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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To absolutely HATE the 'helpful' queue botherers in banks..

29 replies

vinegarandbrownpaper · 13/02/2015 10:37

Those ones that after you've made a decision to go to the counter come and try to find holes in your reasoning and bug you to use the machines even if its completely not relevant..

Today I had one telling me about my card withdrawal limit and probing to try to upset my 'I need to go to the counter' decision to try to upset it .Then told me to order a pin when I don't want to. Bloody annoying.

OP posts:

ApignamedJasper · 13/02/2015 10:42

Yanbu! It's their job & all but it us bloody annoying. I KNOW they have machines where I can pay money in but I prefer to talk to a person so stop trying to convince me I don't need to, I'm happy to wait!

Beanie99 · 13/02/2015 10:42

I find it very annoying.

Then when they have achieved their objective and all customers are using machines, they will be complaining that they have been made redundant as staff are no longer required!

MrsHathaway · 13/02/2015 10:43

I once had this in branch. She was going along the line being helpful and giving people coupons for cheaper coffee at their little Costa (or similar) counter.

When she got to me I loudly explained that I was closing my account because . She scuttled away and I didn't get a coupon

Lovemycatsandkids · 13/02/2015 10:49

Yes agree op bugs me too

Original poster

vinegarandbrownpaper · 13/02/2015 10:54

What gets me is I go to the counter precisely because I'm doing something different that needs the counter, and have been banking for years, yet they don't believe me and want to argue! Some won't go away until they have made you tell them something even if you say and give all the signals that they should go away. Also they talk to me as if I have never heard of a machine, a service counter etc.!! Its infuriating.

I need a 'no to queue botherers' badge

OP posts:

Original poster

vinegarandbrownpaper · 13/02/2015 17:38

Oh god I had it twice today from the same person!!..I can feel a letter coming on. ..

OP posts:

Gileswithachainsaw · 13/02/2015 17:39

Yanbu. hey back behind the counter and start serving. Instead of leaving one poor sod dealing with an entire queue while you stroll up and down the line offering no help what so ever

Gileswithachainsaw · 13/02/2015 17:41

Get back

TravelinColour · 13/02/2015 17:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Gileswithachainsaw · 13/02/2015 17:45

And then you loose your place in the queue when it finally clicks you can't use it despite being told it would work.

How they can look at a queue to the door and use the only staff available to floor walk and do the mortgage desk while entire lunch breaks are wasting away just standing there...

Bippidee · 13/02/2015 17:49

There with you on this. Went into my closest branch to do 3 things. 5 queue botherers, branch empty of customers apart from me and DD, and yet there was no-one available to open an account until next week, apparently.

Topseyt · 13/02/2015 17:51

I normally only go into the branch if I am likely to have queries on stuff and need to actually ensure I speak to a person, so yes, this annoys me too if it happens.

if I am simply drawing cash out then I use one. I also use online banking where possible. However, if I have gone to the branch I am generally there because I want to be able to speak to a real person. Machines have their place of course, but they cannot hold conversations over any questions I have.

mrsmootoo · 13/02/2015 17:54

YANBU. It is incredibly irritating. My local branch of Barclays has now got rid of all counters so you have to use the big new machines - and let everyone see all your personal details. Conversely now I make a point of insisting that a queue botherer comes and does it all for me.

3littlefrogs · 13/02/2015 17:54

I never have to go into a bank thank goodness.
I have banked with first Direct since they opened.

[smug emoticon]

unlucky83 · 13/02/2015 18:06

Me too - if I have had to make a trip to the bank to pay a cheque into my (card) account or my DDs (book only) account I'll update the book for a group I'm involved with at the same time...
Once I told them I was paying a cheque in and updating the book - they told me I could use the machine...so I helpfully left the queue, paid the cheque in ...then found out that I had to queue up again to get the book updated...to say I was less than impressed is an understatement.

Why they have all the advice desks and someone on the reception/queue management desk and only 2 counters is beyond me ...
I've also queued up to the counter to be told they can't deal with my query - I need to go to the reception type counter - who have then sent me back to the counter ...what's wrong with a counter that can just deal with everything????

BiddyPop · 13/02/2015 18:07

It's worse when you GET to the counter, and they call someone over to shuffle you off to the machine, even when you ASK SPECIFICALLY to do it over the counter, because its something you will NOT NORMALLY HAVE TO DO AND DON'T NEED TO LEARN!!!

I KNOW about the machines, I use them a lot. But when I have a specific need to do something at the counter, and ask TWICE that I do it there, I do not want to end up in tears at the stupid flogging machine which doesn't work to do this job anyway, that I am on my 3rd trip to the bank to do, and haven't got time for, and am so totally stressed out with all the crap in my life that the bank manager is looking for tissues.

But still doesn't let me go back to just get someone to do it for me.

I Hate banks at the moment. (And that specific incident was last July - can yo9u tell it made an impact?!)

drspouse · 13/02/2015 18:08

They aren't as bad as the ones in the P.O. that keep trying to find someone in the queue to take to their special short financial services queue.

Just serve the rest of us or go home.

ohmymimi · 13/02/2015 18:12

Bit of an own goal, there, Hathaway, you should have grabbed the coupons before your rant - extra satisfying.

BackforGood · 13/02/2015 18:21

YANBU If they have time on their hands they could get behind the counter and let the queue move quicker.

iseenodust · 13/02/2015 18:27

YANBU. They start from an assumption you are too thick to use a machine. They should start from how can I help the customer have a quick and efficient visit to this branch.

Perfectlypurple · 13/02/2015 18:29

I rarely go to a bank, but my Mum just refuses to go to a machine telling them if we all used machines there would be no jobs left for them.

ErrolTheDragon · 13/02/2015 18:41

YANBU. The machines can be fine for some things (I was quite pleasantly surprised when I wanted to review my standing orders/DDs and cancel some) but if I know I want a cashier and there's only one or two open it's annoying to have someone wasting their time patrolling the queue.

Similar feelings occasionally when they have someone trying to persuade you to use the self-service. No, if I've got loose veg and bakery rolls I really CBA. If I've just got a basketful of barcoded stuff then fine and I'd be in that line already.

hijk · 13/02/2015 22:17

YANBU I hate them, they hold you up, and don't listen to you and complicate the situation ridiculously. If I had wanted the machine, i would have gone to the machine.

ilovesooty · 13/02/2015 22:22

If they have time on their hands they could get behind the counter and let the queue move quicker

I expect they would if they were actually responsible for making the decision.

unlucky83 · 13/02/2015 23:09

If they have time on their hands they could get behind the counter and let the queue move quicker
My bank was recently refurbished - they now only have two normal counters...
The other week I was in just before closing and there was a massive queue, both counters were open but the queue botherers were asking you what you wanted to do and redirecting some people to the machine but others to a makeshift counter set up at one of the advice desks -they couldn't update books or do any cash transactions etc but they could so some things ...
(did wonder what time they got paid to and if they got overtime - it was 20mins after closing by the time we got seen and we'd gone in 10-15 mins before closing time and we weren't the back of the queue...

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