To be sick of the bank staff doing this?

[Waltons]

I work freelance, so my bank account goes up and down like a yoyo during the year. After a biggish project it can have quite a bit of money in it for several weeks until I get the time to spend it in a frenzy pay the bills or invest it sensibly.

About 3 years ago I got fed up with my bank trying to sell me stuff over the counter whenever I had more than the usual amount into the account, asking me loads of financial questions in full hearing of everyone else. We live in a small town and there is always someone I know or recognise in there. They promised to make a note on my account that I didn't want them to ever try to sell me anything over the counter again.

I recently had a big project pay up and the money went into my current account to wait for April 6th when I can stick it in an ISA for next year. Every time I set foot in the bank the staff harrass me about it. "If you can pay in £1,000 a month you could have an account that pays a better rate of interest which is still crap." (Er, no, some months I don't have anything to pay in, and I can't cut a cheque for £3k into 3 parts and pay it in monthly.) "Have you invested in an ISA this year?" (Er, yes, but do I want everyone standing behind me to know that?) "Ooh, Mrs Waltons, do you know what your balance is? It's a lot of money to keep in a current account ..." (Hey, why not shout a little louder into the microphone? Someone at the back may not have heard you.)

Every time I say to them "I don't wish to discuss my financial affairs over the counter, and please could you note that on my account". In reply I just get more of it: "We can make an appointment with one of our financial advisors about investing lump sums if you wish." (Well now everyone knows that, at least this month, Mrs Waltons is filthy rich and catflap.)

It is absolutely driving me mad, and I've got to go in there again tomorrow. AIBU to feel that it is a huge invasion of my privacy? (Any bank staff out there who know how I can shut them up, please?)

You can pay in cheques or draw out cash at any HSBC bank if you are with first direct. And get your book stamped no problem.

Mintsauce, I'm not sure what point you are making. Are you saying that if your customer had accepted that you knew better than he what he should be doing with his money, it would have been best all around for everyone, or are you saying (as per your second point) that customers should just put up with your asking as you have to do it and would otherwise be in trouble?

Surely there must be a way to stop these questions? After, all even when you buy services over the Internet, they give you the option to tick a box requesting that the shop not spam you with information going forward.

These questions are basically verbal spam- the bank equivalent of "would you like to upsize that"? to enable selling targets to be met, rather than to genuinely assist the customer.

First Direct, First Direct, First Direct.....as I (& others have said before)....and yes you can get your "books stamped", just go to an HSBC branch.

My point is that It clearly wasnt verbal spam for the customer who needed the life cover and wouldnt listen to me and also that it is a completely relentless working environment. Its really quite crushing to constantly spot areas of customers finances that could be improved or ways in which you could make them better off, only to be met with constant abuse.

I guess what Im trying to say is that it doesnt hurt to listen and please try and spare a small thought for the person who doesnt want to harass you while you are on your lunch break but has a regular threat of disciplinary action if they dont.

Oh and also my employers system shows me that you dont like marketing mail or marketing telephone calls but there is not an option for "do not approach in branch", another flaw I think.

Well, yes it was- you couldn't know what his actual financial circumstances were, just as the staff in the OPs branch don't know what hers are and so insist on making her finances public while attempting to meet their selling targets. All you knew is information about the accounts he held with you. He may have had good reason why he did not purchase your insurance product- there may have been other debts he had to pay for example, or he may have been seeing an independent financial adviser who recommended something else. Of course, there may well be other vendors of other financial products who also felt that he should have bought their product.

It almost seems that you are blaming yourself for not selling hard enough, but I hope not.

Where I am coming from is that I agree with you that you should not be forced to market products to customers who do not want them. It is the assumption by the bank that it knows best when it does not know the full story of a customer's finances, plus the inability of the customers to stop the pestering that gets the customers' backs up. You then have to bear the customers' annoyance and neither this, nor the customers having been annoyed in the first place, is right.

Mintsauce its always those that say no that come in though when they are in the s**t and want help sorting it out. I hate being hassaled in the bank my dh works in a bank he is the same he hates asking but its his job and he has too do it or he wouldnt have a job. People always come in so jolly and happy when they want there bank charges sorting because a direct debit went out by accident .