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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think this service was just terrible? This man was on a power trip

109 replies

SmeganMegan · 10/07/2024 16:18

I went into my local bank branch to make a transfer - it was above the daily limit I have on the app. At the counter the man again tried to force me to use the app, advised I couldn’t as I’m over my limit, he said to use facial recognition to increase the amount - I didn’t want to (politely).

He made me wait in the queue to be served by someone at the desk. 30 minutes I sat there, she was still serving the same customer that entire time.

The guy eventually walks over to me and takes me back to the counter to do the transaction. No apology at all and clearly could have done the transfer for me there and then.

For reference it’s a small branch and there was only me and the other customer in there when I walked in.

OP posts:
Kellyanne555 · 10/07/2024 17:43

SmeganMegan · 10/07/2024 17:40

True but transferring money from one account to the another (same currency and country) they can easily do. It would be worrying if they couldn’t.

Show quote history

You have the right no to.

But if it was me I would have done a quick facial recognition to increase the limit, then sit for half an hour in the branch.

Original poster
SmeganMegan · 10/07/2024 17:42

Kellyanne555 · 10/07/2024 17:34

They don't hate customers. Their hands are tied on what they can do.

The regular people that you see working in the bank are being leaned on very heavily from above, to only carry out the transactions that are necessary to do.

Anything that can be done at an ATM or on the app - the customer must be directed to use that. Otherwise it is seen as time wasting .

They take it very seriously in banks. Employees can lose their jobs for not sending customers to the atms and apps to do transactions that can be carried out there by the customer themselves.

Edited
Show quote history

But surely in my instance of why I had used the app and personally didn’t want to increase my limit from £750 to £20K to send the rest then that’s justifiable for both sides?

OP posts:
Original poster
SmeganMegan · 10/07/2024 17:40

TempestTost · 10/07/2024 17:27

Staff in a lot of banks are directed to push using the apps really hard. I've recently gone to the bank for things where they couldn't actually help me at all - they did help me add the phone baking to my account, but could not take the action I wanted themselves - the phone account was the only way.

True but transferring money from one account to the another (same currency and country) they can easily do. It would be worrying if they couldn’t.

OP posts:
Getonwitit · 10/07/2024 17:39

All part of the plan to stop people going into their local branch. Walk into my branch and there are 3 members of staff waiting to accost you. If 2 of them were on the counter instead of stood there looking like bouncers, the queue wouldn't be so bloody long. But no matter how long the queue i will stand in it rather than use machines.

Kellyanne555 · 10/07/2024 17:34

I used to work in a bank

Kellyanne555 · 10/07/2024 17:34

INeedAnotherName · 10/07/2024 17:30

I hear you OP. I wanted to withdraw 1K in branch and they tried (repeatedly) to get me to go outside, in the street, and use the ATM. The ATM that only lets you withdraw £200 in one go. So instead of one, very quick transaction in the safety and security of inside a building they wanted me to do five separate transactions where muggers and thieves are watching, in the rain 🙄

They really hate customers.

They don't hate customers. Their hands are tied on what they can do.

The regular people that you see working in the bank are being leaned on very heavily from above, to only carry out the transactions that are necessary to do.

Anything that can be done at an ATM or on the app - the customer must be directed to use that. Otherwise it is seen as time wasting .

They take it very seriously in banks. Employees can lose their jobs for not sending customers to the atms and apps to do transactions that can be carried out there by the customer themselves.

INeedAnotherName · 10/07/2024 17:30

I hear you OP. I wanted to withdraw 1K in branch and they tried (repeatedly) to get me to go outside, in the street, and use the ATM. The ATM that only lets you withdraw £200 in one go. So instead of one, very quick transaction in the safety and security of inside a building they wanted me to do five separate transactions where muggers and thieves are watching, in the rain 🙄

They really hate customers.

Kellyanne555 · 10/07/2024 17:30

Mrsjayy · 10/07/2024 17:15

Ah I was confused what was happening sorry
You are not unreasonable to want to speak to someone about transfers, I don't think you should have to "use the app" if you don't want to I'd complain to branch you could probably use the app 😀

Show quote history

I can explain something about this.

I used to work at a large bank.

We obviously get hundreds of customer queries every day through people walking into branch and we also got customer calls transferred to us from the bank contact centre .

It was part of my job description to tell people to do something on the app, if it could be done on the app.

It wasn't a choice . I had to do it. If I was on a call with a customer they would quality check my calls, and I would get marked down on my quality score if I didn't tell the customer to use the app , when it was something that could be done on the app.

Its to try to stop time wasting and be efficient.

It wasn't my personal choice. If it was up to me I wouldn't say it to customers. But i had to say it.

My job performance would be marked down as I would be quality scored.

That man is doing what he is told to do

BobbyBiscuits · 10/07/2024 17:30

They've probably just been told they're losing their jobs and being shut down due to "lack of customers".

TempestTost · 10/07/2024 17:27

Staff in a lot of banks are directed to push using the apps really hard. I've recently gone to the bank for things where they couldn't actually help me at all - they did help me add the phone baking to my account, but could not take the action I wanted themselves - the phone account was the only way.

Original poster
SmeganMegan · 10/07/2024 17:24

YouJustDoYou · 10/07/2024 17:00

I mean, it was only a half hour, and it got done...worse things happen in life.

