We have banked with Smile for the last 15 years, but with the recent news about Co-op bank decided we'd better open accounts somewhere else. Before Smile we used First Direct so went to their site. Super - open new accounts, do the transfer thingy and they'll give you £100. Don't mind if I do. Except we don't count as new customers because we banked with them 15, yes count them, 15 years ago! so no £100. Also, because we have already banked with them we can't set everything up online but have to do it by phone and guess how long you have to hold on to get through - an hour...for each of us! DH protests mightily, points out this is 4 bank accounts, do they want to lose that business. Nothing doing. So we give up and go to Halifax.
Account set up on line no problem, but then DH's card has just arrived and for reasons we cannot fathom an extra title has been added to his name e.g. Mr Lord Fred Utter. Rings the Halifax "We can't fix that online or on the phone, you'll have to go into your nearest branch" (20 mins each way, 20 mins to park and faff, £2 to park plus petrol) Why in the name of all holy technology can we put a person into space but there is no option in the Halifax banking software for them to correct a mistake that they spontaneously made for no reason that we can identify!
And also, why, when we pay so much for these banking services, do we get treated like some kind of inconvenience when actually WE ARE THE CUSTOMERS AND THE SOURCE OF THEIR PROFITS!!!
Ok...rant over...deep breathing...thinking beautiful thoughts.