Is HSBC customer service the worst in the world?

[12roundsofwhitelowfatspread]

45 minutes on chat, 90 minutes on the phone, and they still can’t resolve a child’s debit card that seems lost in the post

Anyone got any recommendations of banks that won’t make me infuriated? Or other customer service stories to distract me?!

YANBU. I remortgaged with them. Had to do everything via online banking. To do that I had to register for telephone banking. Which I had to do online. It took me weeks of endless, cyclical soul destroying telephone conversations and being on hold to sort it. I don't think I have ever been so frustrated by bureaucracy in my life.

Oh no, that sounds even worse. I have just filled in their complaints form, with no hope anyone will read it or respond.

Been banning with them since 1995 (I think we’re called Midland Bank back then). Anyway, I’ve never had a single issue with them, and all my issues get resolved quickly. Recently, I needed bank statements going back to 2007, and they printed them whatever they could in the branch and arranged the rest via post. They always do chargebacks on my card without fuss.

My partner was with them for ages but never got great service. When my partner came into a large chunk of money via an inheritanceit was a struggle to get things from the bank. Documents notarized, copied etc. Went to Nat West who were completely different. Documents scanned, copied,authorized etc. Monies transferred , just so different. It was like HSBC found customers difficult to deal with.

Yes and every time I have to call them I vow I'll move

The worst customer service, I'll never use them again.

We have a lovely (not!) bank here in our locality in Ireland. You can’t get through to them on the phone, their website is hard to navigate but when you go into the branch they just guide you to the computer, and leave you there and that’s their answer to everything unless it’s‘we can’t do that, you’ll have to contact head office’

YANBU my mum banks with them and I have POA so I have to do banking with them. They are dreadful, and those loops when you need something that a bot cannot handle. I hate them with a vengeance.

Nope, Santander are the worst. Hands down. They just closed my account one day when I queried something. Bizarre organisation!

First Direct are fantastic. Weirdly I think they are owned by HSBC.

I worked for Midland Bank (it was always about good customer service) and then it became HSBC and things changed. My daughter is having endless problems with HSBC at the moment and seems to be unable to resolve them.
I agree that First Direct is excellent.

HSBC are the worst. I once heard a funny anecdote from a guy who had his account frozen as HSBC said they needed to know the source of his funds. It was his pension payments. From his many years working in a very senior role at...HSBC 🤦🏼‍♀️

They are infuriating! We remortgaged with them, straight forward process to begin with, they approved our application but then....weeks of it being passed to various teams and queues. If we hadn't have chased it constantly it would probably still be going on now 😐

I’m sorry that I’m not alone - love the pension story though! Their complaints team did actually respond with a sensible solution today, but why I had to waste over two hours to reach that point is beyond me!

Switch to Starling. They’re great.

I've had a FD account since they first started - best bank to deal with when you need to talk to someone.

ABout 10yrs ago I called. It was an overseas call centre and the guy adamantly told me that the branch I'd registered with, and used often- didn't exist. I explained that I could see the branch out my window, provided their address and postcode- but because he couldn't find it on his list- it didn't exist and claimed that I was clearly mistaken- despite being in the UK, when he was not!!!!

I work in banking and wouldn't touch NatWest with a barge pole. They overcharged me for my account fee every month and were unable to sort it out so I told them to close my account. Didn't happen. I had to put my request in writing. So I did. They denied receiving the letter. Same with my second letter. So I hand delivered the third letter to their receptionist in the branch. They still denied receiving it. Beyond useless.