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If you could wave a magic wand and improve your banking experience, tell Barclays what your wish would be and you could win a £200 voucher NOW CLOSED

194 replies

AnnMumsnet · 09/09/2013 09:58

As you know we have been working with Barclays and this week Barclays want to hear ideas from customers and non customers.

They say "we want customers to be at the heart of what we do, but we can only do this if we keep on listening to your thoughts and suggestions. That's why we've created Your Bank, a place where you can go to share whatever's on your mind about banking.

To celebrate the launch of Your Bank, this week we're asking the nation five key questions to help us get some answers on how we can make your banking better.

Before we put the questions to the nation, we also got 20 Mumsnetters together to have a think about how we can make everyday banking better for everyone - you can see what they had to say now".

View the Mumsnet Ideation session here

But they also want to make sure your voice is heard on all the other aspects of your banking, so once you've answered the questions (here) please also let us know (on this thread) if you could wave a magic wand, how you would improve your banking experience?

Everyone who adds a comment below will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £200 John Lewis voucher.

thanks and good luck
MNHQ
PS closing date for prize draw: 16 Sept at noon

OP posts:
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Magicjellyflood · 09/09/2013 10:05

I'd like to be able to see a real time update of my account. I find it difficult to be sure of my balance as it takes days for purchases to show on my online account.

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Trills · 09/09/2013 10:08

I would do away with all of those little calculator machines that you have to put your card into.

One of my banks doesn't have them - instead if I set up a payment to a new recipient I get an automated phone call and have to type in some numbers from the screen.

I always have my phone with me. I do not always have the little machine with me.

I would also make it so that online banking lets me choose my username (not a randomly-generated number that I then have to remember) and lets me choose my security questions ("first holiday" or "favourite singer" are not relevant to me).

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BellaVida · 09/09/2013 10:10

There are different aspects to this- the in branch experience and the whole customer and services experience.

In branch, queueing at the general customer services desk or for appointments can be frustrating- why not have a system like they do in the Post Office? A front desk with tickets/ numbers for different services. Efficient and you don't feel ignored Wink

Trying to speak in branch with children in tow is difficult to say the least. I would like to see a children's table or corner with money related activities and sheets. How about a mini bank counter, waiting area (activity table) fake cash, kids cheques/ slips etc?

One for the grown ups- reduce bank charges and consolidate posted statements/letters. You would think that banks would be more environmentally aware- I don't need to receive a small forest worth of printed information I can see online!

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AllSWornOut · 09/09/2013 10:22

Fully agree with Trills.

I would also like to be trusted to do everything on line. Barclay's is actually quite good in that you can open savings accounts etc. directly online, but I would love to be able to deal with ask the paper work through scanning/email rather than always having to pop letters in the post.

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gazzalw · 09/09/2013 10:27

The booths for telephone banking soundproofed and enclosed. It's fine and dandy having to answer security questions to ensure you are who you say you are, but if half the other customers can here you going thro' security procedures then it's somewhat counter-productive! It doesn't make me feel entirely confident that some random stranger isn't busy memorising my ID details!

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iwantavuvezela · 09/09/2013 10:32

I find the amount of information I get from my bank about the "benefits of my account" quite overwhelming, it seems to include a whole package of benefits etc. I am really not sure if I am meant to phone the bank and let them know if I want them, if it means i automatically have them.
I would like a one page email or letter sent which lists the benefits (e.g. free cover for your phone) with a box next to it that says "Phone your bank to update this/give phone number. Etc, that would mean I could have a look quickly at what these "benefits" are and see if I want them, rather than a whole package of information that I usually end of recycling or forgetting about!

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HeathRobinson · 09/09/2013 10:37

Stop charging customers for a letter telling them they're overdrawn!

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WowOoo · 09/09/2013 10:38

I'd like my bank to make it's local phone call charges easy to find and easier to get through to. I had to Google to find a low cost way to make a call from a landline.

I'd like to see more booths for privacy or a place to sit and wait that's a little more private than the reception area.
If you have children with you some plastic piggy banks and plastic coins or just plain paper and some pencils would be great.

I'm looking to move an account at the moment. I think some of the charges banks can make are just wrong. I think I'll have to read a lot of small print, but would like things to be clear, transparent and reasonable.

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Trills · 09/09/2013 10:39

Good point WowOoo - 0300 numbers please (charged "like calling a landline")

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cindersinsuburbia · 09/09/2013 10:46

realistic over draft charges for the un-authorised ones - yes I went over my limit but I don't until £25+ is a fair penalty

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Glitterfairys · 09/09/2013 10:53

I would like to see a few activities for children , not much maybe just some crayons and colouring sheets as waiting in long queues with young children can be a bit of a pain. Also , maybe good incentives to encourage children to save their money Smile

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NoComet · 09/09/2013 10:53

Saturday opening so DDs can pay in money in term time.

Also, I tend to be in town then too, a 10mile round trip leaves cheques in the draw for months.

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manfalou · 09/09/2013 11:08

It confuses me when I look at my account and I see 'Last nights balance' and 'Current balance' as different amounts when my actual purchases don't show up. It would be nice if the newer purchases were shown online.. even if they have a 'pending' status just so at the weekend its easier to keep track of whats being spent and where.

I signed up to mobile banking but deleted it again as I didn't feel it secure enough. I would feel more comfortable if a 2 or 3 step login was needed... not using pin century... but maybe the 5 digit pin, then something like the Verification process needed when buying online i.e the first and sixth letter of your password.