Go and sit on a chair and stare at a wall for 30 minutes and you’ll see that when you’re bored and waiting it’s actually a long time.

And if that’s how long it took then I can deal with that, but he could have just done it there and then when he was free and I was the only customer (apart from the customer already being served).

OP posts:
Original poster
SmeganMegan · 10/07/2024 17:21

Mrsjayy · 10/07/2024 17:15

Ah I was confused what was happening sorry
You are not unreasonable to want to speak to someone about transfers, I don't think you should have to "use the app" if you don't want to I'd complain to branch you could probably use the app 😀

Show quote history

Just to point out I did use the app but it has a limit of £750 per day and my operation costs more than that. So I physically couldn’t use the app unless I used their facial recognition which ups it to £20K. But I just don’t want to do this, I have no need for it either.

OP posts:
Nanny0gg · 10/07/2024 17:19

YouJustDoYou · 10/07/2024 17:00

I mean, it was only a half hour, and it got done...worse things happen in life.

Do you like having your time wasted?

Original poster
SmeganMegan · 10/07/2024 17:17

pilo7 · 10/07/2024 17:04

Done a lot of work for one high street bank. I can assure you that this is the whole point – they don't want you coming into the branch and seeking proper customer service. What they want is for you to use their app, for everything.

They see customers as an irritation, a hindrance and a money-sink. All that shite about diversity and inclusion, yet they have no interest at all in providing the face-to-face, helpful service that's particularly needed by some older and/or disabled customers.

I'd also add that all this reliance on facial recognition is dangerous. I know of IT security consultants who refuse to use it. Even two-factor authentification (where you get a text/call with a code when logging in) isn't 100% secure.

I refused to pay my house deposit via the app. I went to my bank (after going to my solicitor in person to double-check their account details). And the attitude was that I was weird and silly for wanting to make the biggest transaction of my life in person.

Yes I very much got that impression, that I was asking for the world. Even when he decided to serve me he again he tried to push the facial recognition when I’d clearly stated I didn’t want to do that when he first brought it up.

OP posts:
Mrsjayy · 10/07/2024 17:15

SmeganMegan · 10/07/2024 16:43

He served one other person who came in after me. And was then was sat there after they left filling in paperwork

Show quote history

Ah I was confused what was happening sorry
You are not unreasonable to want to speak to someone about transfers, I don't think you should have to "use the app" if you don't want to I'd complain to branch you could probably use the app 😀

Original poster
SmeganMegan · 10/07/2024 17:11

PhilosophicalCheeseSandwich · 10/07/2024 17:03

So you could've increased the limit on the app but you didn't want to use the facial recognition thing. Why didn't you want to do that?

Because I don’t need or want to increase my limit to transfer £20K daily.

This is a one off transaction (for an operation). I said politely I don't want to do that and that really should be the end of it. If a customer doesn’t want to do something they aren’t comfortable with then you shouldn’t force them to do it.

And really a payment transfer (when I can’t use the app) in branch isn’t a big deal.

OP posts:
DeepfriedPizza · 10/07/2024 17:09

The lack of customer service at the bank is frustrating.
I tried to pay in £150 cash 3x£50 notes. The greeter directed me to a deposit machine even though cashiers were free. The machine only registered £100 so I had to seek help, they had to open machine etc. It took 20 minutes to sort. If they'd served me when I went in, it would have taken 2 minutes.

pilo7 · 10/07/2024 17:04

Done a lot of work for one high street bank. I can assure you that this is the whole point – they don't want you coming into the branch and seeking proper customer service. What they want is for you to use their app, for everything.

They see customers as an irritation, a hindrance and a money-sink. All that shite about diversity and inclusion, yet they have no interest at all in providing the face-to-face, helpful service that's particularly needed by some older and/or disabled customers.

I'd also add that all this reliance on facial recognition is dangerous. I know of IT security consultants who refuse to use it. Even two-factor authentification (where you get a text/call with a code when logging in) isn't 100% secure.

I refused to pay my house deposit via the app. I went to my bank (after going to my solicitor in person to double-check their account details). And the attitude was that I was weird and silly for wanting to make the biggest transaction of my life in person.

Original poster
SmeganMegan · 10/07/2024 17:04

MikeRafone · 10/07/2024 16:59

Barclays?

NatWest

OP posts:
PhilosophicalCheeseSandwich · 10/07/2024 17:03

So you could've increased the limit on the app but you didn't want to use the facial recognition thing. Why didn't you want to do that?

missmollygreen · 10/07/2024 17:02

Maybe you should have just used the facial recognition...?

YouJustDoYou · 10/07/2024 17:00

I mean, it was only a half hour, and it got done...worse things happen in life.

MikeRafone · 10/07/2024 16:59

Barclays?

OuterSpaceCadet · 10/07/2024 16:57

It's one of the reasons I changed my account to Metro Bank. They make a point of hiring people for their customer service skills. They're always extremely welcoming and proactive and I never feel punished for my utter disorganisation.

Original poster
SmeganMegan · 10/07/2024 16:43

SleepingStandingUp · 10/07/2024 16:30

So he just sat at the counter for 30 minutes twiddling his thumbs at the desk?

Show quote history

He served one other person who came in after me. And was then was sat there after they left filling in paperwork

OP posts: