe that.

Im not arguing with you at all. Im just saying it is very poor service that an elderly woman ( during covid) could not be facilitated in some way to change £80 sterling into euro. It was money she got from her sister for her 80th birthday. Very dispapointing! She banks with Ulster bank but her local branch closed a few years ago. Luckily she doesnt need to visit banks often.

If you think £80 could equate to money laundering fair enough. Surely there could be a minimal amount before this kicks in.

10-04-2021 4:20pm

BOI treat staff like crap, they can get bollocked for not getting people to use the machines for example.

10-04-2021 4:24pm

Larbre34 wrote: »

Just tell them they days away from being replaced by an app and watch the look on their face.

I’ll take things that never happened for 20 please, Bob.

Wallet Inspector · 10-04-2021 4:36pm

Randall Witty Guitarist wrote: »

BOI treat staff like crap, they can get bollocked for not getting people to use the machines for example.

Exactly. I don't disagree that there can be utterly dreadful customer service from large companies (and it is NOT just an Irish thing despite what the "only in Ireland" crowd say) but this is due to outdated technology, limited staff because of terrible pay, high turnover, management and marketing being so disconnected and utterly clueless, bureaucratic processes... not the frontline staff's fault.

Had a woeful experience with Vodafone recently. Poor lass hadn't a clue. Crap training and lack of support was the issue - not the girl herself.

Mad_maxx · 10-04-2021 4:57pm

RandomViewer wrote: »

Haven't been in a BOI branch since 1991, went to lodge a cheque in my account ,cashier was male and obviously not happy in his job, in his best snooty accent he said" you have only 20pounds in your account", I asked what has that to do with lodging a cheque for a grand , he repeated the amount and said it could take 3 weeks to clear, cheque cleared in 3 days, I emptied my account through the ATM and never went back

are you Bertie Ahern ?

Do you think Bank of Ireland staff are snobby?

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