It would be nice for children to be able to put their own money into the bank. Even if its just a bit of odd change they're seen on the floor. Maybe one Saturday a month open a Childrens counter (which they can reach) and have them put their money into a piggy bank (or such like) and sign their own money into the account, receiving a little certificate saying they'd saved money today. Obviously all being verified correctly by parents in the usual manor but something so the kids can get involved and SEE where their money goes into the bank.

Our joint account has a benefits package included.. which includes RAC cover but we only got the number in the big pack. It would be nice to receive an actual RAC membership card to keep in the car.

Do away with the junk mail. If I wanted a loan or a credit card I would apply, you don't need to send me endless amount of applications with my name address printed on it everywhere.

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worldgonecrazy · 09/09/2013 12:01

I would like to see a return to the personal touch. Banks have been so busy cutting overheads, that there is no longer a personal service offered. I see the same faces when I make payments over the counter, and will have a bit of chat with them, but I know that there is one central phone number if I have to deal with anything by phone, and it means that banking has become faceless, and "one size fits all". The bank workers/managers, no longer have any real relationships with their customers.

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Tee2072 · 09/09/2013 12:15

I want one balance on my account. Available balance and actual balance or whatever it's called is just confusing. Especially when I can't get it to add up.

Just tell me how much actual money I can currently spend.

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ImFineThankYou · 09/09/2013 12:27

Transactions would be immediate, if I've paid a bill I want to see it gone from my account and credited to who I'm paying straight away, cheques in my account, card payments on my account. It's so frustrating having to keep a constant mental tally if I ever use my card.
Online banking to be secure but also faster as easier to use. I feel like I spend ages logging in!

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BornToFolk · 09/09/2013 12:30

It would be nice for children to be able to put their own money into the bank. Even if its just a bit of odd change they're seen on the floor.

Metro Bank do this. They have free coin counting machines. I took DS in with a load of loose change we'd been saving up and we converted it into notes. They gave DS a free gift too (branded drinks bottle) and told us that if he had a children's saving account, he could use the coin counting machine to make deposits into it.

I wish my bank (Lloyds) would stop sending me junk mail. I also wish they'd stop inviting me into branch to discuss my accounts. I did that last year and to be fair, found it very helpful. They found some current accounts with a higher rate of interest, which was great BUT since then I've had letters and phone calls inviting me back in and don't seem to have any record of the fact that I've actually done this fairly recently. It's getting quite irritating.

Basically, I want banks to leave me alone unless I want something from them!

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Trills · 09/09/2013 12:35

Coin-counting machines sound great. Coinstar etc take 9%!

I want a machine where I can put in my debit card, pour in coins, and have the money added to my balance with no charge.

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nemno · 09/09/2013 12:38

I would like safe deposit boxes back please.

And I agree with the above suggestions of free coin counting machines and Saturday opening hours.

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asuwere · 09/09/2013 12:50

I would love that machine too Trills - DH gets a lot of tips from his work and he has loads of coins but it's difficult to deposit as our bank will only allow us to deposit 3 bags of coins at any time.

I would also like it if I was allowed to withdraw more money from an ATM if I authorised it online first. (recently bought used car and had to withdraw from 2 different accounts due to ATM which was annoying.)

I'm also not a fan of the card reader thingy - doesn't make any transaction feel any more secure, just a bit of a nuisance.

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Spirael · 09/09/2013 12:50

I'd like the Barclays App to be available on my Android Tablet. It's available on my phone, but for some reason the app is not compatible with my tablet. I don't want to check my accounts on my phone, I want to check them on my tablet!

I'd also like to see more information about contactless payments. I think my card can do them, but I'm not sure and have no idea how I'd actually make the payment. So I don't try, in case I screw it up and end up paying multiple times or not paying at all and looking like an idiot.

Instead of delaying my login to the online systems by asking whether I'd like a mortgage or a loan (no, if I want one I'll ask), how about telling me what my card is enabled for? (contactless/abroad/etc) Then, if you have the data that I've never made a contactless payment before, you could offer a simple demonstration video on how to make one and where they are accepted.

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StillNoFuckingEyeDeer · 09/09/2013 13:19

I wish online banking identities and passwords could be simpler, or that at each stage you could be given a hint as to what sort of password/PIN you're trying to remember.
So, instead of 'enter numbers 1, 3 and 2 from your PIN', it would say 'enter numbers 1, 3 and 2 from your six-digit PIN' and for the password it would remind you what kind of password it was - alphanumerical containing at least one upper and one lower case letter and at least one digit.

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StillNoFuckingEyeDeer · 09/09/2013 13:20

And I'd like an alternative to the card reader so that of I ever do manage to successfully log in to my online banking, I can actually do something if I'm not at home with the card reader.

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SquirtedPerfumeUpNoseInBoots · 09/09/2013 13:47

Improve childrens banking experiences. I would like to encourage my DS to save, but its the bank that makes it difficult.
At my bank, DS cant pay in change unless its bagged up, and even then no more than 3 bags at a time, fine, except he is not saving up full bags of 10p, 20p, 5p.
He needs to be able to pay his pocket money in.
Hes a child. Its in change.

As others have said, a coin machine which would credit the money to his account would be the perfect solution.

And Saturday opening.

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LyraSilvertongue · 09/09/2013 13:54

Cut the banking charges. I go over my overdraft limit sometimes because I'm short of money. Then the charges make me even more short of money and more likely to go over the next month. It's a vicious circle and my accounts are in a mess because if it.

Also, please no more Indian call centres. It's beyond frustrating when the person on the other end of the line cannot understand what you're asking/telling them and you can't understand what they're saying in response. Sometimes I've had to give up completely because I'm getting nowhere.

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